WM 


/2.,<13  .&£ 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^^ 


Presented    by(lJT(S0X^(:f!S^0O\r^-50r>"^3. 


Division  .x!SD.  d^\0  C—^ 
Section    a\!^.L^\0  I 


QioZ. 


NOTES, 


EXPLANATORY    AND    PRACTICAL. 


ON    THE 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


DESIGNED     FOR 


BIBLE  CLASSES  AND  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS, 


BY   ALBERT   BARNES. 


TWENTIETH   EDITION. 


N  E  ^Y    Y  0  Pu  K  • 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,     PUBLISHERS, 

329    &    331    PEARL    STREET, 

FRANKLIN      SQUARE. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  \'ear  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty-two,  by 

ALBERT    BARNES, 

Ih  flie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 


INTRODUCTION. 


TheRjS  is  no  evidence  that  the  title  "  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles"  affixe^l 
to  this  book,  was  given  by  divine  authority,  or  by  the  writer  himself.  It 
is  a  title,  however,  which,  with  a  little  variation,  has  been  given  to  it 
by  the  Christian  church  at  all  times.  The  term  "Acts"  is  not  used  as 
it  is  sometimes  with  us  to  denote  decrees  or  laws,  but  it  denotes  the 
doings  of  the  apostles.  It  is  a  record  of  what  the  apostles  did  in  found- 
ing and  establishing  the  Christian  church.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  how- 
ever, that  it  contains  chiefly  a  record  of  the  doings  of  Peter  and  Paul. 
Peter  was  commissioned  to  open  the  doors  of  the  Christian  church  to 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles  (see  Note,  Matt.  xvi.  18,  19) ;  and  Paul  was 
chosen  to  bear  the  gospel  especially  to  the  pagan  world.  As  these  two 
apostles  were  the  most  prominent  and  distinguished  in  founding  and  or- 
ganizing the  Christian  church,  it  was  deemed  proper  that  a  special  and 
permanent  record  should  be  made  of  their  labours.  At  the  same  time, 
occasional  notices  are  given  of  the  other  apostles ;  but  of  their  labours 
elsewhere  than  in  Judea,  and  of  their  death,  except  that  of  James  (Acta 
xii.  2),  the  sacred  writers  have  given  no  information. 

All  antiquity  is  unanimous  in  ascribing  this  book  to  Luke,  as  its 
author.  It  is  repeatedly  mentioned  and  quoted  by  the  early  Christian 
writers,  and  without  a  dissenting  voice  is  mentioned  as  the  work  of  Luke. 
The  same  thing  is  clear  from  the  book  itself.  It  professes  to  have  been 
written  by  the  same  person  who  wrote  the  Gospel  of  Luke  (ch.  i.  1)  ; 
was  addressed  to  the  same  person  (comp.  ver.  1  with  Luke  i.  3) ;  and 
bears  manifest  marks  of  being  from  the  same  pen.  It  is  designed  evi- 
dently as  a  continuation  of  his  Gospel,  as  in  this  book  he  has  taken  up 
the  history  at  the  very  time  where  he  left  it  in  the  Gospel  (ver.  1.  2). 

Where,  or  at  what  time,  this  book  was  written  is  not  certainly  known. 
As  the  history  however,  is  continued  to  the  second  year  of  the  residence 
of  Paul  at  Rome  (Acts  xxviii.  31),  it  was  evidently  written  about  as 
late  as  the  year  62 ;  and  as  it  makes  no  mention  of  the  further  dealings 
with  Paul,  or  of  any  other  event  of  history,  it  seems  clear  that  it  was  not 
written  much  after  that  time.  It  has  been  common,  therefore,  to  fix  the 
date  of  the  book  at  about  A.  D.  63.  It  is  also  probable  that  it  was  writ- 
ten at  Rome.  In  ch.  xxviii.  16,  Luke  mentions  his  arrival  at  Rome  with 
Paul.  As  he  does  not  mention  his  departure  from  this  city,  it  is  to  be 
presumed  that  it  was  written  there.  Some  have  supposed  that  it  was 
written  at  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  mit  of  that  there  is  no  sufficient  evi' 
dence. 

The  canonica.  authority  of  this  book  rests  on  the  same  foundation  as 
that  of  the  Gospel  by  the  same  author.  Its  authenticity  has  not  been 
called  in  question  at  any  time  in  the  church. 

This  book  has  commonly  been  regarded  as  a  history  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  'if  «8oiii"Sft  the  first  ecclesiastical  history  that  was  writtea 

3 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

3ut  it  cannot  have  been  designed  as  a  general  liistory  of  the  church 
Vlany  important  transactions  have  been  omitted.  It  gives  no  account  of 
he  church  at  Jerusalem  after  the  conversion  of  Paul ;  it  omits  his  jour- 
aey  into  Arabia  (Gal.  i.  17)  ;  gives  no  account  of  the  propagation  of  the 
rospel  in  Eo-ypt,  or  in  Babylon  (1  Pet.  v.  13)  ;  of  the  foundation  of  the 
3hurch  at  Rome ;  of  many  of  Paul's  voyages  and  shipwrecks  (2  Cor. 
xi.  25) ;  and  omits  to  record  the  labours  of  most  of  the  apostles,  and 
confines  the  narrative  chiefly  to  the  transactions  of  Peter  and  Paul. 

The  design  and  importance  of  this  history  may  be  learned  from  tha 
following  particulars :  .         n.,     rri 

1.  It  contains  a  record  of  the  promised  descent  and  operations  oj  tfie  Holy 
Spirit.  The  Lord  Jesus  promised  that  after  he  had  departed  to  heaven, 
he  would  send  the  Holy  Ghost  to  carry  forward  the  great  work  of  redemp- 
tion. John  xiv.  16,  17 ;  xv.  26  ;  xvi.  7—14.  The  apostles  were  directed 
to  tarry  in  Jerusalem  until  they  were  endued  with  power  from  on  high. 
Luke  xxiv.  49.  The  four  Gospels  contained  a  record  of  the  life,  instruc- 
tions, death,  and  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  But  it  is  clear  that  he 
contemplated  that  the  most  signal  triumphs  of  the  gospel  should  take 
place  after  his  ascension  to  heaven,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  descent  of  the  Spirit,  and  his  influence  on  the  souls  of  men, 
was  a  most  important  part  of  the  work  of  redemption.  Without  an  au- 
thentic, an  inspired  record  of  that,  the  account  of  the  operations  of  God 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  in  the  work  of  redemption,  would  not  have 
been  complete.  The  purposes  of  the  Father  in  regard  to  that  plan  were 
made  known  clearly  in  the  Old  Testament;  the  record  of  what  the  Son 
did  in  accomplishing  it,  was  contained  in  the  Gospels ;  and  some  book 
was  needful  that  should  contain  a  record  of  the  doings  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
As  the  Gospels,  therefore,  may  be  regarded  as  a  record  of  the  work  of 
Christ  to  save  men,  so  may  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  be  considered  as  a 
record  of  the  doings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  same  great  work.  With- 
out that,  the  way  in  which  the  Spirit  operates  to  renew  and  save  would 
have  been  very  imperfectly  known.  •     ,     r 

'  2.  This  book  is  an  inspired  account  of  the  character  of  true  remvals  of 
-eli'gion.  It  records  the  first  revivals  that  occurred  in  the  Christian 
church.  The  scene  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable displays  of  divine  power  and  mercy  that  the  world  has  ever 
known.  It  was  the  commencement  of  a  series  of  stupendous  move- 
ments in  the  world  to  recover  men.  It  was  the  true  model  of  a  revival 
of  relifiou,  and  a  perpetual  demonstration  that  such  scenes  as  have  cha- 
racterized our  own  age  and  nation  especially,  are  strictly  in  accordance 
with  the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament.  The  entire  book  of  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  records  the  effect  of  the  gospel  when  it  comes  fauly 
in  contact  with  the  minds  of  men.  The  gospel  was  addressed  to 
every  class.  It  met  the  Jew  and  the  Gentile,  the  bond  and  the  Iree,  the 
learned  and  the  ignorant,  the  rich  aad  the  poor;  and  showed  Us  power 
every  where  in  subduing  tlie  mind^o  itself.  It  was  proper  that  some 
record  should  be  preserved  of  the  displays  of  that  power ;  and  that  record 
we  have  in  this  book.  And  it  was  especially  proper  that  there  should 
he  given  by  an  inspired  man  an  account  of  the  oescent  ot  the  Holy  Spi« 
rit  a  record  of  a  true  revival  of  religion.  It  was  certain  that  the  gospel 
would  produce  excitement.  'I'he  human  mind,  as  all  experience  shows, 
is  prone  to  enthusiasm  and  fanaticism;  and  men  might  be  disposed  t# 


INTRODUCTION.  V 

pervert  the  gosp&l  to  scenes  of  wild-fire,  disorder,  and  tumult.  Thai 
the  gospel  would  produce  excitement,  was  well  known  to  its  Author,  li 
was  well  therefore  that  *here  should  be  some  record  to  which  the  church 
mig-ht  always  appeal  as  an  infallible  account  of  the  proper  effects  of  the 
gospel ;  some  inspired  standard  to  which  might  be  brought  all  excite- 
ments on  the  subject  of  religion.  If  they  are  in  accordance  with  the 
first  triumphs  of  the  gospel,  they  are  genuine ;  if  not,  they  are  false. 

3.  It  may  be  further  remarked,  that  this  book  shows  that  revivals  of 
religwn  are  to  be  expected  in  the  church.  If  they  existed  in  the  best  a-nd 
purest  days  of  Christianity,  they  are  to  be  expected  now.  If  by  means 
of  revivals  the  Holy  Spirit  chose  at  first  to  bless  the  preaching  of  the 
truth,  the  same  thing  is  to  be  expected  still.  If  in  this  way  the  gospel 
was  at  first  spread  among  the  nations,  then  we  are  to  infer  that  this  will 
be  the  mode  in  which  it  will  finally  spread  and  triumph  in  the  world. 

4.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  contains  a  record  of  the  organization  of 
the  Christian  church.  That  church  was  founded  simply  by  the  preaching 
of  the  truth,  and  chiefly  by  a  simple  statement  of  the  death  and  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ.  The  "  Acts  of  the  Apostles"  contains  the  high- 
est models  of  preaching,  and  the  purest  specimens  of  that  simple,  direct, 
and  pungent  manner  of  addressing  men,  which  may  be  expected  to  be 
attended  with  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  contains  some  of  the 
most  tender,  pov/erful,  and  eloquent  appeals  to  be  found  in  any  language. 
If  a  man  wishes  to  learn  how  to  preach  well,  he  can  probably  acquire  it 
nowhere  else  so  readily  as  by  giving  himself  to  the  prayerful  and  pro- 
found study  of  the  specimens  contained  in  this  book.  At  the  same  time 
we  have  here  a  view  of  the  character  of  the  true  church  of  Christ.  The 
simplicity  of  this  church  must  strike  every  reader  of  "  the  Acts."  Re- 
ligion is  represented  as  a  work  of  the  heart;  the  pure- and  proper  effect 
of  truth  on  the  mind.  It  is  free  from  pomp  and  splendour,  and  from  costly 
and  magnificent  ceremonies.  There  is  no  apparatus  to  impress  the  senses, 
no  splendour  to  dazzle,  no  external  rite  or  parade  adapted  to  draw  the 
affections  from  the  pure  and  spiritual  worship  of  God.  How  unlike  to 
the  pomp  and  parade  of  pagan  vorship !  How  unlike  the  vain  and 
pompous  ceremonies  which  have  since,  alas  !  crept  into  no  small  part  of 
the  Christian  church ! 

5.  In  this  book  we  have  many  striking  and  impressive  illustrations  ot 
what  the  gospel  is  fitted  to  produce,  to  make  men  self-denying  and  bene- 
volent. The  apostles  engaged  in  the  great  enterprise  of  converting  the 
world.  To  secure  that,  they  cheerfully  forsook  all.  Paul  became  a  eon- 
vert  to  the  Christian  faith,  and  cheerfully  for  that  gave  up  all  his  hopes 
of  preferment  and  honour,  and  welcomed  toil  and  privation  in  foreign 
lands.  The  early  converts  had  all  things  in  common  (ch.  ii.  44)  ;  those 
"which  had  curious  arts,"  and  were  gaining  property  by  a  course  of  ini- 
quity, forsook  their  schemes  of  ill-gotten  gain,  and  burned  their  books 
publicly  (ch.  xix.  19)  ;  Ananias  and  Sapphira  were  punished  for  at- 
tempting to  impose  on  the  apostles  by  hypocritical  professed  self-denials 
fch.  V.  1 — 10)  ;  and  throughout  the  book  there  occur  constant  instances 
!>f  sacrifices  and  toil  to  spread  the  gospel  around  the  globe.  Indeed,  these 
great  truths  had  manifestly  seized  upon  the  early  Christians :  tJiat  the 
gospel  luas  to  be  preached  to  all  7iations  ;  and  that  whatever  stood  in  the  way 
of  that  was  to  be  sacrificed  ;  whatever  toils  and  dangers  were  necessary,  were 
to  be  borne  ,-  and  even  death  itself  was  cheerfully  to  be  met,  if  it  lunuld  pro- 

a2 


fNTRODUCTION. 

mote  the  spread  of  true  religion.     This  was  thsn  genuine  Ohrislianity  ^ 
this  is  siill  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

6.  This  book  throws  important  light  on^the  Epistles.  It  is  a  connect 
ing  link  between  the  Gospels  and  the  other  parts  of  the  New  Testament. 
Instances  of  this  will  be  noticed  in  the  Notes.  One  of  the  most  clear  and 
satisfactory  evidences  of  the  genuineness  of  the  books  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament is  to  be  found  in  the  undesigned  coincidences  between  the  Acts  and 
the  Epistles.  This  argument  was  first  clearly  stated  and  illustrated  by 
Dr.  Paley.  His  little  work  illustrating  it,  the  Horas  Faulinae,  is  one  of 
the  most  unanswerable  proofs  which  have  yet  been  furnished  of  the  truth 
of  the  Christian  religion. 

7.  This  book  contains  unanswerable  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  Chris- 
tiau  religion.  It  is  a  record  of  the  early  triumphs  of  Christianity.- Within 
the  space  of  thirty  years  after  the  death  of  Christ,  the  gospel  had  been 
carried  to  all  parts  of  the  cirilized,  and  to  no  small  portion  of  the  unci- 
vilized world.  Its  progress  and  its  triumphs  were  not  concealed.  Its 
great  transactions  were  not  "done  in  a  corner."  It  had  been  preached 
in  the  most  splendid,  powerful,  and  corrupt  cities ;  churches  were  already 
founded  in  Jerusalem,  Antioch,  Corinth,  Ephesus,  Philippi,  and  at  Rome. 
The  gospel  had  spread  in  Arabia,  Asia  Minor,  Greece,  Macedon,  Italy, 
and  Africa.  It  had  assailed  the  most  mighty  existing  institutions;  it  had 
made  its  v/ay  over  the  most  formidable  barriers ;  it  had  encountered  the 
most  deadly  and  malignant  opposition ;  it  had  travelled  to  the  capital, 
and  had  secured  such  a  hold  even  in  the  imperial  city,  as  to  make  it  cer- 
tain that  it  would  finally  overturn  the  established  religion,  and  seat  itself 
on  the  ruins  of  paganism.  Within  thirty  years  it  had  settled  the  point 
that  it  would  overturn  every  bloody  altar ;  close  every  pagan  temple  ; 
bring  under  its  influence  the  men  of  office,  rank,  and  power;  and  that 
"  the  banners  of  the  faith  would  soon  stream  from  the  palaces  of  the 
Csesars."  All  this  would  be  accomplished  by  the  instrumentality  of 
Jews — of  fishermen — of  Nazarenes.  They  had  neither  wealth,  armies, 
nor  allies.  With  the  exception  of  Paul,  they  were  men  without  learn- 
ing. They  were  taught  only  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  armed  only  with  the 
power  of  God ;  victorious  only  because  he  was  their  captain ;  and  the 
world  acknowledged  the  presence  of  the  messengers  of  the  Highest,  and 
*»he  power  of  the  Christian  religion.  Its  success  never  has  been,  and 
Qever  can  be  accounted  for  by  any  other  supposition  than  that  God  at- 
tended it.  And  if  the  Christian  religion  be  not  true,  the  change  wrought 
by  the  twelve  apostles  is  the  most  inexplicable,  mysterious,  and  wonder- 
ful event  that  has  ever  been  witnessed  in  this  world.  Their  success  to 
the  end  of  time  will  stand  as  an  argument  of  the  truth  of  the  scheme, 
that  shall  confound  the  infidel,  and  sustain  the  Christian  with  the  assured 
belief  that  this  is  a  religion  which  has  proceeded  from  the  alrtighty  and 
itiiinitelj  beBCTolent  God. 


THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

npHE  former  treatise  °-  have  I 
-*•  made,  O  Theophilus,  of  all 
that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and 
leach, 

a  LU.1.W  I,  &c.       b  Lu.24.51.  Ter.9.  lTi.3.16. 


1.  The  former  treatise.  The  former 
hook  The  Gospel  by  Luke  is  here  evi- 
denty  intended.  Greek, '  the  former  Lo- 
gos' meaning  a  discourse,  or  a  narrative. 
IT  O  Theophilus.  See  Note,  Luke  i.  3. 
As  tliis  book  was  written  to  the  same  in- 
diviuual  as  the  former,  it  was  evidently 
.written  with  the  same  design — to  furnish 
an  authentic  and  full  narrative  of  events 
concerning  which  there  would  be  many 
imperfect  and  exaggerated  accounts  gi- 
ven. See  Luke  i.  1—4.  As  these  events 
pertained  to  the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  to 
the  spread  of  the  gospel,  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church  by  inspired  authority, 
to  the  kind  of  preaching  by  which  the 
church  was  collected  and  organized ;  and 
as  those  events  were  a  full  proof  of  the 
truth  and  power  of  the  Christian  religion, 
and  would  be  a  model  for  ministers  and 
the  church  in  all  future  tim.js,  it  was  of 
great  importance  that  a  fair  and  full  nar- 
rative of  them  should  be  preseived.  Luke 
was  the  companion  of  Paul  in  his  travels, 
and  was  an  eye-witness  of  no  small  part 
of  the  transactions  recorded  in  this  book. 
See  Acts  xvi.  10. 17  ;  xx.  1-6 ;  i  xvii.  xxviii. 
As  an  eye-witness,  he  was  well  qualified 
to  make  a  record  of  the  leading  events  of 
the  primitive  church.  And  as  he  was  the 
companion  of  Paul,  he  had  every  oppor- 
tunity of  obtaining  information  about  the 
great  events  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  IT  Of 
all.  That  is,  of  the  principal,  or  most  im- 
portant parts  of  the  life  and  doctrines  of 
Christ.  It  cannot  mean  that  he  recorded 
all  that  Jesus  did,  as  he  has  omitted  many 
things  that  have  been  preserved  by  the 
other  Evangelists.  The  word  all  is  fre- 
quently thus  used  to  denote  the  most  im- 
portant or  material  facts.  Sea  Acts  xiii. 
10.  1  Tim.  i.  16.  James  i.  2.  Matt.  ii.  3  ; 
iii.  5.  Acts  ii.  5.  Rom.  xi.  26.  Col.  i.  6.  In 
each  of  these  places  the  word  here  trans- 
lated "all"  occurs  in  the  original,  and 
means  many,  a  large  part  the  principal 
portion.  It  has  the  same  use  in  all  lan- 
guages. "  This  word  often  signifies,  inde- 
finitely, a  large  portion  or  number,  or  a 


2  Until  ^  the  day  in  which  he 
was  taken  up,  after  that  he  through 
the  Holy  Ghost  had  given  com- 
mandments *=  unto  the  apostles 
whom  he  had  chosen  : 

cMatt,28.19.  Mar.l6.1S-19. 


4great  part."  Webater.  IT  That  Jesus.  The 
Syriac  version  adds, "  Jesus  our  Messiah." 
I'his  version  was  probably  made  in  the 
second  century  ^  Began  to  do.  This  is 
a  Hebrev^^  form  of  expression,  meaning 
the  same  thing  as,  that  Jesus  did  and 
taught.  See  Gen.  ix.  20,  "  Noah  began  to 
be  an  husbandman,"  i.  e.  was  an  hus- 
bandman. Gen.  ii.  3,  in  the  Septuagint: 
"  Which  God  began  to  create  and  make ;" 
in  the  Hebrew,  "  which  God  created  and 
made."  Mark  vi.  7,  "  Began  to  send  them 
forth  by  two  and  two,"  i.  e.  sent  thera 
forth.  See  also  Mark  x.  32;  xiv.  65, 
"And  some  began  to  spit  on  him;"  in 
the  parallel  place  in  Matt.  xxvi.  67,  "  they 
did  spit  in  his  face."  II  To  do.  This  re- 
fers to  his  miracles  and  his  acts  of  bene 
volence,  including  all  that  he  did  for 
man's  salvation.  It  probably  includes, 
therefore,  h-s  sufferings,  death,  and  resur- 
rection, as  a  part  of  what  he  has  done  to 
save  men.  IT  To  teach.  His  doctrines. 
As  he  had  given  an  account  of  what  the 
Lord  Jesus  did,  so  he  was  now  about  to 
give  a  narrative  of  what  his  apostles  did 
in  the  same  cause,  that  thus  the  world 
might  be  in  possession  of  an  inspired  re- 
cord respecting  the  redemption  and  esta- 
blishment of  the  Christian  church.  The 
history  of  these  events  is  one  of  the  great- 
est blessings  that  God  has  conferred  on 
mankind ;  and  one  of  the  hi/jhest  privi- 
leges which  men  can  enjoy  is  that  which 
has  been  conferred  so  abundantly  on  this 
age  in  the  possession  and  extension  of  the 
word  of  God. 

2.  Until  the  day.  The  fortieth  day  af- 
ter his  resurrection,  ver.  3.  See  LuKe 
xxiv.  51.  ^  In  which  he  was  taken  up.  In 
which  he  ascended  to  heaven.  He  was 
taken  up  into  a  cloud,  and  is  represented 
as  having  been  borne  or  carried  to  hea- 
ven, ver.  9.  IT  After  that,  &c.  lliis  whole 
passage  has  been  variously  rendered 
The  Syriac  renders  it,  "After  he  haa 
given  commandment  unto  the  apostles 
whom  he  had  chosen  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 
So  also  the  Ethiopic  version.  Others 
rt 


8 


3  To  whom  also  he  showed  him- 
Belf  after  his  passion,  by  many  " 
infallible  proofs,  being  seen  of  them 

aLu^4.  Jno,c^.&21. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  33. 

forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the 
things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom 
of  God ; 


have  joined  the  words  "through  the 
Holy  Ghost"  to  the  phrase  "  was  taken 
up,"  making  it  mean  that  he  was  taken 
up  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  the  most  na- 
tural and  correct  translation  seems  to  be 
that  which  is  in  our  version.  IT  Through 
the  Holy  Ghost.  To  understand  this  it  is 
necessary  to  call  to  mind  the  promise  tliat 
Jesus  made  before  his  death,  that  afterl 
his  departure,  the  Holy  Ghost  would  de- 
scend to  be  a  guide  to  his  apostles.  See 
John  xvi.  7 — 11,  and  the  Note  on  that 
place.  It  was  to  be  his  office  to  carry 
forward  the  work  of  redemption  in  ap- 
plyhig  it  to  the  hearts  of  men.  Whatever 
was  done,  therefore,  after  the  atonement 
and  resurrection  of  Jesus,  after'  he  had 
finished  his  great  work,  was  to  be  regard- 
ed as  under  the  peculiar  influence  and 
direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Even  the 
mstructions  of  Jesus,  his  commission  to  the 
apostles  &c.  were  to  be  regarded  as  com- 
ing within  the  department  of  the  sacred 
Spirit,  within  the  province  of  his  peculiar 
work.  The  instructions  were  given  by 
divine  authority,  by  infallihle  guidance, 
and  as  a  part  of  the  work  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  designed.  Under  that  Spirit  the 
apostles  were  to  go  forth ;  by  his  aid  they 
were  to  convert  the  world,  to  organize 
.the  church,  to  establish  its  order  and  its 
doctrines.  And  hence  the  entire  work 
was  declared  to  be  by  his  direction. 
Though  in  his  larger  and  more  mighty 
influences,  the  Spirit  did  not  descend  un- 
til the  day  of  Pentecost  (Luke  xxiv.  49. 
comp.  Acts  ii.)  yet  m  some  measure  his  in- 
fluence was  imparted  to  ihem  before  the 
ascension  of  Christ.  John  xx.  22.  IT  Had 
given  commruidments.  Particularly  the 
command  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  na- 
tions. Matt,  xxviii.  19.  Mark  xvi.  15—19. 
It  may  be  worthy  of  remark,  that  the 
word  commandments,  as  a  noun  in  the 
plural  number,  does  not  occur  in  the  ori- 

f final.  The  single  word  which  is  trans- 
ated  "had  given  commandments"  is  a 
pdrliciple,  and  means  simply  having  com- 
maruled.  There  is  no  need,  therefore,  of 
siipjiosiiig  that  there  is  reference  here  to 
any  other  command  than  to  that  great 
nnd  glorious  injunction  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  That  was  a 
command  of  so  much  importance  as  to  be 
worthy  of  a  di.^tinct  record,  as  constitut- 
ing the  sum  of  all  that  the  Saviour  taught 
them  after  hia  resurrection     II  Tht  apos  I 


ties.  The  eleven  that  remained  after  tha 
treason  and  death  of  Judas.  IT  Whom  h« 
had  chosen.  Matt.  x.   Luke  vi.  12 — 16. 

3.  He  shewed  himself.  The  resurrection 
of  Jesus  was  the  great  fact  on  which  the 
truth  of  the  gospel  was  to  be  established. 
Hence  the  sacred  writers  so  often  refer 
to  it,  and  establish  it  by  so  many  argu 
ments.  As  that  truth  lay  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  that  Luke  was  about  to  record 
in  his  history,  it  was  of  importance  that 
he  should  state  clearly  the  sum  of  the 
evidence  of  it  in  the "  beginning  of  hia 
work.  IF  After  his  passion.  After  he 
suffered,  referring  particularly  to  hia 
death,  as  the  consummation  of  his  suffer- 
ings. The  word  passion  with  us  means 
commonly  excitement,  or  agitation  of 
mind,  as  love,  hope,  fear,  anger,  &c.  In 
the  original  the  word  means  to  suffer 
The  word  passion,  applied  to  the  Sa- 
viour, denotes  his  last  sufferings.  Thus 
in  the  Litany  of  the  Episcopal  church,  it 
is  beautifully  said,  "  by  thine  agony  and 
bloody  sweat ;  by  thy  cross  nnd  passion, 
good  Lord,  deliver  ns."  The  Greek  word 
of  the  same  derivation  is  rendered  suffer- 
ij}gs  in  1  Pet.  i.  11;  iv.  13.  Col.  i.  24. 
H  Bi/  many  infallible  proofs.  The  word 
rendered  here  infallible  proofs,  does  not 
occur  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament. 
In  Greek  authoi*s  it  denotes  an  infallible 
sign  or  argument  by  which  any  thing  can 
be  certainly  known.  Schleusner.  Hero 
it  means  the  same — evidence  that  he  wa 
alive  which  could  not  deceive,  or  in 
WliTch  they  could  not  be  mi^Takeh.  That 
evidence  consisted  in  his  eating  with 
them,  conversing  with  them,  meeting 
them  at  various  times  and  places,  work- 
ing miracles  (John  xxi.  G,  7) ;  and  uni- 
formly showing  himself  to  be  the  same 
friend  with  whom  they  had  been  familial 
for  more  than  three  years.  This  evidence 
was  infallible,  (1.  Because  it  was  to  them 
unexpected.  They  had  manifestly  not 
believed  that  he  wouki  rise  again.  John 
XX.  25.  Luke  xxiv.  There  was  therefore 
no  delusion  resulting  from  any  expertatton 
of  seeing  him,  or  from  a  design  to  impose 
on  men.  (2.)  It  was  impossible  that  they 
could  have  been  deceived  in  relation  to 
one  with  whom  they  had  been  r-nniliar 
for  more  than  three  years.  No  men  could 
be  imix)8pd  uikiu  and  made  to  believe 
mat  they  really  saw,  talked  with,  and  ata 
with,  a  friend  whom  they  had  known  so 


B.  C.  33.J 


CHAPTER  i. 


4  And  '  oeing  assembled  toge- 
ther with  them,  commanded  °  them 
that  they  should  not  depart  from  Je- 
rusalem, but  wait  for  the  promise 

1  or,  eating  togethtr.  a  Lu.24.49. 


long  and  familiarly,  unless  it  was  real. 
(3.)  There  were  enough  of  them  to  avoid 
the  possibility  of  deception.  Though  it 
might  be  pretended  that  one  man  could 
be  imposed  on,  yet  it  could  not  be  that  an 
imposition  could  be  practised  for  forty 
days  on  eleven,  who  were  all  at  first  in- 
credulous. (4.,  He  was  with  them  suffi- 
cient time  to  give  evidence.  It  might  be 
pretended,  if  they  had  seen  him  but  once, 
that  they  were  deceived.  But  they  saw 
him  often,  and  for  the  space  of  more 
than  a  month.  (5.)  They  saw  him  in  va- 
"ious  places  and  times  where  there  could 
6e  no  deception.  If  they  had  pretended 
that  they  saw  him  rise,  or  saw  him  at  twi- 
ught  in  the  morning  when  he  rose,  it  might 
have  been  said  that  they  were  deluded 
by  some  remarkable  appearance.  Or  it 
might  have  been  said  that,  expecting  to 
Bee  hrni  rise,  their  hopes  and  agitations 
would  have  deceived  them,  and  they 
would  easily  have  fancied  that  they  saw 
him.  Bat  it  is  not  pretended  by  the  sa- 
cred writers  that  they  saw  him  rise.  An 
impostor  would  have  affirmed  this,  and 
would  not  have  omitted  it.  But  the  sacred 
v^-riters  affirm.ed  that  they  saw  him  after 
he  wa-s  risen ;  when  they  were  free  from 
agitation ;  when  they  could  judge  coolly ; 
in  Jerusalem ;  in  their  company  when  at 
worship ;  when  journeying  to  Emmaus ; 
when  in  Galilee;  when  he  went  with 
them  to  mount  Olivet ;  and  when  he  as- 
cended to  heaven.  (5.)  He  appeared  to 
them  as  he  had  always  done ;  as  a  friend, 
companion,  and  benefactor:  he  ate  with 
them;  wrought  a  miracle  before  them; 
was  engaged  in  the  same  work  as  he  was 
before  he  suffered ;  renewed  the  same 
promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  gave 
them  his  commands  respecting  the  work 
which  he  had  died  to  establisl^nd  pro- 
mote. In  all  these  circumstances  it  was 
impossible  that  they  should  be  deceived. 
^  Being  seen  of  them  forty  days.  There 
are  no  less  than  thirtee:^  different  ap- 
pearances of  Jesus  to  his  disciples  re- 
corded. For  an  account  of  them  see  the 
Note  at  the  end  of  the  Gospel  of  Mat- 
thew. If  Speaking  to  thern,  &c.  tie  was 
not  only  seen  by  them,  but  he  continued 
the  same  topics  of  discourse  as  before  his 
Bufferings ;  thus  showing  that  he  was  the 
same  person  that  had  suflered,  and  that  his 
heart  was  still  intent  on  the  same  great 


of  the  Father,  which,  saith  he.  Ye' 
have  heard  of  me  : 

5  For  John  "  truly  baptized  with 
water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with 

t  Jno.c. 14,15,  &  16.        c  Matt.3.i7. 

workt  Our  Saviour's  heart  was  filled 
with  the  same  design  in  his  life  and 
deaih,  and  when  he  rose ;  thus  showing 
us  that  we  should  aim  at  tlie  same  great 
work  in  all  the  circumstances  of  our  be- 
ing. Afflictions,  persecutions,  and  death 
never  turned  Ami  from  this  great  plan, 
nor  should  they  be  allowed  to  divert  our 
minds  from  the  great  work  of  redemption. 
IT  The  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  oj 
God.  For  an  explanation  of  this  phrase, 
the  kingdom  of  God,  see  the  Note  on 
Matt.  iii.  2.  The  meaning  is,  Jesus  gave 
them  instructions  about  the  organization, 
spread,  and  edification  of  his  church. 

4.  And  being  assenibled  together.  Mar- 
gin, "or,  eating  together."  This  sense  is 
given  to  this  place  in  the  Latin  Vulgate, 
the  Ethiopic,  and  the  Syriac  versions. 
But  the  Greek  word  has  not  properly  this 
sense.  It  has  the  meaning  of  congregat- 
ing, or  assembling.  It  should  have  been, 
however,  translated  in  the  active  sense, 
"and  having  assembled  them  together." 
The  apostles  were  scattered  after  liis 
death.  But  this  passage  denotes  that  he 
had  assembled  them  together  by  his  au 
thopty,  for  the_purpose  of  giving" them  a 
cTiarge  respectmg  fiieif  conduct  when  he 
sTToTild  have  left  them.  When  this  occur- 
red, does  not  appear  from  the  narrative  ,- 
but  it  is  probable  that  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore his  ascension :  and  it  is  clear  that  the 
place  where  they  were  assembled  was 
Jerusalem.  IF  But  wait  for  thepromise  of 
the  Father.  For  \\\e  fulfdment  of  the  pro- 
raise  respecting  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  made  by  the  Father.  IT  Which  ye 
have  heard  of  me.  Which  I  have  made  to 
you.  See  John  xiv.  16.  26 ;  xv.  26 ;  xvi. 
7—13. 

5.  For  John  truly  baptized,  &c.  These 
are  the  words  of  Jesus  to  his  apostles,  and 
he  evidently  has  reference  to  what  was 
said  of  John's  baptism  compared  with  his 
ownmMatt.iii.il.  John  i.  33.  In  those 
verses  John  is  represented  as  baptizing 
with  "vater,  but  the  Messiah  who  was  to 
com  5  as  baptizing  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
ana  with  tire.  This  promise  respecting 
tlie  Messiah  was  now  about  to  be  ful- 
filled iiLA  remarKable  manner.  See  Acts 
ii.  IT  Wpt  many  days  hence.  This  was 
probably  spoken  not  long  before  his  as- 
cension, and  of  course  not  many  days  be 
fore  the  day  of  Pentecost. 


10 


THE  ACTS. 


tA.  D.  33 


the  Holy  Ghost,  "  not  many  days 
hence. 

6  When  they  therefore  were  come 
together,  they  asked  of  him,  saying. 
Lord,  wilt  *  thou  at  this  time  re- 

a  c.2.4;10.45;n.l5,        b  Matt.24.3,4. 


6.  When  they  therefore  were  come  toge- 
ther. At  the  mount  ol"  Olives.  See  ver. 
9.  12     1  Wilt  thou  at  this  time,  <Szc.    The 

»;x)stjes  had  entertained  the  common  opi- 
nions of  the  Jews  about  the  temporal  do- 
minion of  the  Messiah.  They  expected 
tJiat  he  would  reign  as  a  prince  anil  con- 
queror, and  free  them  from  the  bondage 
of  the  Romans.  Many  instances  of  tins 
expectation  occur  in  the  Gospels,  not- 
witlistanding  all  the  efif)rts  wh. en  me 
Lord  Jesus  made  to  explain  to  them  tne 
true  nature  of  his  kingdom.  This  ex- 
pectation was  checked,  and  almost  de- 
stroyed by  his  death.  Luke  xxiv.  21. 
And  it  is  clear  that  his  death  was  the 
only  means  which  could  effectually 
check  and  change  their  opinions  respect- 
ing the  nature  of  his  kingdom.  Even 
Ids  own  instructions  would  not  do  it ;  and 
only  his  being  taken  from  them  could  di- 
rect their-  minds  effectually  to  the  true 
nature  of  his  kingdom.  Yet,  though  his 
death  checked  their  expectations,  and 
appeared  to  thuart  their  plans,  yet  his 
return  to  life  excited  them  again.  They 
beheld  him  with  them  :  they  were  assur- 
ed it  was  the  same  Saviour;  they  saw 
now  that  his  enemies  had  no  power  over 
him;  that  a  being  who  could  rise  from 
the  dead,  could  easily  accompli.sh  all  his 
plans.  And  as  they  did  not  doubt  now 
that  he  woiM  restore  the  kingdom  to  Ls- 
rael,  they  asked  whether  he  would  do  it 
at  this  time  ?  They  did  not  ask  whether 
he  would  do  it  at  all,  or  whether  they 
had  correct  views  of  his  kingdom ;  but 
taking  that  for  granted,  they  asked  him 
whether  that  v;as  the  time  in  which  he 
would  do  it.  The  emphasis  of  the  inquiry 
lies  in  the  expression,  "at  this  time,''  and 
hence  the  answer  of  the  Saviour  refi>rs 
Bolely  to  the  point  of  their  inf/iiiri/,  and 
not  to  the  correctness  or  incorrcictncps  of 
their  opinions.  From  these  expectations 
of  the  ajMislles  we  may  learn,  i  'IMkiI 
there  is  nothing  so  difTicnlt  to  be  ren.  ved 
from  the  mind  as  prrjudire  iii  firoii,  <if 
frrorieoiis  <)])iTilons.  2.  That  such  pr('),i 
'iir-e  will  survive  the  plainest  |>«ta6  In  the 
contrary,  '.i.  That  it  will  oClei^fcinifcst 
itself  even  after  ail  proper  riieans  liiue 
boon  taken  to  subdue  it.     I'rroneous  oju- 

.iiii.s  thus  maintain  a  secret  aacemlencv 


store  '"again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  1 
7  And  he  said  unto  them,  It  "^  is 
not  for  you  to  know  the  times  oi 
the  seasons  which  the  Father  hath 
put  in  his  own  power. 

c  Is.1.26.  Da.7.27.        d  Matt.24.36.  ITh  6.1^, 


in  a  man's  mind,  and  are  revived  by  tho 
slightest  circumstances,  even  long  after 
we  supposed  they  were  ov.ercome ;  ana 
ever,  in  the  face  of  the  plainest  proofs  of 
reason  or  of  Scripture,  'a  Restore  Bring 
back;  put  into  its  former  situation.  Ju- 
dea  was  formerly  governed  by  its  own 
kings  and  laws ;  now,  it  was  subject  to 
the  Romans.  This  bondage  was  griev- 
ous, and  the  nation  sighed  for  deliver 
nnre.  The  inquiry  of  the  apostles  evi 
dently  was,  whether  he  would  now  free 
them  from  the  bondage  of  the  Romans, 
and  restore  them  to  their  former  state  of 
freedom  and  prosperity,  as  in  the  times  of 
David  and  Solomon.  Spee  Isa.  i.  -2&.  The 
word  "  restore"  also  may  include  more 
than  a  reducing  it  to  its  former  state.  It 
i.'iay  mean,  wilt  thou  now  bestow  the  king- 
dom and  dominion  to  Israel,  according  to 
the  prediction  in  Dan.  vii.  27.  IT  I'he 
kingdom.  The  dominion ;  the  empire : 
the  reign.  The  expectation  was  that  the 
Messiah — the  king  of  Israel — would  reign 
over  men,  and  thus  the  nation  of  the  Jews 
extend  their  empire  over  all  the  earth 
II  To  Israel.  To  the  Jews,  and  particular- 
ly to  the  Jearish  followers  of  the  Messiah. 
Lightfbot  thinlvs  that  this  question  was 
asked  in  indignation  against  the  Jews. 
"  Wilt  thou  confer  dominion  on  a  nation 
which  has  just  put  thee  to  death?"  But 
the  answer  of  the  Saviour  shows  that  {his 
was  not  the  design  of  the  question. 

7.  It  is  not  for  you  to  know.  The  qnes 
tion  of  the  apostles  respected  the  time  oi 
the  restoration ;  it  was  not  whether  he 
immld  do  it.  Accordingly  his  answer 
meets  precisely  their  inquiry  ;  and  he  tells 
them  in  geiirral  that  the  tiiiie  of  the  great 
events  (jf  God's  kingdom  was  not  to  be 
understood  by  them.  A  similar  question 
they  had  asked  in  Matt.  xxiv.  3,  "Tell  us 
when  sliall  these  things  be?"  Jesus  an- 
swered thera,/Ac7J  by  showing  them  cer 
tain  signs  which  should  precede  his  com 
ing,  and  by  saying  (ver.  '.id),  "  But  of  tha* 
day  and  that  hour  knowelh  no  mnn,  no, 
not  the  angels  of  lieavcn.  Imt  niy  Father 
only."  God  has  unilbrmiy  reproved  ■ 
vaiii  ruriositv  on  such  poinis.  1  Thofis.  v 
1.2.  2  Pel.  ill.  10.  Luke  xii.  '.19,  AO.  Tl  Thi 
times,  or  the  scason.t.  The  dillerence  be 
tween  these  words  is,  that  tlie  furmnr  .le 


\  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  1. 


8  But  ye  shall  receive  >  power, 
after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come 

>  or,  tht  povBtr  of  the  Holy  Ghort  coming  upon  you. 


notes  any  time  or  period  indefinite,  or  un- 
certain ;  the  latter  denotes  a  fixed,  defi- 
nite, or  appropriate  time.  They  seem  to 
be  used  here  to  denote  the  periods  of  all 
cksses  of  future  events.  ^The  Father 
\alh  put,  &c.  So  much  had  the  P'ather 
reserved  the  knowledge  of  these,  that  it 
is  said  that  even  the  Son  did  not  know 
them  See  Mark  xiii.  32,  and  the  Note  on 
that  place.  IT  In  Ids  own  power.  That  is, 
he  has  fixed  them  by  his  own  authority ; 
he  will  bring  them  about  in  his  own  time 
and  way ;  and  therefore  it  is  not  proper 
for  men  anxiously  to  inquire  into  them. 
All  prophecy  is  remarkably  obscure  in  re- 
gard to  the  lime  of  its  fulfilment.  The 
reasons  are,  (1.)  To  excite  men  to  watch 
for  the  events  that  are  to  come,  as  the 
time  is  uncertain,  and  they  will  come 
"  like  a  thief  in  the  night."  (,2.)  As  they 
are  to  be  brought  about  by  human  agen- 
cy, they  are  so  arranged  as  to  call  forth 
that  agency.  If  men  knew  just  when  an 
event  was  to  come  to  pass,  they  might  be 
remiss,  and  feel  that  their  effort  was  not 
needed.  (3.)  The  knowledge  of  future 
scenes — of  the  exact  time,  might  alarm 
men,  and  absorb  their  thoughts  entirely, 
and  prevent  attendance  to  the  present 
duties  of  life.  Duty  is  ours  now ;  God 
will  provide  for  future  scenes.  (4.)  Pro- 
mises sufUciently  clear  and  full  are  there- 
fore given  us  to  encourage  us;  but  not 
fall  enough  to  excite  a  vain  and  idle  curi- 
osity. All  this  is  eminently  true  of  our 
own  death,  one  of  the  most  important  fu- 
ture scenes  through  which  we  are  to 
pass.  It  is  certainly  before  us  ;  it  is  7iear ; 
it  cannot  be  long  avoided ;  it  may  come 
at  any  moment.  God  has  fixed  the  time, 
but  will  not  inform  us  when  it  shall  be. 
He  does  not  gratify  a  vain  curiosity,  or 
terrify  us,  by  announcing  to  us  the  day 
or  the  hour  when  wo  are  to  die,  as 
we  do  a  man  that  is  to  be  executed. 
This  would  be  to  make  our  lives  like 
that  of  a  criminal  sentenced  to  die, 
and  w-e  should  through  all  our  life 
through  fear  of  death  be  subject  to  bond- 
Bge.  Heb.  ii.  15.  He  has  made  enough 
Rnown  to  excite  us  to  prepare,  and  to  be 
always  ready,  having  our  loins  girt  about, 
and  our  lamps  trimmed  and  burning. 
Luke  xii.  35. 

8.  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  &c.  Lite- 
rally, as  ft  is  translated  in  the  margin, 

ve  shall  receive  the  power  of  the  Holy 


upon  you :  and  ye  '^  shall  be  wit- 
nesses unto  me,  both  in  Jerusalem, 
and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 

a  Lu.24.47-49.  M2t.28.19. 


Ghost  coming  upon  you."  This  was  said 
to  them  to  console  them.  Though  they 
could  not  know  the  times  which  God  re- 
served in  his  own  appointment,  yet  they 
should  receive  the  promised  guide  and 
comforter.  The  word  power  here  refers 
to  all  the  help  or  aid  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  would  grant  ,•  the  power  of  speak- 
ing with  new  tongues;  of  preaching  the 
gospel  with  great  effect;  of  enduring 
great  trials,  &c.  See  Mark  xvi.  17,  18. 
The  apostles  had  impatiently  asked  him 
if  he  was  then  about  to  restore  the  king- 
dom to  Israel.  Jesus  by  this  answer  re- 
buked their  impatience ;  taught  them  to 
repress  their  ill-timed  ardour;  and  as- 
sured them  again  of  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  t'  Ye  shall  be  witnesses.  For 
this  purpose  they  were  appointed ;  and 
for  this  design  they  had  been  with  him 
for  more  than  three  years.  They  had 
seen  his  manner  of  life,  his  miracles,  his 
meekness,  his  sufferings  ;  they  had  listen- 
ed to  his  instructions,  had  conversed  and 
eaten  with  him  as  a  friend  ;  they  had  seen 
him  after  he  was  risen,  and  were  about  to 
see  him  ascend  to  heaven ;  and  they  were 
qualified  to  bear  witness  to  all  these  things 
m  all  parts  of  the  earth.  They  were  so 
numerous,  that  it  could  not  be  pretended 
that  they  were  deceived  ;  they  had  been 
so  intimate  with  him  and  his  plans,  that 
they  could  testify  of  him ;  and  there  was 
no  motive  but  (^nviction  of  the  truth,  that 
could  lead  them' to  all  these  sacrifices  in 
making  known  the  Saviour.  The  ori- 
ginal  word  here  is  ^x^Ttyts;,  martyrs. 
From  this  word  the  name  martyrs  haa 
been  given  to  those  who  suffered  in  times 
of  ^persecution.  The  reason  why  thig 
name  was  given  to  them  was  that  they 
bore  loilness  to  the  life,  instructions,  death, 
and  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  even 
in  the  midst  of  persecution  and  death.  It 
is  commonly  supposed  that  nearly  all  of 
the  apostles  thus  bore  witness  to  the  Lord 
Jesus:  of  this,  however,  here  is  not  clear 
proof  See  Mosheim's  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory, vol.  i.  p.  55,  56.  Still  the  word  here 
does  not  necessarily  mean  that  they 
should  b«  martyrs,  or  be  pat  to  death 
in  bearing  witriess  to  the  Lord  Jesus; 
but  that  they  should  everv  where  testify 
to  what  they  knew  of  him.  The  fact 
that  this  was  the  design  of  their  appoint 
ment,  and  that  they  actually  bore  such 
testimony,  is  abundantly  confirmed  in  thfi 


I'J 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33. 


•ina  unto  the  utte.most  part  of  the 
earth. 

9  And  when  he  had  spoken  these 


Acts  of  the  Apostles.ch.  i.  22 ;  v.  32;  x.39. 
42;  xxii.  15.  TT  tn  Jerusalem.  In  the 
capital  of  the  nation.  Soe  Acts  ii.  The 
great  work  of  the  Spirit  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost  occurred  there.  Most  of  the 
disciples  remained  in  Jerusalem  until  the 

gersecution  tnat  arose  about  the  death  of 
tephen.  Acts  \iii.  J.  4.  The  apostles  re- 
mained there  till  Herod  put  James  to 
death.  Comp.  Acts  viii.  1,  with  xii.  1. 
This  was  about  eight  years.  During  this 
tiipe,  however,  Paul  was  called  to  the 
apostle.ship,  and  Peter  had  preached  the 
gospel  to  Cornelius,  Philip  to  the  eunuch, 
&c.  TT  In  all  Judea  Judea  was  the 
southern  division  of  the  Holy  Land,  and 
included  Jerusalem  as  the  capital.  See 
Note,  Matt.ii.  22.  See  ch.  viii.  1.  IT  And 
in  Samaria.  This  was  the  middle  portion 
of  Palestine.  Note,  Matt.ii.  22.  This  was 
fulfilled  by  the  disciples.  See  ch.  viii.  1, 
"And  they  were  all  scattered  abroad 
throughout  the  regions  of  Judea  and  Sa- 
maria (ver.  4),  every  w here  preaching  the 
word."  viii. 5,  "Then  Philip  went  dowii 
to  the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached 
Christ  unto  them."  ver.  14;  ix.  31.  "^  And 
unto  the  ullermoat  parts  of  tlie  earth.  The 
word  eartk,  or  land,  is  'sometimes  taken  to 
denote  only  the  land  of  Palestine.  But 
here,  there  does  pot  &serri  to  l)e  a  neces- 
sity for  limiting  ii  thus.  If  Christ  had  in- 
tended that,  he  vvouid  have  mentioned 
Galilee,  as  being  the  orJy  remaining  divi- 
sion. But  as  he  had  expressly  directed 
them  to  preach  the  gosiwl  to  all  nations, 
the  expression  here  is  clearly  to  be  con- 
sidered as  including  the  Gentile  lands  as 
well  as  the  Jewish.  The  evidence  that 
they  did  this,  is  found  in  the  subsequent 
parts  of  this  book,  and  in  the  history  of 
the  church.  In  this  way  Jesus  replied  to 
their  question.  Though  he  did  not  tell 
them  the  time  when  it  was  to  be  done, 
nor  did  he  afHrm  that  he  would  restore 
the  kingdom  to  Israel,  yet  he  gave  them 
nn  answer  tliat  implied  that  the  w<jrk 
dhould  advance — sliould  advance  much 
farther  than  the  land  of  Israel ;  and  that 
they  would  have  much  to  do  in  promoting 
it.  All  the  commands  of  God,  and  all  his 
communications  are  such  as  to  call  tip  our 
energy,  and  teach  us  that  vx  have  much 
to  do.  The  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
have  been  given  to  the  Saviour  (Ps.  ii.  H) ; 
and  churches  should  not  rest  initil  he 
whoeo  right  it  is  sliall  come  and  reign. 
ezok.xu.27. 


things,  while  they  beh3ld,  he  was 
taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received  him 
out  of  their  sight. 


9.  While  they  beheld.  While  they  sava 
him.  It  was  of  importance  to  state  that 
circumstance,  and  to  state  it  distinctly. 
It  is  not  affirmed  in  the  New  Testament 
that  they  saw  him  rise  from  the  dead  ;  be- 
cause the  evidence  of  that  fact  could  be 
better  established  by  their  seeing  hira 
after  he  was  risen.  But  the  truth  of  hia 
ascension  to  heaven  could  not  be  confirmed 
in  that  manner.  Hence  it  was  so  arranged 
as  that  he  should  ascend  in  open  day  ;  in 
the  presence  of  his  apostles;  and  that  not 
when  they  were  asleep,  or  indifferent,  but 
when  they  were  engaged  in  a  conversa- 
tion that  should  fix  the  attention,  and 
when  they  were  looking  upon  him.  Had 
Jesus  vanisfhed  secretly,  or  in  the  night, 
the  apostles  would  have  been  amazed 
and  confounded ;  perhaps  they  would 
even  have  doubted  whether  they  had 
not  been  deceived.  But  when  they  sate 
him  leave  them  in  this  manner,  they  could 
not  doubt  that  he  had  risen;  and  when 
they  saw  him  ascend  to  heaven,  they  could 
not  doubt  that  his  work  was  approved, 
and  that  God  would  carry  it  onward. 
This  event  was  exceedingly  iniportant 
(1.)  It  was  a  confirmation  of  the  trulh  of 
the  Christian  religion.  (2.)  It  enabled  the 
apostles  to  state  distinctly  mhere  the  Lord 
Jesus  was,  and  at  mice  directed  their  af- 
fections and  their  thoughts  away  from  the 
earth,  and  opened  their  eyes  on  the  glory 
of  the  scheme  of  religion  they  were  to  es- 
tablish. If  their  Saviour  was  in  heaven^ 
it  settled  the  question  about  the  nature  of 
his  kingdom.  It  was  clear  that  it  was 
not  designed  to  be  a  temporal  kingdom. 
The  reasons  why  it  was  proper  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  should  ascend  to  heaven  rather 
than  remain  on  earth,  were,  (1.)  That  he 
had  finished  the  work  which  God  gave 
him  to  do  on  the  earth  (John  xvii.  4  ;  xix. 
30),  and  it  was  proper  that  he  should  be 
received  back  to  the  glory  which  he  haa 
with  tne  Father  before  the  world  was. 
John  xvii.  4,  5.  Phil.  ii.  G.  9, 10.  (2.)  It 
was  profier  that  he  should  ascend,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  might  come  down  and  jierfbrm 
his  part  of  the  work  of  redemption.  Jesna, 
by  his  personal  minisir)',  as  a  man,  could 
be  but  ni  one  place;  the  Holy  Spirit  could 
be  in  all  places,  and  be  present  at  all  times, 
and  could  apply  the  work  to  all  men. 
Note,  John  xvi.  7.  (3.)  A  part  of  the  work 
of  Christ  was  yet  to  be  perfi)rmed  in  hea- 
ven. That  was  iJie  work  of  intercession. 
Tne  high-priest  of  the  Jews  not  only  inad« 


h.D^^ 


UHAKrER  I. 


J3 


10  And  wk'ie  they  looked  stead- 
festly  tow-rtia  heaven,  as  he  went 
up,  behold,  two  "  men  stood  by  them 
m  white  apparel ; 

a  Jix  20.12. 


an  alonemenl,  but  also  presented  the  blood 
of  sacrifice  before  the  mercy-seat,  as  the 
priest  of  tne  people.  Lev.  xvi.  11 — 14. 
This  was  done  to  typify  the  entrance  of 
the  great  High-priest  of  our  profession 
into  the  heavens.  Heb.  ix.  7,  8.  11,  12. 
The  work  which  he  performs  there  is  the 
work  of  intercession.  Heb.  vii.  25.  This 
IS  properly  the  work  which  an  advocate 
performs  in  a  court  of  justice  for  his  cli- 
ent. It  means  that  Christ,  our  great 
High-priest,  still  pleads  and  manages  our 
cause  in  heaven ;  secures  our  interests ; 
obtains  for  us  grace  and  mercy.  It  con- 
eists  in  his  appearing  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us  (Heb.  ix.  24) ;  in  his  presenting 
the  merits  of  his  blood  (Heb.ix.r2. 14) ;  and 
in  securing  the  continuance  of  the  mercy 
which  has  been  bestowed  on  us,  and  which 
is  still  needful  for  our  welfare.  The  Lord 
Tesus  also  ascended  that  he  might  assume 
and  exercise  the  office  of  King  in  the 
immediate  seat  of  power.  All  worlds 
were  subject  to  him  for  the  welfare  of 
the  church ;  and  it  was  needful  that  he 
should  be  solemnly  invested  with  that 
power  in  the  presence  of  God,  as  the  re- 
ward of  his  earthly  toils.  1  Cor.  xv.  25. 
"  He  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  ene- 
mies under  his  feet.''  Eph.  i.  20 — 22. 
Phil.  ii.  6 — 11.  IT  A  cloud  received  him. 
He  entered  into  the  region  of  the  clouds, 
and  was  hid  from  their  view.  But  two 
sthers  of  our  race  have  been  taken  bodily 
from  earth  to  heaven.  Enoch  was  trans- 
lated (Gen.  V.  24.  Comp.  Heb.  xi.  5) ;  and 
Elijah  was  taken  by  a  whirlwind  to  hea- 
ven. 2  Kings  ii.  11.  It  is  remarkable  that 
when  the  return  of  the  Saviour  is  men- 
tioned, it  is  uniformly  said  that  he  will  re- 
turn in  the  clouds,  ver.  11.  Matt,  xxi  v.  30 ; 
xxvi.  64.  Mark  xiii.  26.  Rev.  i.  7.  Dan. 
vii.  13.  The  clouds  are  an  emblem  of 
sublimity  and  grandeur,  and  perhaps  this 
is  all  that  is  intended  by  these  expressions. 
Deut.  iv.  11.  2  Sam.  xxii.  12.  Ps.  xcvii.  2; 
civ.  3. 

10.  Lmkedsteadfiaetitf.  They  fixed  their 
eyes, ~or  gsffiga*  mtefitly  tovvarti  heaven. 
Luke  iv.  20,  "  And  the  eyes  of  all  them 
in  the  synagogue  were  fastened  (Greek, 
the  same  word  as  here)  on  him.''  It  means 
the  intense  gaze  when  we  are  deeply  in- 
terested, and  wish  to  see  clearly  and  dis- 
tincUv.  Here  they  were  amazed  and 
B 


11  Which  also  said,  Ye  men  *  of 
Galilee,  w^hy  stand  ye  gazing  up 
into  heaven  1  This  same  Jesus, 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into 

b  c.2.7;13.31. 


confounded  ;  the  thing  was  unlooked-for: 
and  they  were  even  then  inquiring  whe- 
ther he  would  not  restore  the  kingdom  to 
Israel.  With  this  mingled  amazement, and 
disappointment,  and  curiosity ;  and  with 
the  earnest  desire  to  catch  the  last  glimpse 
of  their  beloved  master,  they  naturally 
continued  to  gaze  on  the  distant  clouds 
where  he  had  mysteriously  disappeared 
from  their  view.  W  ever  was  a  scene  more 
impressive,  grand,  and  solemn  than  this. 
IF  Toward  heaven.  Toward  the  distant 
clouds  or  sky  which  had  received  him. 
IT  As  he  went  up.  Literally,  "  The  ascend- 
ing, or  going  up."  Doubtless  they  conti- 
nued to  gaze  after  he  had  departed  from 
their  view.  IF  Two  men.  From  the  rai- 
ment of  these  "  men"  and  the  nature  of 
their  message,  it  seems  clear  that  they 
were  angelic  beings,  who  were  sent  to 
meet  and  comfort  the  disciples  on  this 
occasion.  They  appeared  in  human  form^ 
and  Luke  describes  them  as  they  appear 
ed.  Angels  are  not  unfrequently  called 
men.  Luke  xxiv.  4,  "Two  men  stood  by 
them  in  shining  garments,"  &c.  Comp. 
John  XX.  12.  Matt,  xxviii.  5.  As  two  an- 
gels are  mentioned  only  as  addressing  the 
apostles  after  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
(John  XX.  12.  Luke  xxiv.  4),  it  is  no  un- 
natural supposition  tliat  these  were  the 
same  who  had  been  designated  to  the 
honourable  office  of  bearing  witness  to 
his  resurrection,  and  of  giving  them  all 
the  information  about  that  resurrection, 
and  of  his  ascension,  which  their  circum- 
stances needed.  IF  In  white  apparel.  An- 
gels are  commonly  represented  as  clothed 
in  white.  Note,  John  xx.  12.  Matt,  xxviii. 
3.  Mark  xvi.  5.  It  is  an  emblem  of  purity; 
and  the  worshippers  of  heaven  are  repre- 
sented as  clothed  in  this  manner.  Rev. 
iii.  4,  "  They  shall  walk  with  me  in  white." 
5,  "He  that  overoometh  shall  be  clothed 
in  white  raiment."   iv.  4;  vii.  9.  13,  14. 

11.  Ye  men  fjf  Galilee.  Galilee  was  the 
place  of  their  former  residence;  and  this 
was  the  name  by  which  they  were  com- 
monly known.  There  is  no  evidence 
that  the  angel  intended  this  name  in  any 
way  to  reproach  them.  IF  Why  stand  ye, 
&c.  There  is  doubtless  a  slight  degree 
of  censure  implied  in  this,  as  well  as  a 
design  to  call  their  attention  away  iwm 
a  vain  attempt  to  see  the  departed  Sa* 


14 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  33 


heax  en,  shall  *  so  come  in  like  man- 

o  Jno.U.3,  lTh.4.16. 


viour  The  impropriety  ?nay  have  been, 
;1.)  In  the  feeling  of  (lisappointrnent,  as 
if  he  would  not  restore  the  kingdom  to 
Israel  (2.)  Possibly  they  were  expecting 
that  he  would  again  soon  appear ;  though 
he  had  often  foretold  them  that  he  would 
ascend  to  heaven.  (3.)  There  might  have 
been  an  impropriety  in  their  earnest  de- 
sire for  the  mere  bodily  presence  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  when  it  was  more  important 
that  it  should  be  in  heaven.  We  may  see 
here  also  that  it  is  our  duty  not  to  stand 
in  idleness,  and  to  gaze  even  towards  hea- 
ven. We,  as  well  as  the  apostles,  have  a 
great  work  to  do,  and  we  should  actively 
engage  in  it  without  delay.  IT  Gazing  vp. 
Looking  up.  IT  This  same  Jesus.  This 
was  said  to  comfort  them.  The  satne  tried 
friend,  who  had  been  so  faithful  to  them, 
kvould  return.  They  ought  not  therefore 
^o  look  with  despondency  at  his  depart- 
ure. II  Into  heaven.  This  expression  de- 
notes into  the  immediate  presence  of  God; 
or  into  the  place  of  perpetual  purity  and 
happiness,  where  God  peculiarly  mani- 
fests his  favour.  The  same  thing  is  lire- 
quently  designated  by  his  sitting  on  the 
rignt  hand  of  God,  as  emblematic  of  f)Ower, 
honour,  and  favour.  Note,  Mark  xvi.  19,- 
xiv.  G2.  Ileb.  i.  3;  ^'iii.  1.  Acts  vii.  55. 
Rom.  viii.  34.  Eph.  i.  20.  TT  Shall  so  come. 
At  the  day  of  judgment.  John  xiv.  3,  "  If 
go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  1  will 
Dome  again,"  &c.  H  In  like  manner,  &c. 
In  clouds,  as  he  ascended.  See  Note,  ver. 
9.  1  The.ss.  iv.  16.  This  address  was  de- 
signed to  comfort  the  disciples.  Though 
their  master  and  friend  was  taken  from 
them,  yet  he  was  not  removed  for  ever. 
He  would  come  again  with  similar  ma- 
jesty and  glory,  for  the  vindication  of  his 
people,  and  to  tread  all  his  enemies  under 
nis  feet.  The  design  for  which  he  will 
come,  will  be  to  judge  the  world.  Matt. 
xxv.  There  will  be  an  evi<lent  fitness 
and  propriety  in  his  coming.  (1.)  Because 
his  apitropriate  work  in  heaven  as  medi- 
ator BJiall  be  accomplished ;  his  people 
shall  have  been  saved;  the  enemy  sub- 
dued; death  shall  have  been  conquered: 
and  the  gospel  shall  have  shown  its  pow- 
^r  in  Hiib.luing  all  forms  of  wickedness ; 
m  removing  the  effects  of  sin  ;  in  esta- 
hlishmg  the  law,  in  vindicating  tlie  ho- 
nour of  God  ;  and  shall  thus  have  done 
all  that  will  be  need  lid  to  be  done  to  es- 
tablish the  authority  of  God  thn)ughout  , 
Oie  universe.     It  will  be  pr)pcr,  there- 1 


ner  as^  ye  have  seen  him  go  int< 
heaven. 


fore,  that  this  mysterious  order  of  things 
shall  be  wound  vp,  and  the  results  become 
a  matter  of  record  in  the  historj'  of  the 
universe.  It  will  be  better  than  it  would 
be  to  suffer  an  eternal  millennium  on  tne 
earth,  while  the  saints  should  many  of 
them  slumber,  and  the  wicked  still  be  in 
their  graves.  (2.)  It  is  proper  'Jiat  he 
should  come  to  vindicate  his  peojile,  and 
raise  them  up  to  glory.  Here  they  liave 
been  persecuted,  oppressed,  put  to  death. 
Their  character  is  assailed ;  they  are 
poor;  and  the  world  despises  them.  It  is 
fit  that  God  should  show  himself  to  be 
their  friend,  that  he  should  do  justice  to 
their  injured  names  and  motives ;  that  he 
should  bring  out  hidden  and  obscure 
virtue,  and  vindicate  it;  that  he  shoidd 
enter  every  grave  and  bring  forth  his 
fricrKls  to  life.  (3.)  It  is  prcjier  that  he 
should  show  his  hatred  of"  sin.  Here  it 
triumphs.  The  wicked  are  rich,  and 
honoured,  and  mighty,  and  say,  Wliere  is 
the  promise  of  his  coming?  2  Pet.  iii.  4. 
It  is  right  that  he  should  defend  his 
cause.  Hence  the  Lord  Jesus  will  come 
to  guard  the  avenues  to  heaven,  and  to 
see  that  the  universe  suffers  no  wrong 
by  the  admission  of  an  improj)er  persoi* 
to  the  skies.  (4.)  The  great  transactions 
of  redemption  have  been  public,  open, 
oi"ten  grand.  The  apostacy  was  public, 
in  the  face  of  angels  and  of  the  univeree. 
Sin  has  been  open,  pubhc,  high-handed. 
Misery  has  been  public,  and  has  rolled  it8 
deep  and  turbid  waves  in  the  face  of  the 
universe.  Death  has  been  public  ;  all 
worlds  have  seen  the  race  cut  down  and 
moulder.  The  death  of  Jesus  waa_4iul> 
lie  ;  the  angels  saw  it;  the  heavens  were 
clothed  with  nioucning;  the  earth  shook; 
and  the  dead  arose.  The  angels  have 
desired  to  look  into  these  things  (1  PeL 
i.  12),  and  have  felt  an  intense  solicitude 
about  men.  Jesus  was  pHblicly  whipped, 
cursed,  cnu-ified ;  nnd  it  is  proper  that  he 
should  publicly  triumph,  that  nil  heaven 
rejoicing,  and  all  hell  at  length  humbled, 
should  see  his  jiublic  victory.  Hence  he 
will  come  with  clouds — with  atigels- 
with  lire — and  ^^ill  raise  the  dead,  anc' 
exhibit  to  all  the  universe  the  amazing 
close  of  the  scheme  of  redemiilion.  (5.^ 
We  are  in  these  verses  j)re.v(Miled  with 
tlie  most  grnnd  and  wonderliil  event* 
that  lliis  world  has  ever  known — the  bh- 
cension  and  return  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Hero  is  coiLsolation  for  the  Christian    anW 


\.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTEii  I. 


15 


12  Then  ^  returned  they  unto  Je- 
rusalem, from  the  mount  called  Oli- 
vet, which  is  from  Jerusalem  a  sab- 
bath-day's journey. 

13  And  when  they  v»'ere  come  in, 
they  went  up  into  an  upper  room, 
wheie    abode     both    Peter,  *  and 


a  Lu.24.52 


i  Lu.6.ia-1 


iiere  is  a  source-  ot  ceaseless  alarm  to  the 
ainner 

13.  Then  they  returned  to  Jerusalem. 
fn  Luke  xxiv.  52,  we  are  told  that  they 
worshipped  Jesus  before  they  relurnect. 
And  it  is  probable  that  the  act  of  wor- 
ship to  which  he  refers,  was  that  which 
•s  mentioned  in  this  chapter — their  gazing 
jitently  on  their  departing  Lord.  If  From 
the  mount  called  Olivet.  From  the  mount 
:»f  Olives.  Note,  Matt.  xxi.  1.  The  part 
of  the  mountain  irom  which  he  ascended 
was  the  eastern  declivity,  where  stood 
the  little  village  of  Bethany.  Luke  xxiv. 
50.  IT  A  sabbath-day's  journey.  As  far 
as  might  be  lawfully  travelled  by  a  Jew 
on  the  Sabbath.  This  was  two  thousand 
paces  or  cubits ;  or  seven  furlongs  and  a 
half— not  quite  one  mile.  Note,  Matt, 
xxiv.  20.  The  distance  of  a  lawful  jour- 
ney on  the  Sabbath  was  not  determined 
by  the  laws  of  Moses,  but  the  Jewish 
teachers  had  fixed  it  at  two  tliousand 
paces.  This  measure  was  determined  on 
because  it  was  a  tradition,  that  in  the 
camp  of  the  Israelites  v/hen  coming  from 
Egypt,  no  part  of  the  camp  was  more 
than  two  thousand  paces  from  the  taber- 
nacle ;  and  over  this  space,  therefore, 
they  were  permitted  to  travel  for  wor- 
ship. Perhaps,  also,  some  countenance 
was  given  to  this  from  the  fact  that  this 
was  the  extent  of  the  suburbs  of  the  Le- 
vitical  cities.  Num.  xxxv.  5.  Mount  Oli- 
vet was  but^^we  furlongs  from  Jerusalem, 
and  Bethany  was  fifteen  furlongs.  But 
on  the  eastern  declivity  of  the  mountain 
the  tract  of  country  was  called,  for  a  con- 
siderable space,  the  region  of  Bethany ; 
and  it  was  from  this  place  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  ascended. 

1.3.  Wereco7nein.  To  Jerusalem.  ^  They 
went  up  into  an  upper  room.  The  word 
Oj/£^ui3v,  here  translated  upper  room,  oc- 
curs but  four  times  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Acts  ix.  37,  "  She  (Dorcas)  w^as  sick 
and  died  ;  whom  when  they  had  washed, 
they  laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber."  39  ; 
ix.  8,  "  And  there  were  many  lights  in 
the  upper  chamber  where  they  were  ga- 
thered together."  The  rot)m  so  desig- 
nated  was  an  upper  chamber  used  for 


James,  and  Johi ,  and  Andrew,  Phi- 
lip, and  Thomas,  Bartholomew,  and 
Matthew,  James  the  son  of  Alphe- 
us,  and  Simon  Zelotes,  and  Judas 
the  brother  of  James. 

14  These  all  continued  with  one 
accord  in  prayer  and  supplication, 


devotion;  or  to  place  the  dead  before 
burial;  or  occasionally  for  conversation, 
&c.  Here  if  evidently  means  the  place 
where  they  were  assembled  for  devotion. 
Luke  (xxiv  53)  says  they  were  continu- 
ally 171  the  temple  praising  and  blessing 
God.  And  some  have  supposed  that  the 
upper  room  here  designated,  was  one  of 
the  rooms  in  the  temple.  But  there  is  no 
evidence  of  that ;  and  it  is  not  very  pro- 
bable. Such  a  room  was  a  part  of  every 
house,  especially  in  Jerusalem;  and  they 
probably  selected  one  where  they  might 
be  together,  and  yet  so  retired  that  they 
might  he  safe  from  the  Jews,  IT  Where 
abode.  Where  were  remaining.  This 
does  not  mean  that  this  was  their  perma- 
nent habitation  ;  but  they  remained  there 
waiting  for  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
ir  Peter,  &c.  All  the  apostles  were  there 
which  Jesus  had  at  first  chosen,  except 
Judas.   Luke  vi.  13 — 16. 

14.  These  all  continued,  &c.  The  won! 
continued  denotes  persevering  and  con- 
stant attention.  The  main  business  was 
devotion.  Acts  vi.  4,  "  We  will  give  our- 
selves continually  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word."  Rom.  xii.  12,  "  Continuing  instant 
in  prayer."  xiii.  6,  "  Attending  continually 
upon  this  very  thing."  It  is  their  rnain  and 
constant  employment.  Col.  iv.  2.  V  Wtth 
one  accord.  With  one  mind;  unitedly; 
unanimously.  There  were  no  schisms, 
no  divided  interests,  no  discordant  pur- 
poses. This  is  a  beautiful  picture  of  de- 
votion, and  a  specimen  of  what  social 
worship  ought  now  to  be,  and  a  beautiful 
illustration  of  Ps.  cxxxiii.  The  apostles 
felt  that  they  had  one  great  object ;  and 
their  deep  grief  at  the  loss  of  their  mas- 
ter, their  doubts  and  perplexities,  led 
them,  as  all  afflictions  ought  to  lead  us 
to  the  throne  of  grace-  IF  In  prayer  and 
supplication.  These  words  are  nearly 
synonymous,  and  are  often  interchanged. 
They  express  here  petitions  to  frod  for 
blessings,  and  prayer  to  avert  impending 
evils.  IT  With  the  women.  The  women 
that  hid  followed  the  Lord  Jesus  from 
Galilee.  Luke  viii.  2  3 ;  xxhi.  49.  55 ;  xxiv 
10.  Matt,  xxvii.  55.  The  women  particu- 
larly mentioned   are   Mary   Magdale'^ne 


^6 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  ao 


with  the  *  women,  and  Mary  the 
Siother  of  Jesus,  and  with  his  bre- 
thren. 

15  A'ld  in  those  days  Peter  stood 
ftp  in  the  midst  of  the  disciples,  and 
said,  (the  number  of  the  names  to- 

a  Lu.23.49,55j24.10. 

Mary  the  mother  of  James  and  Joses,  the 
mother  of  Zebedee's  children,  Joanna  the 
wife  of  Chuza,  and  Susanna.  Besides 
fhese,  there  were  others  whose  names 
are  not  mentioned.  Most  of  them  were 
relatives  of  the  apostles  or  of  our  Sa- 
viour ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
some  of  them  were  wives  of  tlie  apos- 
tles. Peter  is  known  to  liave  been  mar- 
ried (Matt.  viii.  14),  and  had  his  wife  in 
attendance  (1  Cor.  ix.  5) ;  and  the  same 
was  doubtless  true  of  some  of  the  other 
apostles  (1  Cor.  ix.  5).  Maiy  is  here  par- 
ticularly mentioned,  the  mother  of  Jesus ; 
showing  that  she  now  cast  in  her  lot  with 
the  apostles.  She  had  besides  been  par- 
tirnljrly  intrusted  to  the  care  of  John 
(Jt.in  xix.  26,  27),  and  had  no  other  home. 
This  is  the  last  time  she  is  mentioned  in 
the  New  Testament.  John  xix.  27.  IF  And 
with  his  brethren.  See  Note.  Matt.  xji.  46. 
At  first  they  had  been  unbelieving  about 
the  claims  of  Jesus  (John  vii.  5);  but  it 
seems  that  they  had  been  subsequently 
converted. 

15.  In  those  days.  On  one  of  the  days 
.ntervening  between  the  ascension  of  Je- 
sus and  the  day  of  Pentecost.  IT  Peter 
stood  tip.  Peter  standing  up,  or  rising. 
This  is  a  CTistomary  expression  in  the 
Scriptures  when  one  begins  to  do  a  thing. 
Luke  XV.  18.  The  rea.son  why  Peter  did 
this  may  be  seen  in  the  Note  on  Mall. 
xvi.  16,  17.  It  is  not  improbable,  besides, 
that  Peter  was  the  most  aged  of  the  apos- 
tles; and  from  his  uniform  conduct  we 
knovv  that  he  was  the  most  ardent.  It  was 
perfectly  characteristic,  therefore,  (or  him 
♦o  introduce  the  busincKS  of  the  electicm 
of  a  new  apostle.  IT  The  disciples.  Tlii« 
was  the  name  which  was  given  to  them 
as  being  learners  in  the  school  of  ('hrist. 
Note,  Matt.  v.  1.  IT  The  number  of  the 
names.  The  number  of  the  persons,  or 
individuals.  The  word  name  is  often  used 
to  denote  the  person.  Rev.  iii.  4.  Acts  iv. 
12;  xviii.  15.  Eph.  i.  21.  In  Syriac  it  is, 
*•  the  a.ssembly  of  men  was  about  an  Inin- 
ired  and  twenty."  This  was  the  first  as- 
sembly ronvened  to  transact  iho  business 
of  the  church;  and  it  is  not  a  iitlle  re- 
markable that  the  vote  in  so  important  a 
matter  ai  electing  an  apostle,  was  by  the 


gether  were  about  an  hundred  and 
twenty,) 

16  Men  cnc?  brethren :  This  scrip 
ture  must  needs  have  been  fulfilled 
which*  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  mouth 
of  David  spake  before  concerning 

b  Ps.41.?.  Jno.13.18. 


entire  church  It  settles  the  question  thai 
the  election  of  a  minister  and  pastor 
should  be  by  the  church,  and  not  be  im- 
posed on  them  by  any  right  of  presenta- 
tion by  individuals,  or  by  any  ecclesias- 
tical body.  If  a  case  could  ever  occur 
where  a  minister  should  be  chosen  by  the 
ministry  only,  sucii  a  case  was  here  in  the 
elecfion  of  another  apostle.  And  yet  in 
tiiis  the  entire  church  had  a  voice.  WTie- 
iher  this  was  all  the  true  church  at  this 
time,  does  not  appear  from  the  history 
This  expression  cannot  mean  that  there 
were  no  more  Christians,  but  that  these 
were  all  that  had  convened  in  the  iippet 
room.  It  is  almost  certain  that  our  Sa- 
viour had,  by  his  own  ministry,  broughl 
many  others  to  be  his  true  followers. 

16.  Men  and  brethren  This  is  a  cus- 
tomary mode  of  address,  implying  affec 
fion  and  respect.  Acts  xiii.  26.  The  Sy 
riac  has  it  more  appropriately  than  by  the 
introduction  of  the  conjunction  "and"— 
"  Men,  our  brethren."  IT  This  scripture 
This  portion  or  prediction  contained  in  tlie 
writings  of  the  Old  Testament.  iScriplure, 
writing.  Note,  John  v.  39.  The  passage 
to  which  Peter  refers  is  commonly  sup- 
posed to  be  that  recorded  in  Ps.  xli.  9. 
"  Yea,  mine  own  familiar  friend. .  .  .hath 
lifted  up  his  heel  against  me."  This  ia 
expressly  applied  to  Judas  by  our  Sa- 
viour, in  John  xiii.  18.  But  it  seems  clear 
that  the  reference  is  not  to  the  41st  Psalm, 
but  to  the  passage  which  Peter  proceeds 
to  quote  iuTcr.  20.  IT  Must  needs  he  fid 
filed.  It  would  certainly  happen  that  ii 
would  be  fulfilled.  Not  that  there  was 
any  physical  necessity,  or  any  compul 
sion;  but  it  could  not  but  occur  that  a 
prediction  of  Gnd  should  be  fulfilled. 
This  makes  no  affirmation  about  ihe  free- 
dom of  Judas  in  doing  it.  A  man  will  be 
just  as  free  in  wickedness  if  it  he  foretold 
(hat  he  will  bo  wicked,  as  if  it  had  never 
been  known  to  anv  other  being.  IT  'J'ht 
Hohi  (ihftst,  &!C.  This  is  t  strong  attesta- 
tion to  Iho  inspirttion  of  David,  and  ac- 
cords with  the  unifiirm  trHiinumy  of  the 
New  Testament,  tliat  the  sni  red  writert 
spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Hoy 
GhosL  2  Pot.  i.  21.  IT  Coiwerning  Jn 
das.    In  what  respect  this  was  cotic«nQ 


4.  D.  33.1 


(mAPTER  1, 


n 


fudas,  whicn  was  ^ide  "  to  them 
.hat  took  Jesus. 

1 7  For  he  '  was  numbered  with 
us,  and  had  obtained  part  of  this 
ministry. 

18  Now<^  this  man  purchased  a 
field  with  the  reward  **  of  iniquity ; 
and  falling  headlong,  he  burst  asun- 

a  Matt.26.47.  Jno.18.3.  b  Lu.6.1S. 

mg  Judas,  see  ver.  20.  ^  Which  was 
guide,  &c.  Matt.  xxvi.  47.  John  xviii.  3. 
17.  He  was  numbered  with  us.  Ke  Avas 
chosen  as  an  apostle  by  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Luke  vi.  13 — 16.  This  does  not  mean 
that  he  was  a  true  Christian,  but  that  he 
was  reckoned  among  the  apostles.  Jesus 
knew  that  he  never  loved  him.  Long 
before  he  betrayed  him,  he  declared  that 
he  was  a  devil.  John  vi.  70.  He  knew 
his  whole  character  when  he  chose  him. 
John  ii.  25.  If  it  be  asked  why  he  chose 
such  a  man  to  be  an  apostle ;  why  he  was 
made  the  treasurer  of  the  apostles,  and 
W'as  admitted  to  the  fullest  confidence; 
we  may  reply,  that  a  most  important  object 
was  gained  m  having  such  a  man — a  spy 
— among  them.  It  might  be  pretended 
when  .'he  apostles  bore  testimony  to  the 
purity  of  life,  of  doctrine,  and  of  purpose, 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  they  were  inte- 
rested and  partial  friends;  that  they 
might  be  disp<:;sed  to  suppress  some  of  his 
real  sentiments,  and  represent  him  in  a 
light  more  favourable  than  the  truth. 
Hence  the  testimony  of  such  a  man  as 
Judas,  if  favourable,  must  be  invaluable. 
It  would  be  free  from  the  charge  of  par- 
tiality. If  Judas  kjiew  any  thing  unfa- 
vourable to  the  character  of  Jesus,  he 
would  have  communicated"  it  to  the  San- 
hedrim. If  he  knew  of  any  secret  plot 
against  the  government,  or  seditious  pur- 
pose, he  had  every  inducement  to  declare 
it.  He  had  every  opportunity  to  know  it; 
he  was  with  him ;  heard  him  converse ; 
was  a  member  of  his  family,  and  admit- 
ted to  terms  of  familiarity.  Yet  even  Ju- 
das could  not  be  bought,  or  bribed,  to  tes- 
tify against  the  moral  character  of  the 
Sa^^our.  If  he  had  done  it,  or  could  have 
done  it,  it  would  have  preserved  him 
from  the  charge  of  treason;  entitled  him 
to  the  reputation  of  a  publi  2  benefactor 
in  discovering  secret  seditior.;  and  have 
saved  him  from  the  pangs  of  remorse,  and 
from  self-murder.  Judas  would  have  done 
it  if  he  could.  But  he  alleged  no  such 
charge ;  he  did  not  even  dare  to  lisp  a 
word  against  tha  pure  designs  of  the  Lord 
Jesus ;  and  his  own  pangs  and  death  are 
b2 


der  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels 
gushed  out. 

19  And  it  was  kncwn  unto  all 
the  dwellers  at  Jerusalem;  inso- 
much as  that  field  is  called  in  their 
proper  tongue,  Aceldama,  that  is  to 
say,  The  field  of  blood. 

20  For  it  is  written  in  the  book 

c  Matt.27.5-10.  d  2Pet.2.15. 


the  highest  proof  that  can  be  desired  of 
his  convichon  that  the  betrayed  Redeemer 
was  innocent.  Judas  would  have  been 
just  the  witness  which  the  Jews  desired 
of  the  treasonable  purposes  of  Jesus.  But 
that  could  not  be  had,  even  by  gold  ;  and 
they  were  compelled  to  suborn  other  men 
to  testify  against  the  Son  of  God.  Matt. 
xxvi.  60.  We  may  just  add  here,  that  the 
introduction  of  such  a  character  as  that 
of  Judas  Iscariot  into  the  number  of  the 
apostles,  and  the  use  to  be  made  of  his 
testimony,  would  never  have  occurred  to 
an  impostor.  An  impostor  would  have 
said  that  they  were  a/Z^e  true  friends 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  To  have  invented  such 
a  character  as  that  of  Judas,  and  to  make 
him  perform  such  a  part  in  the  plan  as  the 
sacred  writers  do,  would  have  required 
too  much  art  and  cunning,  was  too  refined 
and  subtle  a  device  to  have  been  thought  . 
of,  unless  it  had  actually  occurred.  ^ 

18.  Now  this  man,  &c.  The  money 
which  was  given  for  betraying  the  LorH 
Jesus  was  thrown  down  "in  the  temple; 
and  the  field  was  purchased  with  it'  by 
the  Jewish  priests.  See  Matt,  xxvii.  5, 
10;  and  the  Notes  on  that  place.  A  man 
is  said  often  to  do  a  thing,  when  he  fur- 
nishes means  for  doing  it.  ^  The  reward 
of  iniquiti/.  ITie  price  which  he  had  for 
that  deed  of  stupendous  wickedness — the 
betraying  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  ^  And  fall- 
ing headlong.  He  first  hanged  himself, 
and  then  fell  and  was  burst  asunder 
Matt,  xxvii.  5. 

19.  It  was  known,  &c.  Matt,  xxvii.  8. 
The  scene  in  the  temple ;  the  acts  of  the 
priests  in  purchasing  the  field,  &c.  would 
make  it  knowTi ;  and  the  name  of  the  field 
would  preserve  the  memory  of  the  guilt 
of  Judas,  IT  Their  proper  tongue.  The 
language  spoken  by  the  Jews — the  Syro- 
chaldaic.  ^  Acddama.  This  is  composed 
of  two  Svro-chaldaic  words,  and  meane 
hterally,  the  field  of  blood. 

20.  For  it  is  written,  &c.  See  Ps.  Ixix. 
25.  This  is  the  prediction  doubtless  to 
which  Peter  rei'ers  in  ver.  16. — The  inter- 
mediate passage  in  ver.  18,  19,  is  probably 
a  parenthesis  ;  the  words  of  Luke,  not  o^ 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D   33 


of  Psalms,  Let "  his  habitation  be 
desolate,   and   let    no    man    dwell 


Peter.  It  is  not  probable  that  Peter  would 
introduce  a  narrative  like  this,  with  which 
Ihey  were  all  familiar,  in  an  address  to  the 
disciples.  The  Hebrew  in  the  Psalm  is, 
'lye:  their  habitation  (Heb.  fold,  enrlo- 
surc  for  cattle ;  tower,  or  palace),  be  deso- 
late, and  let  none  dwell  in  their  tents." — 
This  quotation  is  not  made  literally  from 
the  Hebrew,  nor  from  the  Septuagint. 
The  plural  is  changed  to  the  singular, 
and  there  are  some  other  slight  varia- 
tions. The  Hebrew  says,  "  let  no  men 
dwell  in  their  tents."  The  reference  to 
the  tents  is  omitted  in  the  quotation.  The 
term  habitation,  in  the  Psalm,  means  evi- 
dently the  dwelling  place  of  the  enemies 
of  the  writer  of  the  Psalm.  It  is  an  image 
expressive  of  their  overthrow  and  defeat 
by  a  just  God, '  let  their  families  be  scat- 
tered, and  the  places  where  they  have 
dwelt  be  without  an  hihabitant,  as  a  re- 
ward for  their  <^fcnes.'  If  the  Psalm  was 
originally  composed  with  reference  to  the 
Messiah  and  his  sufferings,  the  expres- 
sion here  was  not  intended  to  denote  Ju- 
das in  particular,  but  one  of  Ids  foes,  who 
was  to  meet  the  just  punishment  of  reject- 
ing, and  betraying,  and  murdering  him. 
The  change,  therefore,  which  Peter  made 
from  the  plural  to  the  singular;  and  the 
application  to  Judas  especially,  as  one  of 
those  enemies,  accords  with  the  design  of 
the  Psalm,  and  is  such  a  change  as  the 
circumstances  of  the  case  justified  and 
required.  It  is  an  image,  therefore,  ex- 
pressive of  judgment  and  desolation 
roming  upon  his  betrayer — an  image  to 
be  literally  fulfilled  in  relation  to  his  ha- 
bitation, drawn  from  the  desolation  when 
a  man  is  discomfited,  overthrown, and  his 
dwelling  place  given  up  to  desolation.  It 
Ls  not  a  little  remarkable  that  this  Psalm  is 
repeatedly  quoted  as  referring  to  the  Mes- 
siah. Ver.  9,  "The  zeal  of  thine  house 
hath  eaten  me  up,"  expressly  applied  to 
Ctirisl  in  John  ii.  1?.  Ver.  21.  "  They  gave 
pave  me  also  gall  for  my  meat;  and  in  my 
thirst  they  gave  me  vinegar  to  drink." 
'The  thing  which  was  done  to  Jesus  on 
the  cross.  Matt,  xxvii.  31.  The  whole 
Psalm  is  expres.sive  of  deep  sorrow — of 
persecution,  contempt,  weeping,  being  for- 
dakeii.  and  is  throughout  ai)plicnl)le  to  the 
Messiah  ;  willi  wliat  is  remarkable,  not  a 
single  expression  to  be,  ol'  necessity,  li- 
mited to  David.  It  is  not  easy  to  ascer- 
tain whether  the  ancient  Jews  referred 
this  Psalm  to  iho   Messiah.     A  part  of 


therein  :    and,  *  His   bishopric  '  let 
another  take. 

I  Ps.109.8.  »  or,  office,  or,  charge 


the  title  to  the  Psalm  in  the  Syriat  ver- 
sion is,  "  It  is  called  a  prophecy  concern- 
ing those  things  which  Christ  euflered, 
and  concernmg  the  qasiing  away  of  the 
Jews."  The  prophecy  in  ver.  25  is  not  to 
be  understood  of  Judas  aloiie,  but  of  the 
enemies  of  the  Messiah  in  general,  of 
which  Judas  was  one.  On  this  princ  pie 
the  application  to  Judas  of  the  passage  by 
Peter  is  to  be  defended.  IT  And  his  bi- 
shopric let  another  take.  This  is  quoted 
from  Ps.  cix.  8;  "Let  his  daj-s  be  few, 
and  let  another  take  his  office."  This  ia 
called  "  a  Psalm  of  David,"  and  is  of  the 
same  class  as  Ps.  vi.  xxii.  xxv.  xxxviii. 
xlii.  This  class  of  Psalms  is  commonly 
supposed  to  have  expressed  David's  feel- 
ings m  the  calamitous  times  of  the  perse- 
cution by  Saul,  the  rebellion  of  Absalom^ 
&.C.  They  are  all  also  expressive  of  the 
condition  of  a  suffering  and  persecuted 
Messiah;  and  are  many  of  them  applied 
to  him  in  the  New  Testament.  The^erje- 
ral  principle  on  which  most  of  them  are 
applicable  is,  not  thatDa\-id  personated  oi 
typified  the  Messiah,  which  is  nowhere 
affirmed,  and  which  can  be  true  in  no  in 
telligible  sense  ;  but  that  he  was  placed 
in  circumstances  similar  to  the  Messiah  ; 
encompassed  with  like  enemies ;  perse- 
cuted in  the  same  manner.  They  are 
expressive  of  high  rank,  office,  dignity, 
and  piety,  cast  down,  waylaid,  and  en- 
compassed with  enemies.  In  this  way 
they  express  general  sentiments  as  much 
applicable  to  the  case  of  the  Messiah  a» 
to  David.  They  were  placed  in  similar 
circumstances.  The  same  help  was  need- 
ed. The  same  expressions  would  convey 
their  feelings.  The  same  treatment  was 
proper  for  their  enemies. — On  this  princi- 
ple it  was  \hat  David  deemed  his  enemy 
whoever  he  was,  unworthy  of  his  office  • 
and  desired  that  it  should  t»e  given  to  an- 
other. In  like  manner,  Judas  had  ren 
dercd  himself  unworlhy  of  his  office,  and 
there  was  the  same  propricti/  thatit  should 
be  given  to  another.  And  as  the  office 
had  now  become  vacant  by  the  death  of 
Judas,  and  according  to  o7ie  declaration 
in  the  Psalms  ;  so  according  to  another,  il 
was  projier  that  it  should  be  conferred  on 
some  oilier  person.  The  word  rendered 
"  office"  in  the  Psalm,  means  the  rare, 
charge,  business,  oversight  of  any  thing. 
It  is  a  word  appli(;able  lo  magistrate^ 
who.so  care  il  is  to  see  Iho  laws  executed  ; 
to  military  men  who  have  charge  ol"  an 


\   D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  1. 


n 


21  Wherefore  of  these  men  " 
which  have  companied  with  us  all 
the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  went 
in  and  out  among  us, 

22  Beginning  from  the  baptism 

a  Lu.lC.1,2.  Jno.15.27. 


army,  or  a  part  of  an  army.     In  Job  x.  1 2, 
it  is  rendered  "  thy  visitation" — thy  care. 
fn  Num.  iv.  16,-  "and   to  the   office  of 
Eleazer,"  &c.  2  Kings  xi.  18.   In  the  case 
of  David  it  refers  to  those  who  were  in- 
trusted with  niiUtary  or  other  offices,  and 
who  had  treacherously  perverted  them  to 
persecute    and    oppose    him ;   and   thus 
shown  themselves  unworthy  of  the  office. 
The  Greek  word   which  is  used  here, 
4£i(r)c 0  77^1/.  is  taken  from  the-Septuagint, 
and~meahs  the  same  thing  as  the  Hebrew. 
It  is  well  rendered  in  the  margin  "  office, 
or  charge."  It  means  charge  of  any  kindf 
or  office,  \\-ithout  in  itself  specifying  of 
what  kind.     It  is  the  concrete  of  the  noun 
(TT.o-xc-o,-,  commonly  translated  "  bisliop,"  ] 
and  means  ^is_  office,   charge,  or  duty,  i 
That  word  designates  simply  having  the  \ 
oversight  of  any  thing,  and  as  applied  to  ; 
the  officers  of  flie  New  Testament,  it  de- 
notes merely  their  having  charge  of  the  af-  j 
fairs  of  the  chu'rcK,  without  specifying^the  ] 
nature  or  tl«  extent  of  tlieir  juri.sdiction.  I 
Hence  it  is  often  interchanged  with  pres-  j 
byter,  or  elder,  and   expresses  the   dis- 
cbarge of  the  duties  of  the  same  office. 
Acts  XX.  28.     "  Take  heed  (presbyters  or 
elders,  ver.  17)  to  yourselves,  an^  to  all 
the  flock  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  you  overseers" — sVio-zo^rouc — 
bishops.    Heb.   xii.   15.     "Looking  dili- 
gently," &c.  iTriT-t^arrzvvn:.  Phil.  i.  1,  "  \A"ith 

the  bishops  and  deacons."  "  Paul  called 
presbyters,  bishops ;  for  they  had  at  that 
time  the  same  name." — Theodoret,  as 
quoted  by  Scheusner.  1  Pet.  v.  2.  "  Feed 
the  flock  of  God  (i.  e.  you  who  are  elders, 
or  presbyters,  v.  1) ;  iakivs  the  oversight 
thereof  irriTxaTrcvvTsc.  These  passages 
ehew  that  the  term  in  the  New  Testament 
designates  the  supervision  or  care  which 
was  exercised  over  the  chtnch,  by  whom- 
Boever  performed,  without  specifying  the 
nature  or  extent  of  the  jurisdiction.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  Peter  here 
did  not  intend  to  affirm  that  Judas  sus- 
tained any  office  corresponding  to  what 
IS  now  commonly  understood  by  the 
term  "  bishop." 

21,22.  Wherefore  of  these  men.  Of 
those  who  had  witnessed  the  life  and 
works  of  Christ,  and  who  were  therefore 
qualified  to  discharge  the  duties  of  the 
liffice  from  which  Jadas  fell      Probably 


of  John,  ur  to  -hat  same  day  that  he 
was  taken  up  fr^m  us,  must  one  be 
ordained  to  be  u  witness  with  us  of 
his  resurrection. 

23  And  they  appointed  two,  To 


Peter  refers  to  the  seventy  disciples 
Luke  I.  1,  2.  ^  Went  in  and  out.  A 
phrase  signifying  that  he  was  their  con- 
stant companion.  It  expresses  in  genera] 
all  the  actions  of  the  life.  Ps.  cxxi  8. 
Deut  xxviii.  19;  xxxi.  2.  'a  Beginning 
from  the  baptism  of  John.  The  words 
"  beginning  from"  in  the  original  refer  to 
the  Lord  Jesus.  The  meaning  may  be 
thus  expressed,  '  during  all  the  time  in 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  beginning  (his  mi- 
nistry-) at  the  time  when  he  was  baptized 
by  John,  went  in  and  out  among  us,  until 
the  time  when  he  was  taken  up,'  <tc. 
From  those  who  had  during  that  time 
been  the  constant  companions  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  must  one  be  taken,  who  would 
thus  be  a  witness  of  his  whoie  ministry. 
^  Must  one  be  ordained.  It  is  ft  or  proper 
that  one  should  be  ordained.  The  reason 
of  this  was,  that  Jesus  had  originally  cho- 
sen the  number  twelve  for  this  work,  and 
as  one  of  them  had  fallen,  it  was  proper 
that  the  breach  should  be  filled  by  some 
person  equally-  qualified  for  the  office 
The  reason  why  it  was  proper  that  be 
should  be  taken  from  the  seventy  disci- 
ples was,  that  they  had  been  particularly 
distinguished  by  Jesus  himself,  and  corn- 
manded  to  preach,  and  endowed  with  va- 
rious  powers,  and  had  been  wimesses  of 
most  of  his  public  life.  Luke  x.  1 — 16. 
The  word  ordained  with  us  has  a  fixed 
and  definite  meaning.  It  denotes  to  set 
apart  to  a  sacred  office  with  the  proper 
form  and  solemnities,  commonly  by  the 
imposition  of  hands.  But  this  is  not,  of  ne- 
cessity, the  meaning  of  this  passage.  The 
Greek  word  usually  denoting  ordination  is 
not  used  here.  The  expression  is  hterally, 
"must  one  be,or  become,  yeviT^xi,  a  wit- 
ness with  us  of  his  resurrection."  Tlie  ex- 
pression does  not  imply  that  he  must  be  set 
£.part  in  any  particular  manner,  but  sim- 
ply that  one  should  be  designated,  or  ap- 
pointed for  this  specific  purpose,  in,bji  o 
witness  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 

23.  And  they  appointed  tiro.  Thpv pro 
posed,  or  a-s  we  should  say,  nomijiatcd  two. 
Literally  they  placed  two,  or  m.ade  them,  to 
stand  forth,  as  persons  do  who  are  candi- 
dates for  office.  These  tv.o  were  prooa- 
hly  more  distinguished  by  prudence,  wi» 
dom,  piety,  and  age  than  the  others  ;  and 
were  sc  nearh   equal  in  qualific8i-»oiMi 


^0 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  3:^ 


«eph  called    Barsabas,  "  who  was 
Burnamed  .)i.stas,  and  Matthias. 

24  And  thoy  prayed,  and    said, 
Thou,  Lord,  which  ^  knowest  the 


b  Je.  17.10.  Re.2.23. 


that  they  could  not  determine  which  was 
the  best  fitted  for  the  office.  IF  Joseph 
called  Barsabas,  &c.  It  is  not  certainly 
known  what  the  name  Barsabas  denotes. 
The  Syriac  w'ord  Bar  means  Son,  and  the 
vrord  Sabns  has  been  translated  an  oath, 
rest,  quieU  or  captivity.  Why  the  name 
was  given  to  Joseph  is  not  known ;  but 
probably  it  was  the  family  name — Joseph 
son  of  Saba.  Some  have  conjectured 
that  this  was  the  same  man  who,  m  ch. 
iv.  36,  is  called  Barnabas.  But  of  this 
there  is  no  proof.  Lightfoot  supposes  that 
he  was  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  brother 
of  James  the  Less,  and  that  he  was  chosen 
on  account  of  his  relationship  to  the  fami- 
ly of  the  Lord  Jesus.  IT  Was  surnamed  Jus- 
tus. Who  was  called  Justus.  This  is  a 
Latin  name,  meaning  just,  and  was  proba- 
bly given  him  on  account  of  his  distin- 
guished integrit}^  It  was  not  uncommon 
among  the  Jews  for  a  man  to  have  seve- 
ral names.  Matt.  x.  3.  IT  A7td  Matthias. 
Nothing  is  known  of  the  family  of  this 
man,  or  of  his  character,  further  than  that 
he  was  numbered  with  the  apostles,  and 
shared  their  lot  in  the  toils,  and  persecu- 
tions, and  honours  of  preaching  the  gospel 
to  mankind. 

24.  A7id  they  prayed.  As  they  could 
not  agree  on  the  individual,  they  invoked 
the  direction  of  God  in  their  choice — an 
example  which  should  be  followed  in 
every  selection  of  an  individual  to  exer- 
cise the  duties  of  the  sacred  office  of  the 
ministry.  IT  Which  knowest  the  hearts  of  all 
men.  'This  is  often  declared  to  be  the  po- 
cuhar  prerogative  of  God.  Jer.  xvii.  10. 
"  /,  Jehovah,  search  the  heart,"  &c.  Ps. 
cxxxix.  1.23.  1  Chron.  xxviii.  9.  Yet  this 
attribute  is  also  expre.ssly  ascribed  to  Je- 
sus Christ.  Rev.  ii.  18.  Com  p.  23.  "  These 
things  saith  the  Son  of  God — I  am  he 
which  searcheth  theremsand  the  hearts." 
John  ii.  25 ;  vi.  64 ;  xvi.  19.  There  are 
itrong  reasons  for  suppf>sing  that  the  apos- 
tles on  this  occasion  addressed  this  prayer 
to  the  ljm\  Jesus  Christ.  (1.)  The  name 
i^rd  is  the  common  appellation  which 
they  gave  to  him.  Acts  ii.  36  ;  vii.  59,  60 ; 
X.  36.  1  Cor.  ii.8.  Phil.  ii.  11.  Rev.  xi.  8, 
&c.  (2.)  Wo  are  told  that  they  worshipped 
him,  or  rendered  him  divine  honours  afior 
his  ascension.  Luke  xxiv.  52.  (3.)  The 
disciples  were  accustomed  to  address  him 
»ftci  hi*  crucifixiou  by  the  names  Lord  I 


hearts  of  all  meji,  shew  .whether  of 
these  two  thou  hast  chosen, 

25  That  he  may  take  part  of  this 
ministry     and     apostleship,    from 


or  God  indifferently.  Acts  i.  6.  John  xx 
28.  Acts  vii.  59.  (4.)  This  was  a  mattei 
pertainmg  especially  to  the  church  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  had  redeemed,  and  to  hit 
own  arrangement  in  regard  to  it.  He  had 
chosen  the  apostles ;  he  had  given  them 
their  commission  ;  he  had  fixed  their  num- 
ber; and  what  is  worthy  of  special  re- 
mark here,  he  had  been  the  companion  of 
the  very  men,  and  knew  their  qualifica' 
tions  for  their  work.  If  the  apostles  evei 
called  on  the  Lord  Jesus  after  his  ascen 
sion,  this  was  the  case  in  which  they 
would  be  likely  to  do  it.  That  it  was  Aone 
is  clear  from  the  account  of  the  death  of 
Stephen.  Acts  vii.  59.  60.  And  in  this 
important  matter  of  ordaining  anew  apos- 
tle to  be  a  winiess  for  Jesus  Christ,  no 
thing  was  more  natural  than  that  they 
should  address  him,  though  bodily  ab- 
sent, as  they  would  assuredly  have  done 
if  he  were  present.  And  if  on  this  occa- 
sion they  did  actually  address  Christ, 
then  two  things  clearly  follow.  First, 
that  it  is  proper  to  render  him  divine  ho- 
mage, agreeably  to  the  uniform  declara- 
tions of  the  Scripture.  John  v.  23,  "That 
all  men  should  honour  the  Son  even  as 
they  honour  the  Father."  Heb.  i.  6,  "And 
let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him." 
Phil.  ii.  10,  11.  Rev.  v.  8— 14.  IThess.  iii. 
11,12.  Secondly,  he  must  be  divine.  Tc 
none  other  but  God  can  religious  homage 
be  rendered ;  and  none  other  can  be  de- 
scribed as  knowing  the  hearts  of  all  men. 
The  reason  why  they  appealed  to  him  on 
this  occasion  as  the  searcher  of  the  heart, 
was- doubtless  the  great  importance  of  the 
work  to  which  the  successor  of  Judas  was 
to  be  called.  One  apostle  of  fair  external 
character  had  proved  a  traitor;  and  with 
this  fact  full  before  them,  they  appealed 
to  the  Saviour  himself,  to  select  one  who 
would  be  true  to  him,  and  net  bring  dis- 
honour on  his  cause.  IT  Sheto  whether,  Szc 
Shew  which  of  them.  IF  Thou  hast  chosen. 
Not  by  any  public  declaration,  but  which 
of  the  two  thou  hast  judged  to  be  besf 
qualified  for  the  work,  and  hast  fitted  for  it 
25.  That  he  may  take  part  of  this  minih 
try.  The  word  rendered  part,  v-xn^iv,  is 
the  same  which  in  the  next  verso  is  ren- 
dered lots.  It  properly  means  a  lot,  or 
])ortion  ;  the  jwrtion  divided  to  a  man,  o»' 
assigned  to  him  by  casting  lots;  and  also 
the  instrument  or  means  by  which  tlie  lot 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


21 


which  Judas  b}-  transgression  fell,  that  he  might  go  to  his  own  place, 


rs  made.  The  fbmier  is  its  meaning 
here ;  the  oj^ce,  or  portion  of  apostolic 
work  which  would  fall  to  him  by  talc 
ing  the  place  of  Judas.  ^  Ministry  and 
apostleship.  This  is  an  instance  of  the 
figure  of  speech  ^ndladys,  when  two 
words  are  used  to  express  one  thing. 
It  means  the  apostolic  ministry.  See  in- 
stances in  Gen.  i.  14,  "  L^t  them  be 
for  signs  and  for  seasons,"  i.  e.  signs 
of  seasons.  Acts  xxiii.  6,  "  Hope  and 
resurrection  of  the  dead,"  i.  e.  hope  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Tf  Thai 
he  might  go  to  his  own  place.  These 
words  by  different  interpreters  have 
been  referred  both  to  Matthias  and  Ju- 
das. Those  who  refer  them  to  IMatthi- 
E3  say  that  they  mean,  that  Judas  fell 
that  Matthias  might  go  to  his  own  place, 
that  is,  to  a  place  for  which  he  was  fitted, 
or  well  qualified.  But  to  this  there  are 
many  objections.  1  The  apostolic  office 
coulu  with  no  propriety  be  called,  in  re- 
ference to  Matthias,  his  own  place,  until  it 
was  actually  conferred  on  him.  2.  There 
is  no  instance  in  which  the  expression  to 
go  to  his  own  place,  is  applied  to  a  succes- 
sor in  office.  3.  It  is  not  true  that  the 
design  or  reason  why  Judas  fell  was 
to  make  way  for  another.  He  fell  by 
his  crimes;  his  avarice,  his  voluntary 
and  enormous  wickedness.  4.  The  for- 
mer part  of  the  sentence  contains  this 
sentiment:  'Another  must  be  appointed 
to  tliis  office  which  the  death  of  Judas 
has  made  vacant.'  If  this  expression, 
"  that  he  might  go,"  &c.,  refers  to  the 
successor  of  Judas,  it  expresses  the  same 
sentiment,  but  more  obscurely.  5.  The 
obvious  and  natural  meaning  of  the 
phrase  is  to  refer  it  to  Judas.  But  those 
who  suppose  it  to  refer  to  Judas  differ 
greatly  about  its  meaning.  Some  sup- 
pose it  refers  to  his  own  house ;  that  he 
left  the  aj[X)stolic  office  to  return  to  his 
own  house  ;  and  they  appeal  to  Numbers 
xxiv.  25.  But  it  is  not  true  that  Judas  did 
this;  nor  is  there  the  least  proof  that  ifc 
was  his  design.  Others  refer  it  to  the 
grave,  as  the  place  of  man,  where  all 
must  lie ;  and  particularly  as  an  ignomi- 
nious place  where  Judas  should  lie.  But 
there  is  no  example  of  the  word  place 
being  used  in  this  sense ;  nor  is  there 
an  instance  where  a  man  by  being  bu- 
ried is  said  to  return  to  his  own,  or  pro- 
per place.  Others  have  supposed  that 
the  manner  of  his  death,  by  hanging,  is 
referred  to,  as  his  own  or  his  proper  place. 
But  this  interpretation  is  evidently  an  un- 
natural and  forced  one.  The  word  place 
eonnot  be  applied  to  an  act  of  self-mur- 


der. It  denotes  habitation,  abode,  situ 
ation  in  which  to  remain ;  not  an  act. 
These  are  the  only  interpretations 
which  can  be  suggested  of  the  pas- 
sage, except  the  common  and  obvious 
one  of  refeiTing  it  to  the  future  abode 
of  Judas  in  the  world  of  wo.  This 
might  be  said  to  be  his  men,  as  it  was 
adapted  to  him;  as  he  had  prepared 
himself  for  it ;  and  as  it  was  proper  that 
he  who  had  betrayed  his  Lord  shoxtld 
remain  there.  This  interpretation  may 
be  defended  by  the  following  consid- 
erations: 1.  It  is  the  obvious  and  nat 
ural  meaning  of  the  words.  It  com 
mends  itself  by  its  simplicity  and  its  ev 
ident  connexion  wuth  the  context.  It 
has  in  aU  ages  been  the  common  inter 
pretation ;  nor  has  any  other  been  adopted 
unless  there  was  a  theory  to  be  defended 
about  future  punishment.  Unless  men 
had  previously  made  up  their  minds  not 
to  believe  in  future  punishment,  no  one 
would  ever  have  thought  of  any  other 
interpretation.  This  fact  alone  ihrowa 
strong  light  on  the  meaning  of  the  pas- 
sage. 2.  It  accords  with  the  crimes  of 
Judas,  and  with  all  that  we  know  of  him. 
The  future  doom  of  Judas  was  not  un- 
known to  the  apostles.  Jesus  Christ  had 
expressly  declared  this;  "it  had  been 
good  for  that  man  if  he  had  not  been 
born  ;"  a  declaration  which  could  not  be 
true  if,  after  any  limited  period  of  suffer- 
ing, he  were  at  last  admitted  to  eternal 
happiness.  See  Matt.  xxvi.  24,  and  the 
Note  on  that  place.  This  declaration 
was  made  in  the  presence  of  the  eleven 
apostles,  at  the  institution  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  at  a  time  when  their  attention 
was  absorbed  with  deep  interest  in  what 
Christ  said ;  and  it  was  therefore  a  de- 
claration which  they  would  not  be  likely 
to  forget.  As  they  knew  the  fate  of  Judas, 
nothing  was  more  natural  for  them  than 
to  speak  of  it  familiarly  as  a  thing  which 
had  actually  occurred  when  he  betrayed 
his  Lord,  hung  himself,  and  went  to  his 
own  place.  3.  The  expression  "  to  go  to 
his  own  place,"  is  one  which  is  used  by 
the  ancient  writei-s  to  denote  going  to 
the  eternal  destiny.  Thus  the  Jewisli 
Tract,  Baal  Turim,  on  Num.  xxiv  25, 
says,  "Balaam  went  to  his  own  place, 
i.  e.  to  Gehenna,"  to  hell.  Thus  the  Tar- 
gum,  or  Chaldee  Paraphr:Jse  on  Eccl.  vL 
6,  says,  "  Although  tne  days  of  a  man' 
life  were  two  thousand  years,  and  he  did 
not  study  the  law,  and  do  justice,  in  the 
day  of  his  death  his  soul  shall  descend 
to  hell,  to  the  one  place  where  all  sinners 
go."    Thus  Ignatius  in  the  Epistle  to  the 


26  And    they   gave  forth    their 
,ots  :  and  the  lot  Tell  upon  Matthi- 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  Sa 

as  ;  and  he  was  numbered  with  lb* 
eleven  apostles. 


Magnesians  says,  "  Because  all  things 
have  an  end,  ihe  two  things  death  and 
life  shall  lie  dawn  together,  arid  each  one 
shall  go  (a  his  own  place."  The  phrase 
his  own  place,  means  the  place  or  abode 
which  is  fitted  for  him,  which  is  his  ap- 
propriate home.  Judas  was  not  ic  a  place 
which  befitted  his  character  when  he 
was  an  apostle;  he  was  not  in  such  a 
place  in  the  church ;  he  would  not  be  in 
heaven.  Hell  was  the  only  place  which 
was  fitted  to  the  man  of  avarice  and  of 
treason.  And  if  this  be  the  true  inter- 
pretation of  this  passage,  then  it  follows, 
1.  That  there  will  be  such  a  thing  as  fu- 
ture, eternal  punishment.  One  such  man 
there  certainly  is  m  hell,  and  ever  will 
be.  If  there  is  one  there,  for  the  same 
reason  there  may  be  others.  All  objec- 
tions to  the  doctrine  are  removed  by  this 
single  fact;  and  it  cannot  be  true  that  all 
men  will  be  saved.  2.  Each  individual 
in  eternity  will  find  his  own  proper  place. 
Hell  is  not  an  arbitrary  appointment. 
Every  man  will  go  to  the  place  for  which 
his  character  is  fitted.  The  hypocrite  is 
not  fitted  for  heaven.  The  man  of  pride, 
and  avarice,  and  pollution,  and  falsehood, 
is  not  fitted  for  heaven.  The  place  adapt- 
ed to  such  men  is  hell ;  and  the  design 
of  the  judgment  will  be  to  assign  to  each 
individual  his  proper  abode  in  the  eternal 
world.  3.  The  design  of  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day  will  be  to  assign  to  all 
the  inhabitants  of  this  world  their  proper 
place.  It  would  not  be  fit  that  the  holy 
and  pure  should  dwell  for  ever  in  the 
same  place  with  the  unholy  and  impure ; 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  will  come  to  assign  to 
each  his  appropriate  eternal  habitation. 
4.  The  sinner  will  have  no  cause  of  com- 
plaint. If  he  is  assigned  to  his  proper 
place,  he  cannot  complain.  If  he  is  unjjl 
for  heaven,  he  cannot  complain  that  he  is 
excluded.  And  if  his  character  and  feel- 
ings are  such  as  make  it  proper  that  he 
should  find  his  eternal  abode  among  the^ 
enemies  of  God,  then  he  must  expect  that 
aGo(J  of  justice  and  equity  will  assign 
nim  such  a  doom.  But,  5.  This  will  not 
nlleviafe  his  pain;  it  will  deepen  his  wo. 
He  will  have  the  eternal  consciousness 
that  that,  and  that  only,  is  his  place — the 
dof)m  fi)r  which  he  is  fitted.  The  prison 
is  no  less  dreadful  because  a  man  is  con- 
Bcious  that  he  deserves  it.  The  gallows 
jR  not  the  less  terrible,  because  tlie  man 
knows  that  he  deserves  to  die.  And  the 
eternal  conflciouanesa  of  the  sinner  (hat 


he  is  unfit  for  heaven  ;  that  there  is  not  a 
solitary  soul  there  with  whom  he  could 
have  sympathy  or  friendship ;  that  he  is 
fit  for  hell,  and  hell  only,  will  be  an  in 
gredient  of  etemal*fcitterness  in  the  cup 
of  wo  that  awaits  him.  Let  not  the  sin- 
ner then  hope  to  escape;  for  God  wiU 
assuredly  appoint  his  residence  in  that 
world  lo  which  his  character  here  ia 
adapted.  % 

The  character  and  end  of  Judas  is  on*" 
of  the  most  important  and  instructive  iw 
history.  It  teaches  us,  1.  That  Christ  may 
employ  wicked  men  for  imix)rlant  pur- 
poses in  his  kingdom.  See  Note  on  ver. 
17.  He  does  no  violence  to  their  frdfl- 
dom,  suffers  them  to  act  as  they  pleaA*, 
but  brings  important  ends  outof  their  ft.« 
duct.  One  of  the  most  conclusive  argv- 
ments  for  the  pure  character  of  Jesu 
Christ  is  drawn  from  the  silent  testimony 
of  Judas.  2.  The  character  of  Judas  was 
eminently  base  and  wicked.  He  was  in- 
fluenced by  one  of  the  worst  human  pas- 
sions ;  and  yet  he  cloaked  it  from  all  the 
apostles.  It  was  remarkable  that  any 
man  should  have  thought  of  making  mo- 
ney in  such  a  band  of  n>en ;  but  avarice 
will  show  itself  every  where.  3.  We  see 
the  effects  of  avarice  in  the  church.  I: 
led  to  the  betraying  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
to  his  death;  and  it  has  often  betrayed 
the  cause  of  pure  religion  since.  There  is 
no  single  human  passion  that  has  done  so 
much  evil  in  the  church  of  God  as  this. 
It  may  be  consistent  with  external  decen- 
cy and  order;  it  is  that  on  which  the 
world  acts,  and  which  it  approves ;  and 
it  may  therefore  be  indul-ged  without  dis- 
grace; while  open  and  acknowledged 
vices  would  expose  their  possessors  to 
shame  and  ruin.  And  yet  it  paralyzes 
and  betrays  religion  probably  more  than 
any  single  propensity  of  man.  4.  The 
character  of  an  avaricious  man  in  the 
church  will  be  developed.  Opportuni- 
ties will  occur  when  it  w'ill  he  seen  and 
known  by  what  principle  the  man  is  in- 
fluenced. So  it  was  with  Achan  (.■ot-h. 
vii.  21);  so  it  was  with  Judas;  and  .so  it 
will  be  with  all.  Occasions  will  occur 
which  will  test  the  character,  and  show 
what  manner  of  spirit  a  man  is  of  Every 
appeal  lo  a  man's  benevolence,  every 
call  upon  his  charity,  shows  what  spint 
infliiences  him,  and  whether  he  is  actn- 
ateil  by  the  love  of  gold,  or  by  the  lev© 
of  Jesus  Chrint  an<l  his  cause. 

2G.  And  they  gave  forththetr  lots.  Some 


A    D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  i 


2Z 


Have  sup|M3sed  that  this  means  they  voted. 
But  to  this  interpretation  fliere  are  insu- 
porable  objections.  1.  The  word  lots, 
KKyj^ai>i/is  not  used  to  express  votes,  or  suf- 
frage. 2.  The  expression  "  the  lot  fell 
upon"  is  not  consistent  with  the  notion  of 
voting  It  is  commonly  expressive  of  cabt- 
jng  lots.  3.  Casting  lots  was  common 
among  the  Jews  on  important  and  diffi- 
cult occasions,  and  it  was  natural  that  the 
apostles  should  resort  to  it  in  this.  Thus 
David  divided  the  priests  by  lot.  1  Chron. 
xxiv.  5.  The  land  of  Canaan  was  divided 
by  lot.  Num.  xxvi.  55.  Josh.  xv.  xvi.  xvii. 
&c.  Jonathan,  son  of  Saul,  was  detected 
as  having  violated  his  father's  command, 
and  as  bringing  calamity  on  the  Israelites, 
by  lot.  1  Sam.  xiv.  41, 42.  Achan  was  de- 
tected by  lot.  Josh.  vii.  16.  18.  In  these 
eases  the  use  of  the  lot  was  regarded  as  a 
solemn  appeal  to  God,  for  his  direct  inter- 
ference in  cases  which  they  could  not 
themselves  decide.  Prov.  xvi.  33,  "  The 
lot  is  cast  into  the  lap,  but  the  whole  dis- 
posing thereof  is  of  the  Lord."  The  choice 
of  an  apostle  was  an  event  of  the  same 
liind,  and  was  regarded  as  a  solemn  ap- 
peal to  God  for  his  direction  and  guidance 
in  a  case  which  the  apostles  could  not 
determine.  The  manner  in  which  this 
was  done  is  not  certainly  known.  The 
common  mode  of  casting  lots,  was  to 
write  the  names  of  the  persons  on  pieces 
of  stone,  wood,  &c.  and  put  them  in 
one  urn  ;  and  the  name  of  the  office,  por- 
tion, &c.  on  others.  These  were  then 
placed  in  an  urn  with  other  pieces  of 
stone,  &c.  which  were  blank.  The  names 
were  then  drawn  at  random,  and  also  the 
other  pieces,  and  this  determined  the 
case.  The  castmg  of  a  lot  is  determined 
by  laws  of  nature,  as  regularly  as  any 
thing  else.  There  is  properly  no  chance 
m  it.  We  do  not  know  how  a  die  may 
turn  up;  but  this  does  not  imply  that 
it  will  turn  up  without  any  regard  to 
pule,  or  at  haphazard.  We  cannot  trace 
the  influences  which  may  determine 
either  this  or  that  side  to  come  up ;  but 
Btill  it  is  done  by  regular  and  proper 
laws,  and  according  to  the  circumstances 
of  position,  force,  &c.  in  which  it  is  cast. 
Still  although  it  does  not  imply  any  spe- 
cial or  miraculous  interposition  of  Provi- 
dence ;  though  it  may  not  be  absolutely 
wrong,  in  cases  which  cannot  otherwise 
be  determined,  to  use  the  lot,  yet  it  doea 
not  follow  that  it  is  proper  often  to  make 
this  appeal.  Almost  all  cases  of  doubt 
can  be  determined  more  satisfactorily  in 
•ome  other  way  than  by  the  lot.  The  ha- 
oit  of  appealing  to  it  engenders  the  love 
»f  hazards  and  of  games ;  leads  to  heart- 


burnings, to  jealousies,  to  envy,  to  strife 
and  to  dishonesty.  Still  less  does  the  ex 
ample  of  the  apostles  authorize  games  of 
hazard,  or  lotteries,  which  are  positively 
evil,  and  attended  with  ruinous  eonse 
quences,  apart"  from  any  inquiry  abcu 
the  lawfulness  of  the  lot.  They  eithei 
originate  in,  or  promote,  covetousness,  n© 
gleet  of  regular  industry  envy,  jealousy 
disappointment,  dissipation,  bankruptcy 
falsehood,  and  despair.  What  is  gainec 
by  one  is  lost  by  another,  and  both  tbt 
gain  and  the  loss  promote  some  of  the 
w'orst  passions  of  man  ,-  boasting,  triumph 
self-confidence,  indolence,  dissipation,  on 
the  one  hand  ;  and  envy,  disappointment 
sullenness,  desire  of  revenge,  remorse 
and  ruin,  on  the  other.  God  intended  tha 
man  should  live  by  sober  toil.  All  de^ 
partures  from  this  great  law  of  our  socia. 
existence  lead  to  ruin.  '^  Their  lots.  The 
lots  which  were  to  decide  their  case 
They  are  called  theirs,  because  they 
were  to  determine  which  of  them  should 
be  called  to  the  apostolic  office.  IT  The  lot 
fell.  This  is  an  expression  applicable  tc 
casting  lots,  not  to  voting.  IT  He  was  num- 
bered. By  the  casting  of  the  lot.  o-uj-xaxa- 
■^>)?iV3->).  This  word  is  from  ^>)?o; — a  cal- 
culus, or  pebble,  by  which  votes  were 
given,  or  lots  w-ere  cost.  It  means,  that 
by  the  result  of  the  lot,  he  was  reckoned  as 
an  apostle.  Nothing  further  is  related  of 
Matthias  in  the  New  Testament.  Where 
he  laboured,  and  when  and  where  he 
died,  is  unknown,  nor  is  there  any  trarii- 
tion  on  which  reliance  is  to  be  placed. 
The  election  of  Matthias  throws  some 
light  on  the  organization  of  the  church. 
1.  He  was  chosen  to  fill  the  place  vacated 
by  Judas,  and  for  a  specific  purpose,  to  be 
a  witness  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
There  is  no  mention  of  any  other  design. 
It  was  not  to  ordain  men  exclusively,  or 
to  rule  over  the  churches,  but  to  be  a  wit- 
ness to  an  important  fact.  2.  There  is  no 
intimation  here  that  it  was  designed  tha' 
there  should  be  successors  to  the  apostles 
in  the  peculiar  duties  of  the  apostolic  of- 
fice. The  election  was  for  a  definite  ob- 
ject, and  was  therefore  temporary.  It 
was  to  fill  up  the  number  originally  ap- 
pointed by  Christ.  When  the  purpose  for 
which  he  was  appointed  was  accom- 
plished, the  peculiar  part  of  the  apostolic 
work  ceased  of  course.  3  There  could 
he  no  succession  in  our  times  to  the  pecu- 
liar apostolic  office.  They  were  to  be 
toitnesses  of  the  work  of  Christ.  For  this 
they  were  sent  forth.  And  when  the 
desired  effect  resulting  from  such  a  wit- 
nessing was  accomplished,  the  office  itself 
would  cease.    Hence  there  is  no  rei'-ord 


24 


THE  ACTS. 


CHAPTER  Jl. 

ND    when    the   day  of   I'ente- 
•  cost  "  waa  fuliy  come,  they  ' 


that  after  this  the  church  even  pretended 
ID  appoint  successors  to  the  apostles  to 
discliarge  their /;erj/Ziar  work.  And  hence 
i:o  ministers  of  the  gospel  can  now  pre- 
tend to  be  their  successors  in  the  peculiar 
ftnd  original  design  of  the  appointment  of 
the  apostles.  4.  The  only  other  apostle 
mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  is  the 
apostle  Paul,  not  appointed  as  the  succes- 
sor of  the  others,  not  with  any  peculiar 
design  except  to  be  an  apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, as  the  others  were  to  the  Jews,  and 
appointed  for  the  same  end,  to  testify  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  alive,  and  that  he  had 
seen  him  after  he  rose.  1  Cor.  xv.  8 ;  ix. 
1.  Acts  xxu.  8,  9.  14,  15;  ix.  15;  xxvi. 
17,  18.  The  ministers  of  religion,  there- 
fore, are  successors  of  the  apostles,  not  in 
their  peculiar  office  as  witnesses,  but  as 
preachers  of  the  word,  and  as  appomted 
to  establish,  to  organize,  and  to  edu'y  and 
rule  the  churches.  The  peculiar  work  of 
the  apostleship  ceased  with  their  death. 
The  ordinary  work  of  the  ministry,  which 
khey  held  in  common  with  all  others  who 
preach  tlie  gospel,  will  continue  to  the 
end  of  time. 

CHAPTER  II. 
1.  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost.  The 
word  Pentecost  is  a  Greek  word,  signify- 
mg  the  fftieth  part  of  a  thing ;  or  the 
fiftieth  in  order.  A.mong  the  Jews  it  was 
applied  to  one  of  their  three  great  feasts 
which  began  on  the  fiftieth  day  after  the 
Passover.  This  feast  was  reckoned  from 
the  sixteenth  day  of  the  month  Abib,  or 
April,  or  the  second  day  of  the  Passover. 
The  paschal  lamb  was  slain  on  the  four- 
teenth of  the  month  at  even  (Lev.  xxiii.  5). 
On  the  fifteenth  of  the  month  was  a  holy 
convocation — the  proper  beginning  of  the 
feast ;  on  the  sixteenth  was  the  offering  of 
the  first-fruits  of  harvest,  and  from  that 
day  they  were  to  reckon  seven  rvecks,  i.  e. 
forty-nine  days  to  the  feast  called  the  feast 
of  Pentecost,  so  that  5*.  occurred  /?/"/?/  days 
after  Lhe  first  day  of  tlie  feast  of  the  Pass- 
over. This  feast  was  also  caWcd  the  feast 
fif  vDeeht,  from  the  circumstance  that  it 
fc>!lov/ad  a  succession  of  weeks.  Ex.xxxiv. 
S».  Num.  xxviii.  26.  Deut  xvi.  10.  It 
WM  also  a  harveitt  festival,  and  was  ac- 
cordingly called  the  feast  of  hawest.  And 
It  waa  for  this  rcaaon  that  two  loaves  made 
yf  new  meal  were  offered  on  this  occasion 
as  first-fruits.  Lev.  xxiii.  17.  2(3.  Num. 
xxviii.  27.  31.  IT  Was  fully  ctrmc.  When 
the  day  had  arrived.    The  word  means 


w  eie 
place. 


ail 


[A.  D.  3;^ 

with  cno  accord   in  oat 


here  simply,  had  come.  Comp.  Mark  i.  15. 
Luke  i.  57.  This  fact  is  »nentioned,  that 
the  time  of  the  Pentecosi  had  come,  oi 
fully  arrived,  to  account  for  what  is  relate 
ed  afterwards,  that  there  were  so  many 
strangers  and  foreigners  present.  The 
promised  influences  of  the  Spirit  were 
withheld  until  the  greatest  possible  num- 
bers of  Jews  should  be  present  at  Jeru- 
salem  at  the  same  time,  and  thus  an  op- 
portunity be  aflJbrded  of  preaching  the 
gospel  to  vast  multitudes  in  the  very 
place  where  the  Lord  Jesus  was  crucified, 
and  also  an  opportunity  be  afforded  of 
sending  the  gospel  by  them  into  distant 
parts  of  the  earth.  H  They  were  all.  Pro- 
bably not  only  the  apostles,  but  also  the 
one  hundred  and  twenty  mentioned  in 
ch.  i.  15.  II  With  one  accord.  See  ch.  i. 
14.  It  is  probable  they  had  continued  to- 
gether until  this  time,  and  given  them* 
selves  entirely  to  the  business  of  devo- 
tion. IF  In  one  place.  Where  this  was 
cannot  be  known.  Commentators  have 
been  much  divided  in  their  conjectures 
about  it.  Some  have  supposed  it  was  in 
the  upper  room  mentioned  (ch.  i.  13); 
others  that  it  was  a  room  m  the  temple  ; 
others  that  it  was  in  a  synagogue  ;  others, 
that  it  was  in  the  promiscuous  multitude 
that  assembled  for  devotion  in  the  courts 
of  the  temple.  See  ver.2.  It  has  by  many 
been  supposed  that  this  took  place  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  that  is  on  the  Chris- 
tian Sabbath.  But  there  is  a  diflliculty 
in  establishing  this.  There  was  probably 
a  difference  among  the  Jews  themselves 
on  this  subject.  The  law  said  that  they 
should  reckon  seven  Sabbaths,  that  is 
seven  weeks  from  the  morroiv  after  the 
Sabbath.  Lev.  xxiii.  15.  By  this  Sabbath 
the  Pharisees  understood  the  secot^d  day 
of  the  Passover,  on  whatever  day  of  the 
week  it  occurred,  which  was  kept  as  o 
holy  assembly,  and  might  be  called  a  Sal)- 
bath.  But  the  Caraite  Jews,  or  those  who 
insisted  on  a  literal  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures,  maintained  that  by  the  Sab- 
bath hero  was  meant  the  nsiial  Sabhatk 
the  seventh  day  of  the  week.  Conse- 
quently with  them  the  day  of  Pentecos 
always  occurred  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week ;  and  if  the  apostles  fell  in  with 
their  views,  the  day  wa."?  fully  come  on 
what  is  now  tlie  Christian  Sabbath.  Bn. 
if  the  views  of  lhe  Pharisees  were  fol- 
lowed,  niid  tlie  Lf)rd  Jesus  had  ^\ith  then' 
kept  the  Pa.ssover  on  Thursdai/,  as  niaii\ 


%.  1).  33  j 


CHAPTER  11. 


2  And  suddenly  there  came  a 
sound  from  heaven,  as  of  a  rush- 
ing  raijrhty    wind,    and   it   filled  " 


ri3ve  suppased,  then  the  day  of  Pentecost 
would  have  occurred  on  the  Jewish  Sab- 
bath, that  is  on  Saturday.  Kuindel.  Lishi- 
foot  Jt  is  impossible  to  determine  the 
truth  on  this  subject.  Nor  is  it  of  much 
importance.  The  day  of  Pentecost  was 
kept  by  the  Jews  also  as  a  festivaWo 
commemorate  the  gi^'ing  of  the  law  on 
mount  Sinai. 

2.  And  suddenly.  It  burst  upon  them 
at  once.  Though  they  were  waiting  for 
the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  yet  it  is  not  pro- 
bable that  they  expected  it  in  this  man- 
ner. As  this  was  an  important  event,  and 
one  on  which  the  welfare  of  the  church 
depended,  it  was  proper  that  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  should  take  place  in  some 
striking  and  sensible  manner,  so  as  to  con- 
vince their  own  minds  that  the  promise 
was  fulfilled,  and  so  as  deeply  to  impress 
others  with  the  greatness  and  importance 
»f  the  event.  IF  There  came  a  sound, 
iix^g.  This  word  is  applied  to  any  noise 
or  report.  Heb.  xii.  19  "  The  sound  of  a 
^umpet."  Luke  iv.  37,  "The /a/ne  of 
aim,"  &c.  Comp.  Mark  i.  28.  TT  From 
heaven.  Appearing  to  rush  dowii  from 
the  sky.  It  was  fitted  therefore  to  attract 
their  attention  no  less  from  the  direction 
from  which  it  came,  than  on  account  of 
its  suddenness  and  violence.  Tempests 
blow  commonly  horizontally.  This  ap- 
peared to  come  fro?n  above  ;  and  this  is 
'1  that  is  meant  by  the  expression  "from 
eaven."  *XAsofa  rushing  mighty  wind. 
Literally,  "as  of  a  violent  wind  or  gale," 
borne  along  (cpifjo^lv)",-),  sweeping  along 
like  a  tempest.  Such  a  wind  is  sometimes 
borne  along  so  violently,  and  with  sucli  a 
.noise,  as  to  make  it  difficult  even  to  hear 
the  thunder  m  the  gale.  Such  appears  to 
have  been  the  sound  of  this  remarkable 
phenomenon.  It  does  not  appear  that 
there  was  any  wind  ;  all  might  have  been 
still  \  but  the  sudden  sound  was  like  such 
a  sweeping  tempest.  It  may  be  remarked, 
however,  that  the  wind  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures  is  often  put  as  an  embhjm  of  a 
divine  influence.  It  is  invisible,  yet  migh- 
ty ;  and  thus  represents  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  same  word  in  Hebrew 
inn),  and  in  Greek  (^i£u,(i:4),  is  used  to 
denote  both.  The  mighty  power  of  God 
may  be  denoted  also  by  the  \'iolence  of 
a  mighty  tempest.  1  Kings  xix.  11.  Ps. 
vxir.  civ.  3 ;  xviii.  10.  And  thus  Jesus 
W  his  breaUi  indicated  to  tlie  apostles  the 


all  the  house  where  they  were  sn 
ting. 

3  And  there  appeared  unto  thenc 


conferring  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  John  xx. 
22.  In  this  place  the  sound  as  of  a  gale 
was  emblematic  of  the  mighty  power  of 
the  Spirit,  and  of  the  great  effects  which 
his  coming  would  accomplish  amcss^ 
men.  M  And  it  filed.  Not  the  u/mtf  filled, 
but  the  sound.  This  is  evident,  (1.)  Be- 
cause there  is  no  afRrmation  that  thoro 
v)as  any  wind.  (2.)  The  grammatical 
structure  of  the  sentence  wdl  admit  no 
other  construction.  The  word  "filled" 
has  no  nominative  case  but  "  the  sound," 
And  suddenly  there  was  a  sound  as  o/"  a 
wind,  and  (the  sound)  fdled  the  house. 
In  the  Greek,  the  word  "  wind"  is  in  the 
genitive  or  possessive  case.  It  may  be 
remarked  here,  that  this  miracle  was 
really  far  more  striking  than  the  common 
supposition  makes  it  to  have  been.  A 
tempest  might  have  been  terrific'  A 
mighty  wiiid  might  have  alarmed  them 
But  there  would  have  been  nothing  un- 
usual or  remarkable  in  it.  Such  things 
often  occurred  ;  and  the  thoughts  would 
have  been  directed  of  course  to  the  sform 
as  an  ordinary,  though  jierhaps  alarming 
occurrence.  But  when  all  was  still: 
when  there  was  no  storm,  no  wind,  no 
rain,  no  thunder,  such  a  rushing  sound 
must  have  arrested  their  attention,  and 
directed  all  minds  to  so  unusual  and  un- 
accountable an  occurrence.  IT  All  the 
house.  Some  have  sui)posed  that  this 
was  a  room  in  or  near  the  temple.  But 
as  the  temple  is  not  expressly  mentioned, 
this  13  itnprobable.  It  was  probably  the 
private  dwelling  mentioned  in  ch.  i.  13 
If  It  be  said  that  such  a  dwelling  could 
not  coniain  so  large  a  multitude  as  soon  as- 
sembled, it  may  be  replied  that  their  houses 
had  large  central  courts  (see  Note,  Matt 
ix.  2) ;  and  that  it  is  not  affirmed  that  the 
transaction  recorded  in  this  chapter  oc- 
curred in  the  room  which  they  occjipied. 
It  is  probable  that  it  took  place  in  the 
court  and  around  tne  house. 

3.  And  there  appeared  unto  them.  There 
were  .see/z  by  them,  or  they  saw.  They  wer« 
first  seen  by  them  in  the  room  beforo 
they  rested  on  the  heads  of  the  disciples. 
Perhaps  the  fire  appeared  at  first  as  scin 
tillations  or  corruscations,  until"  it  became 
fixed  on  their  heads.  TT  Tongues,  yxzinr^t. 
The  Vvord  tongue  occurs  often  in  the 
Scriptures  to  denote  the  member  which 
i;?  the  instrument  of  taste  and  speech,  aftd 
also  to  denote  >^ingvxige  or  spisech  is<^ 


)St3 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  83 


cloven  tongues  like  as  ol  fire,  and 
it  sa^  upon  each  of  them  : 

4    \nd  they  were  all  filled  "with 

a  c.1.5. 


It  is  also  used,  as  wilh  us,  to  denote  that 
which  ill  shape  resembles  the  tongue. 
Thus  Josh.  vii.  21.  24  (in  Hebrew),  "a 
tongue  of  golil,"  i-  c.  a  wedge  of  gold. 
Josh.  XV.  5  ;  xviii.  19.  Isa.  xi.  15,  "  The 
tongue  of  the  sea,"  i.  e.  a  bay  or  gulf 
Thus  also  we  say,  a  tongtie  of  lajid.  The 
phrase  "  tongue  of  lire"  occurs  once,  and 
once  only,  in  the  Old  Testament  (Isa.  v. 
24),  "Therefore  as  the  fire  devoureth  the 
stubble  {Ueh.tongue  of  fire),  and  the  flame 
consumeth,"  Ac.  In  this  place  the  7iame 
tongue  is  given  from  the  resemblance  of  a 
pointed  flame  to  the  human  tongue.  Any 
thing  long,  narrou',  and  tending  to  a  point, 
is  thus  in  the  Hebrew  called  a  iovgiie 
The  word  here  means,  therefore,  slender 
and  pointed  appearances  of  flame ;  per- 
haps at  first  moving  irregularly  around 
the  room.  IF  Cloven.  Divided,  separated. 
"jitvai,  from  the  verb  to  divide^  or 
itstrihuie  into  parts.  Matt,  xxvii.  35, 
*Thev  parted  his  garments."  Luke  xxii, 
-.7,  "Take  this  (llie  cup),  and  divide  it 
imong  yourselves."  Probably  the  com- 
non  opinion  is  that  those  tongues  or 
lames  were,  each  one  of  them,  spl.t,  or 
'brkcd,  or  cloven.  But  this  is  not  the 
sense  of  the  expression.  It  means  that 
they  were  separated  or  divided  one  from 
another ;  r^ot  one  great  jlume,  but  broken 
up,  or  cU/ven  into  many  parts ;  and  proba- 
bly moving  without  order  in  the  room. 
In  the  Syriac  it  is,  "  And  there  appeared 
unto  them  tongues  which  divided  them- 
selves, like  lire,  and  sat  upon  each  of 
them."  The  old  Ethiopic  version  reads 
it,  "  And  fire,  as  it  were,  aptpeared  to 
ihem,  and  sat  on  them."  IT  AtuI  sat  upon 
each  of  them.  Or  rested,  in  the  form  of  a 
lambent  or  gentle  flame,  upon  the  head 
of  each  one.  This  evinced  that  the  pro- 
digy was  directed  to  them,  and  was  a  very 
mgnificant  omi)lem  of  the  promised  do- 
Bc<;nt  of  the  Holy  Spiri^.  Alter  the  rush- 
ing sound,  and  the  api)earance  of  the 
flames,  they  could  not  doubt  that  here 
was  .some  remarkable  interposition  of 
God.  'I'he  apjjearance  ol'  fire,  or  JIainr, 
hm  alv*ayH  been  regarded  as  a  most 
Htrikirig  emblem  of  the  Divinity.  Thus, 
KkmI.  in.  2,  ;{,  fiod  is  said  to  have  niani- 
i'oHU'x]  him.«olf  lo  Moses  in  a  bush  which 
was  Inirning,  yet  not  eonsuincd.  Thus, 
iCsod.  xix.  If) — 20,  (Jod  deseonded  on 
mount  Sinai  in  the  iiiidst  of  thunderH,  and 
(i^titninc.  nn«)  Kmoke,  and  fire,  strikine 


the  Holy  Ghost,  and  begrin  ^  U. 
speak  with  other  tongues,  as  th« 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance. 

b  Mar.16.17.  c.10.46. 

emblems  of  his  presence  and  })Ower 
See  also  Gen.  xv.  17.  Thus  Deut.  iv.  24 
God  is  said  to  be  "  a  consuming  fire.'' 
Cornp.  Heb.  xii.  29.  See  Ezek.  i.  4.  P« 
xviii.  12 — 14.  The  classic  reader  will 
also  instantly  recall  the  beautiful  descripi 
4h  in  Virgil.  (/Eniad,  b.  ii.  G80— 691^ 
Other  instances  of  a  similar  prodigy  are 
also  recorded  in  profane  writers.  Pliny 
II.  N.  2.  37.  Livy,  i.  39.  These  appear 
anccs  to  the  apostles  were  emblematic 
doubdcss,  (1.)  Of  the  promised  Holy  Spi 
rit,  as  a  Spirit  of  purity  and  of  power 
The  prediction  of  John  the  Baptist,  "  He 
shall  l)aptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
tcithfire"  (Matt.iii.ll),  would  probably  be 
recalled  at  once  to  their  memory.  (2.) 
The  peculiar  appearance,  that  of  tonguet, 
was  an  emblem  of  the  diversity  of^Za«- 
guages  which  they  were  about  to  be 
able  to  utter.  Any  form  of  fire  would 
have  denoted  the  presence  and  ix)vver  of 
God  ;  but  a  form  was  adopted  expressive 
oi' the  case.  Thus  any  appearance  at  the 
baptism  of  Jesus  might  have  denoted  the 
presence  and  approbation  of  God  ;  but  the 
form  chosen  was  that  of  a  dove  descend- 
ing; expressive  of  the  mild  and  gentle 
virtues  with  which  he  was  to  be  imbued. 
So  in  Ezek.  i.  4,  any  form  of  flame  might 
have  expressed  the  presence  of  God;  liul 
the  appearance  actually  was  emblematical 
of  his  providence.  In  the  same  way,  the 
appearance  here,  expressed  their  peculiar 
endowments  for  entering  on  their  great 
work — I  he  ability  to  speak  powerfully 
with  new  tongues 

4.  1\  t're  all  fillrd  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Were  entirely  under  his  sacred  influence 
and  power.  See  iNote,  Luke  i.  41.  07.  To 
hejillid  wilh  any  thing  is  a  phrase  denot- 
ing that  all  the  liiculties  are  pervaded  by 
it,  engaged  in  it.  or  under  its  influence 
Acts  ill.  10,  "Wer*'  /ilhd  wilh  wondei 
and  amazement."  17.   "Filled   wift> 

indignation."  xiii.  i.y,  "  Filled  with  envy  " 
Ver.  52,  "Filled  with  joy  and  the  Holy 
(Jhost."  IT  lUgan  to  sjiea/c  with  other 
tongues.  In  other  languages  than  their 
native  tongue.  The  lancuages  whick 
they  s|ioke  are  specified  in  ver.  8 — 11 
H  yi.s  l/if  Sjiirit  gave  them  utterance  A» 
the  Spirit  gave  thcin  |)ower  lo  speak. 
This  languiigo  implies  plainly  tliat  they 
were  now  endued  wilh  a  ft^ulty  of 
speaking  lariRuages  which  they  nacl  no* 
b*>f<>re  learn*Hl.  Tfeir  native  toneue  was 


A.D.  33. j 


CHAPTER  11. 


27 


Ihat  of  Galilee,  a  somewhat  barbarous 
dialect  of  the  common  language  used  in 
Judea,  the  Syo-Chaldaic.  It  is  possible 
that  some  of  them  might  have  been  par- 
tially acquainted  with  the  Greek  and 
Latin,  as  both  of  them  were  spoken 
among  the  Jews  to  some  extent;  but 
theie  is  not  the  shghtest  evidence  that 
they  were  acquainted  with  the  languages 
of  the  different  nations  afterwards  speci- 
fied. Various  attempts  have  been  made 
to  account  for  this  remarkable  phenome- 
non without  supposing  it  to  be  a  miracle. 
But  the  natural  and  obvious  meaning  of 
the  passage  is  that  they  were  endowed 
by  the  miraculous  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  with  ability  to  speak  foreign  lan- 
guages, and  languages  to  them  before 
unknown.  It  does  not  appear  that  each 
one  had  the  power  of  speaking  all  the  lan- 
guages which  are  specified  (ver.  9 — 11), 
but  that  this  ability  was  among  them,  and 
that  together  they  could  speak  these  lan- 
guages ;  probably  some  one,  and  some  an- 
other. The  following  remarks  may  per- 
haps throw  some  light  on  this  remarkable 
occurrence.  (1.)  This  ability  was  pre- 
dicted in  the  Old  Testam.ent  (Isa.  xxviii. 
11),  "  With ....  another  tongue  will  he 
speak  unto  this  people."  Comp.  1  Cor. 
xiv.  21,  where  this  passage  is  expressly 
applied  to  the  power  of  speaking  foreign 
languages  under  the  gospel.  (2.)  It  was 
predicted  by  the  Lord  Jesus  that  they 
should  have  this  power.  Mark  xvi.  17, 
"These  signs  shall  follow  ihem  that 
beheve..  ..they  shall  speak  with  new 
tongues''  (3.)  The  ability  to  do  it  existed 
extensively  and  long  in  the  church. 
I  Cor.  xii.  10,  11.  "To  another  divers 
Kinds  of  tongues ;  to  another  the  inter- 
pretation of  tongues :  all  these  worketh 
that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit."  Ver. 
28,  "  God  hath  set  in  the  church di- 
versities of  tongues."  30 ;  xiv.  2.  4,  5,  6. 
9.  13,  14.  18,  19.  22,  23.  27.  39.  From  this 
it  appears  that  the  power  was  well  known 
in  the  church,  and  was  not  confmed  to 
the  apostles.  This  also  may  show  that  in 
the  case  in  the  Acts,  the  power  was  con- 
ferred on  other  members  of  the  church  as 
well  as  the  apostles.  (4.)  It  was  very  im- 
IX)rtant  that  they  should  be  endowed 
with  this  power  in  their  great  work. 
They  were  going  forth  to  ^preach  to  all 
nations ;  and  though  the  Greek  and  Ro- 
man tongues  were  extensively  spoken, 
yet  their  use  was  not  universal ;  nor  is  it 
known  that  the  apostles  were  sldlled  in 
those  languages.  To  preach  to  all  na- 
t'ons,  it    was    indispensable    that    they 


should  be  able  to  understand  their 
language.  And  it  was  necessary  that 
they  should  be  endowed  with  abdity  te 
speak  them  without  the  slow  process  of 
being  compelled  to  learn  them.  (5.)  One 
design  was  to  establish  the  gospel  by 
means  of  miracles.  Yet  no  miracle  could 
be  more  striking  than  the  power  of  con 
veying  their  sentiments  at  once  into  all 
the  languages  of  the  earth.  When  it  is 
remembered  what  a  slow  and  toilsome 
process  it  is  to  learn  a  foreign  tongue 
this  would  be  regarded  by  the  heathen 
as  one  of  the  most  striking  miracle* 
W'liich  were  ever  wrought  in  the  esta- 
blishment of  the  Christian  faith.  1  Cor. 
xiv.  22.  24,  25.  (6.)  The^rTrt/tVy  aiid_cet 
tainty  o[  tliis  miracle  is  strongly  attested 
By  the  early  triumphs  of  tlie  gospel.  Thai 
the  gospel  was  early  spread  over  all  the 
world,  and  that  too  by  the  apostles  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  by  men  of  Galilee,  is  the  clear 
testimony  of  all  history.  They  preached 
it  in  Arabia,  Greece,  Syria,  Asia,  Persia, 
Africa,  and  Rome.  Yet  how  could  this 
have  been  effected  without  a  miraculous 
power  of  speaking  the  languages  used  in 
all  those  places  ?  Now,  it  requires  the 
toil  of  many  years  t6~""speak  in  foreign 
languages ;  and  the  recorded  success  of 
the  gospel  is  one  of  the  most  striking  at- 
testations to  the  fact  of  the  miracle  that 
could  be  conceived.  (7.)  The  corruption 
of  language  was  one  of  the  most  decided 
effects  of  sin,  of  pride  and  ambition,  and 
the  source  of  endless  embarrassments  ana 
difficulties.  Gen.  xi.  It  is  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  wonderful  if  one  of  the  effects' 
of  the  plan  of  recovering  men  should  be 
to  show  the  power  of  God  over  all  evil; 
and  thus  to  furnish  striking  evidence  that 
the  gospel  coidd  meet  all  the  crimes  and 
calamities  of  men.  And  we  may  add, 
(8.)  That  from  this  v^-e  see  the  necessity 
now  of  trainijig  men  who  are  to  be  mis- 
sionaries to  otlier  lands.  The  gift  of  mi- 
racles  is  withdrawn.  The  apostles,  by  tha 
miracle,  simp >ly  were  empowered  to  speak 
other  languages.  That  power  must  still 
be  had  if  the  gospel  is  to  be  preached. 
But  it  is  now  to  be  obtained,  not  by  mi- 
racle, but  by  slow  and  careful  study  and 
toil.  If  possessed,  men  must  be  taught  it. 
They  must  labour  for  it.  And  as  the 
church  is  bound  (Matt,  xxviii.  19)  to  send 
the  gospel  to  all  nations,  so  it  is  bound  t« 
provide  that  the  teachers  who  shall  be 
sent  forth  shall  be  qualified  for  thei' 
wcrk.  Hence  one  of  the  reasons  of  th* 
importance  of  training  men  for  the  hoW 
ministry. 


28 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


5  And  thera  were  dwelling  at 
Jerusalem,  Jews,  devout  men,  out 
of  every  nation  under  heaven. 

6  Now  '  when  this  was  noised 
abroad,  the  multitude  came  together, 

I  IVhtn  this  voice  was  made. 

5.  There  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem. 
The  word  rendered  dwelling,  xaroixoJvTE;, 
properly  means  to  have  a  yixed  and  per- 
manent habitation,  in  distinction  from 
tnotlier  word,  n^aeo<y.o.vT£;,  which  means 
uj  have  a  temporan/  and  transient  resi- 
•lence  in  a  plate.  But  it  is  not  always 
confined  to  this  signification;  and  it  is  not 
I m. probable  that  many  weauhy  foreign 
'ews  had  a  permanent  residence  in  Jeru- 
salem for  the  convenience  of  being  near 
i.he  temple  'i'his  was  the  more  probable, 
as  ahout  that  time  the  Messiah  was  ex- 
pected to  appaftr,  Watt.  ii.  IT  Jews.  Jews 
by  birth  ;  of  Jewish  descent,  and  religion. 
Si  Devout  men,  ivJe-'s  iuxa/Ssi,-.  Literally 
men  of  cautious  and  circumspect  lives, 
who  lived  in  a  prudent  manner.  The 
term  is  applied  to  men  who  were  cautious 
alxjut  ofleiiding  God ;  who  were  care- 
ful to  observe  his  commandments.  It 
hence  is  a  general  expression  to  denote 
pious  or  religions  men.  Actsviii.  2,  "And 
devout  men  carried  Stephen  to  his  burial." 
Luke  ii.  25,  "  And  the  same  man  (Simeon) 
was  just,  and  devout."  The  word  devout 
means,  "  yielding  a  solemn  and  reveren- 
tial attention  to  God  in  religious  exer- 
cises, particularly  in  piayer,  pious,  sin- 
cere, solemn"  {Webster),  and  very  well 
expresses  the  force  of  the  original.  IT  Out 
of  every  nation  under  heaven.  A  general 
expression  meaning  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth.  The  countries  from  which  they 
came  are  more  particularly  specified  in 
ver.  9 — 11.  The  Jews  at  that  time  were 
■scattered  into  almost  all  nations,  and  in  all 
places  had  synagogues.  See  Note,  John 
vii.  35.  Still  they  would  naturally  desire 
to  be  present  as  often  as  possible  at  the 
K.oat  feasts  of  the  nation  in  Jerusalem. 
Nhuiy  would  seek  a  residence  there  for 
the  convenience  of  being  present  at  the 
religions  solemnities.  Many  who  came 
u)i  to  the  feast  of  the  Pa.ssover  would  re- 
main to  the  foa-st  of  the  Pentecost.  And 
the  (onsefjuenco  w;is,  that  on  such  occa- 
«ion.H,  the  city  wouhl  be  full  of  strangers. 
We  are  tolil,  that  when  Titus  besieged 
Jerusalem  at  al)out  the  (bast  of  the  Pa.«8- 
3ver,  there  were  no  less  than  three  mil- 
lions of  peoplo  in  the  city,  and  this  great 
multitude  greatly  depponed  the  calami- 
fir.s  arisinj?  f''om  the  siege.    Josephns  also 


and  were  confounded,  ^because  that 
every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his 
own  language. 

7  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and 
marvelled,  saying  one  to   ancther, 

5  or,  troubUd  in  mind. 


mentions  an  instance  where  great  multi- 
tudes of  Jews  from  other  nations  were 
present  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost.  Jewish 
War,  b.  ii.  ch.  hi.  $  1. 

6.  Wheii  this  was  noised  abroad.  When 
the  rumour  of  this  remarkable  transaction 
was  sjiread,  as  it  naturally  would  be 
without  delay.  If  Were  confoimded.  o-uit- 
x\)by,.  Were  violently  moved  and  agi 
tated ;  were  amazed,  and  astonished  al 
the  remarkable  occurrence.  ^  Every  man 
heard  thern  spcah,  &.c.  Though  the  mul- 
titude spoke  different  tongues,  yet  they 
now  heard  Galileans  use  the  language 
which  thei/  had  learned  in  foreign  na- 
tions. IT  His  own  language.  His  own 
dialect,  SiaXiy-ru.  His  own  idiom,  whether 
it  was  a  foreign  language,  or  w  helher  it 
was  a  modification  of  the  nebrevv.  The 
word  may  mean  either  ;  but  it  is  probable 
that  the  foreign  Jews  would  greatly  mo- 
dify the  Hebrew,  or  conform  almost  en- 
tirely to  the  language  spoken  in  the  coun- 
try where  they  lived. — We  may  remark 
here,  that  this  effect  on  the  first  descent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  peculiar  to  that 
time.  A  work  of  grace  on  the  hearts  of 
men  in  a  revival  of  religion  will  alway& 
be  noised  abroad.  A  muUitude  will  conic 
together,  and  God  often,  as  he  did  here, 
makes  use  of  this  motive  to  bring  then, 
under  the  influence  of  religion.  Curiosit" 
was  the  motive  here,  and  it  was  the  occa- 
sion of  their  being  brought  under  the  ir 
fluence  of  the  truth,  and  of  the  conver- 
sion. In  thousands  of  cases,  this  has  oc- 
curred since.  The  effect  of  what  the* 
saw  was  to  confound  them.  They  mado 
no  comjjlaint  at  first  of  the  irrrgularityoi 
what  was  done,  but  were  all  amazed  and 
overwhelmed.  So  the  cflTect  of  a  revival 
of  religion  is  oAen  to  convince  the  mulli- 
tudo  that  it  is  indeed  a  Avork  of  the  Holy 
One  ;  to  amaze  them  by  the  display  of  Ijih 
jxivver;  and  to  silence  opposition  and 
cavil  by  the  manifii^st  presence  and  the 
|)Ower  of  Gody  A  few  afterwards  began 
to  cavil  (ver.  13),  as  some  will  always  do 
in  a  revival ;  but  the  mass  were  con- 
vinced, as  will  bo  the  ca-se  always,  that 
this  was  a  mighty  display  of  the  power  of 
(iod. 

7.  Galileans  ?     Inhabitants  of  Ga'ilee. 
It  was  remarkable  that  thi  i/  should  uneak 


A..  D.  33.1 


CHAPTER  11. 


Behold,    are  not   all   these   which 
speak,  Galileans  1  <* 

8  And  how  hear  we  every  man  in 

•  c.l.U. 


in  this  manner^  because,  (1  ^  They  were 
proverbially  ignorant,  rude,  and  uncivil- 
zed.  John  i.  46.  Hence  the  term  Galilean 
was  used  as  an  expression  of  the  deepest 
reproacli  and  contempt.  Mark  xiv.  70. 
John  vii.  52.  (2.)  Their  dialect  was  pro- 
verbially barbarous  and  corrupt.  Mark 
xiv.  70.  Matt.  xxvi.  73.  They  were  re- 
garded as  an  outlandish  people,  unac- 
quainted with  other  nations  and  lan- 
guage3,  and  hence  the  amazement  that 
they  could  address  them  in  the  refined  lan- 
guage of  other  people.  Their  native  ig- 
norance was  the  occasion  of  making  the 
miracle  more  striking.  The  native  weak- 
ness and  inability  of  Christian  ministers 
makes  the  grace  and  glory  of  God  more 
remarkable  in  the  success  of  the  gospel. 
"  We  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  ves- 
sels, that  the  excellency  of  the  power 
may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us."  2  Cor.  iv.  7. 
The  success  which  God  often  grants  to 
those  who  are  of  slender  endowments 
and  of  little  learning,  though  blessed  with 
a  humble  and  pious  heart,  is  often  amaz- 
ing to  the  men  of  the  world.  God  has 
chosen  the  foolish  things  of  the  world  to 
confound  the  wise.  1  Cor.  i.  27.  This 
should  teach  us  that  no  talent  or  attain- 
ment is  too  hmnble  to  be  employed  for 
mighty  purposes,  in  its  proper  sphere,  in 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  that  pious  ef- 
fort may  accompHsh  much,  may  awe  and 
amaze  the  world,  and  then  burn  in  hea- 
ven with  increasing  lustre  for  ever ;  while 
pride,  and  learning,  and  talent  may  blaze 
uselessly  among  men,  or  kindle  up  the 
worst  passions  of  our  nature,  and  then  be 
extinguished  m  eternal  night. 

8.  Wherein  we  were  born  ?  That  is,  as 
we  say,  m  our  native  language ;  that 
which  is  spoken  where  we  were  born. 

9.  Part/dans,  &c.  To  show  the  surpri- 
sing extent  and  power  of  this  miracle, 
Luke  enumerates  the  different  nations 
that  were  represented  then  at  Jerusalem. 
In  this  way  the  number  of  languages 
which  the  apostles  spoke,  and  the  extent 
of  the  miracle,  can  be  ascertained.  The 
enumeration  of  these  nations  begins  at 
the  eaat,  and  proceeds  to  the  west.  Par- 
thians  mean  those  Jews,  or  proselytes, 
who  dwelt  in  Partliia.  This  country  was 
a  part  of  Persia,  and  was  situated  be- 
tween the  Persian  gulf  and  the  Tigris 
on  the  west,  and  the  river  Indus  on  the 
•ast.    To  the  south  it  was  biunded  by 

c2 


our  own  tongue,  v/herein  wt  wen 
born? 

9  Parthians,    and    Medes,    and 


the  desert  of  Caramania,  and  it  had  Me 
dia  on  the  north.  Their  empire  lasted 
about  four  hundred  year=\  nvA  they  were 
much  disnnguished  for  their  mamicr  o/ 
fighting.  They  usually  fought  on  horse 
back,  and  when  appearing  to  retreat,  dis 
charged  their  arrows  with  great  executioii 
behind  them.  They  were  a  part  of  the 
vast  Scythian  horde  of  Asia,  and  cjisputec 
the  empire  of  the  east  with  the  Romans 
The  language  spoken  there  was  that  oi 
Persia,  and  in  ancient  writers,  Parthio 
and  Persia  often  mean  the  same  country 
%  Medes.  Inhabitants  of  Media.  Thi* 
country  was  situated  north  of  Parthia 
and  south  of  the  Caspian  sea.  It  wae 
about  the  size  of  Spain,  and  was  one 
of  the  ricliest  parts  of  Asia.  In  the  Scrip 
tures  it  is  called  Madai.  Gen.  x.  2.  The 
Medes  are  often  mentioned,  frequently  ir 
connexion  with  the  Persians,\\\lh.  whon> 
they  were  often  connected  under  the 
same  government.  2  Kings  xvii.  6  ;  xviu 
11.  Esther  i.  19.  Jer.  xxv.  25.  Dan.  v.  28 
VI.  8;  ix.  1.  Esther  i.  3.  14.  18.  Dan.  vhi 
20.  The  language  spoken  here  was  aisc 
that  of  Persia.  In  this  whole  region  many 
Jews  remained  after  the  Babylonish  cap 
tivity,  who  chose  not  to  return  with  their 
brethren  to  the  land  of  their  fathers 
From  the  descendants  of  these  probably 
were  those  who  were  now  assembled 
from  those  places  at  Jerusalem.  IT  Elam 
ites.  Elam  is  often  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament.  The  nation  was  descended 
from  Elam,  the  son  of  Shem.  Gen.  x.  22 
It  is  mentioned  as  being  in  alliance  with 
Amraphel,  the  king  of  Shinar,  and  Arioch, 
king  of  Ellasar,  and  Tidal,  king  of  nations, 
Gen.  xiv.  1.  Of  these  nations  in  alliance. 
Chedorlaom.er,  king  of  Elam,  was  the. 
chief  ver.  4.  See  also  Ezra  ii.  7 ;  viii.  7. 
Neh.  vii.  12.  34.  Isa.  xi.  11  ;  xxi.  2;  xxii, 
6,  &c.  They  are  mentioned  as  a  part  of 
the  Persian  empire,  and  Daniel  is  said 
to  have  resided  at  Shushan,  which  is  in 
the  province  of  Elam.  Dan.  viii.  2.  The 
Greeks  and  Romans  gave  to  this  country 
the  i*ame  of  Elymais.  It  is  now  called 
Kusistan.  It  was  Iwunded  by  Persia  on 
the  east ;  by  Media  on  the  north  ;  by  Ba 
bylonia  on  the  west ;  and  by  the  Persian 
gulf  on  the  scdth.  The  Elamites  were 
a  w-arlike  people,  and  celebrated  for  the 
use  of  the  bow.  Isa.  xxii.  6.  Jer.  xlix.  35 
The  language  of  this  people  was  of  course 
the   Persian.     Its  capital  Shusan,  ca.U** 


30 


THE  ACTS. 


[A    D.  33 


Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Meso- 
potamia, and  in  Judea,  and  Cappa- 


ov  the  Greeks  Susa,  was  much  celebrat- 
eil.  It  is  said  to  have  been  lilteen  rniles 
in  circiimferencc ;  and  was  adorned  with 
the  celebrated  palace  of  Ahasuerus.  The 
inhabitants  still  pretend  to  show  there  the 
tomb  of  the  prophet  Daniel.  IT  Mesopota- 
mia. This  name,  which  is  Greek,  signi- 
fies between  the  rhcrs  ;  that  is,  the  region 
lying  between  the  rivers  Euphrates  and 
Tigris.  In  Hebrew  it  was  called  Aram- 
Naharaim  ;  that  is,  Aram,  or  Syria  of  the 
two  rivers.  It  was  also  called  "adan 
Aram,  the  plain  of  Syria.  In  this  region 
were  situated  some  important  places 
mentioned  in  the  Bible: — Ur  oj  the  Chal- 
iees,  the  birth-i)lace  of  Abraham  (Gen. 
xi.  27  28) ;  Haran,  where  Terah  stopped 
on  his  journey  and  died  (Gen.  xi.  31.  32); 
Carchemish  (2  Chron.  xxxv.  20); /iewa  (2 
Kings  xix.  13);  Sepharvaim  (2  Kings 
xvii.  24).  This  region,  known  as  Meso- 
potamia, extended  between  the  two  rivei-s 
from  their  sources  to  Babylon  on  the 
south.  It  had  on  the  north  Armenia,  on 
the  west  Syria,  on  the  east  Persia,  and  on 
the  south  Babylonia.  It  was  an  extensive, 
level,  and  fertile  country.  The  language 
Bpoken  here  was  probably  the  Sj/riac, 
with  perhaps  a  mixture  of  the  Chaldee. 
IT  In  Judea.  This  expression  has  greatly 
perplexed  commentators.  It  has  been 
thought  difficult  to  see  why  Judea  should 
be  mentioned,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of 
surprise  that  they  could  speak  m  this  lan- 
guage. Some  have  supposed  an  error  in 
the  manuscripts,  and  have  proposed  to 
read  Armenia,  or  India,  or  Lydia,  or  Idu- 
mea,  &c.  But  all  this  nas  been  without 
any  authority.  Others  have  supposed  that 
the  language  of  Galilee  was  so  different 
from  that  of  the  other  parts  of  Judea,  as  to 
render  it  remarkable  that  they  could 
Bpeak  that  dialect.  But  this  is  an  idle 
Bup{X)sition.  This  is  one  of  the  many  in- 
stances in  which  commentators  have  ])er- 
^ilexed  themselves  to  very  lillle  purpose, 
juke  recorded  this  as  any  other  historian 
would  have  done.  In  running  over  the 
languages  which  they  siMjke,  he  enimie- 
rated  this  as  a  matter  of  course,  not  that  it 
was  remarkable  simplv  that  they  shouM 
•[►oak  the  language  of  Jj/r/ra,  but  thaHhey 
ulionld  sjAnk  soniarn/,  meaning  about  ibe 
eamo  Ity  it  as  if  he  had  said  fhei/  sjmh' 
ei:rry  Uinnua<;<'  in  the  leorld.  Just  as  if  a 
similar  miracle  were  to  o(;cur  nt  this 
time  among  an  assembly  of  native  Kng- 
lishmen  and  li)reigners.  Indeficribing  it, 
nothing  would  l)e  more  natural  than  to 
Kay.  they  fiiioko  Frcncli,  and  German,  and 


locia,  in  Pontus,  and  Aaia, 
10  Phrycria,  and  Pamphylia, 


Spanish,  and  English,  and  Itdiian,  &c.  Jn 
this  there  would  be  nothing  remarka- 
ble, except  that  they  spoke  so  many  lan- 
guages. ^  Cappadocia.  This  was  a  region 
of  Asia  Minor,  and  was  bounded  on  the 
east  by  Armenia,  on  the  north  by  Pontus 
and  the  Euxine  sea,  west  by  Lycaonia, 
and  south  by  Cilicia.  The  language 
which  was  sjwken  here  is  not  certainly 
known.  It  was  probably,  howjver,  a 
mixed  dialect  made  up  of  Greek  and  Sy 
riac,  perhaps  the  same  as  their  neigh 
hours,  the  Lycaonians.  Acts  xiv.  11.  This 
place  was  formerly  celebrated  for  mi 
quit}',  and  is  mentioned  in  Greek  writers* 
as  one  of  the  three  eminently  wicked 
places,  whose  name  began  with  C.  The 
others  were  Crete  (Comp.  Titus  i.  12),  and 
Cilicia.  After  its  conversion  to  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  however,  it  produced  many 
eminent  men,  among  whom  were  Gregory 
Ny.ssen,  and  Basil  the  Great  It  was  one 
of  the  places  to  which  Peter  directed  an 
epistle.  1  Pet  i.  1.  IT  In  Pontus.  This 
was  another  province  of  Asia  Minor,  and 
was  situated  north  of  Cappadocia,  and 
was  bounded  west  by  Paphlagonia.  Pon 
lus  and  Cappadocia  under  the  Romans 
constituted  one  province.  This  was  one 
of  (he  places  to  which  the  apostle  Peter 
directed  his  epistle.  1  Peff  i.  1.  This 
was  the  birth-place  of  Aquila,  one  of  the 
companions  of  Paul.  Acts  xviii.  2.  18.  26. 
Rom.  xvi.  3.  1  Cor.  xvi.  19.  2  Tim.  iv.  19. 
IT  And  Asia.  Pontus,  and  Cajipadocia, 
&c.  were  parts  of  Asia.  But  the  word 
Asia  is  doubtless  used  here  to  denote  the 
regions  or  provinces  west  of  these,  which 
are  not  particularly  enumerated.  Thus 
it  is  used  Acts  vi.  9  ;  xvi.  6  ;  xx.  16.  The 
capital  of  this  region  was  Ejihesus.  See 
also  1  Pet.  i.  1.  This  region  was  fre- 
quently called  Ionia,  and  was  afterward* 
the  seat  of  the  seven  churches  in  Asia. 
Rev.  i.  4. 

10.  Phrygia  and  Pmnphylia.  Iliese 
were  also  two  provinces  of  Asia  Minor 
Phrygia  was  surrounded  by  Galatia,  Cap- 
padocia, and  Pisidia.  Pamphylia  was  on 
the  Mediterranean,  and  was  bounded 
north  by  Pisidia.  The  language  of  all 
these  places  was  doubtless  the  Grtek, 
more  or  less  ])ure.  IT  In  Egifjtt.  This 
was  that  extensive  country,  well  known, 
on  \\\o.  Hoiith  of  the  Medllernincan,  wa- 
tered by  the  Nile.  It  extenrls  (i(U)  miles 
from  north  to  so\ith,  and  f'om  lOO  to  120 
east  and  west.  Tlie  language  used  there 
was  the  Coj)tic.  At  ])rr.sent  the  Arabi 
is  feiKjkcn.     Vast  numbers  of  Jews  dwelt 


\.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


3i 


Egypt,  and  in  the  parts  of  Libya 
about  Cyrene,  and  strangers  of 
Rome,  Jews  and  proselytes, 


ffi  Egypt;  and  many  from  that  country 
Aould  be  present  at  the  great  feasts  at 
Jerusalem.  In  this  country  the  first  trans- 
ation  of  the  Old  Testament  was  made, 
ivhich  is  now  called  the  Septuagint. 
•J"  In  the  parts  of  Libya.  Libya  ia  a  gene- 
ral name  for  Africa.  It  properly  denoted 
the  region  which  was  near  to  Egypt ;  but 
the  Greeks  gave  the  name  to  all  Africa. 
IT  About  Cyrene.  This  was  a  region  about 
500  miles  west  of  Alexandria  m  Egypt. 
ft  was  also  called  PentapoUs,  because 
there  were  in  it  five  celebrated  cities. 
This  country  now  belongs  to  Tripoli. 
Great  numbers  of  Jews  resided  here.  A 
Jew  of  this  place,  Simon  by  name,  was 
compelled  to  bear  our  Saviour's  cross 
after  him  to  the  place  of  crucifixion. 
Matt,  xxvii.  32.  Luke  xxiii.  26.  Some  of 
the  Cyrenians  are  mentioned  among  the 
earliest  Christians.  Acts  xi.  20;  xiii.  1. 
The  language  which  they  spoke  is  not 
certainly  known.  IT  Strangers  of  Rome. 
This  literally  means  "Romans  dwelling,  or 
tarrying,"  i.  e.  at  Jerusalem.  It  may  mean 
either  that  they  were  permanently  fixed, 
or  only  tarrying  at  Jerusalem,  ol  ittiS^. 
iii5ui/T£,-  Pjo.uaiai.  They  were  doubtless 
Jews  who  had  taken  up  their  residence  in 
^tal'/,  and  had  come  to  Jerusalem  to  at- 
tend the  great  feasts.  The  language 
which  they  spoke  was  the  Latin.  Great 
numbers  of  Jews  were  at  that  time  dwell- 
ing at  Rome.  Josephus  says  that  there 
were  eight  synagogues  there.  The  Jews 
are  often  mentioned  by  the  Roman  wri- 
ters. There  was  a  Jewish  colony  across 
the  Tiber  from  Rome.  When  Judea  was 
conquered,  about  sixty  years  before  Christ, 
vast  numbers  of  Jews  were  taken  cap- 
tive and  carried  to  Rome.  But  they  had 
much  difficulty  in  managing  them  as 
elaves.  They  pertinaciously  adhered  to 
their  religion,  observed  the  Sabbath,  and 
refused  to  join  in  the  idolatrous  rites  of 
the  Romans.  Hence  they  were  freed, 
and  lived  by  themselves  across  the  Tiber. 
IT  Jews.  Native  born  Jews,  or  descend- 
ants of  Jewish  families.  IF  Proselytes. 
Those  who  had  been  converted  to  the 
Jewish  religion  from  among  the  Gentiles. 
The  great  zeal  of  the  Jews  to  make  pro- 
lelytes  is  mentioned  by  o-.ir  Saviour  as 
one  of  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the 
Pharisees.  Matt,  xxiii.  15.  Some  have 
supposed  that  the  expression  Jews  arid 
pioseli/if's   refers   to    the   Romans  ordy. 


11  Cretes  and  Arabians,  we  d-) 
hear  them  speak  in  our  tongues  ' 
tlu3  wonderful  works  of  God. 


But  it  is  more  probable  that  reference  la 
made  to  all  those  that  are  mentioned.  It 
has  the  appearance  of  a  hurried  enume 
ration ;  and  the  writer  evidently  me> 
tioned  them  as  they  occurred  to  his  mind, 
just  as  we  would  in  giving  a  rapid  ac- 
count of  so  many  different  nations. 

11.  Cretes.  Crete,  now  called  Candia, 
is  an  island  in  the  Mediterranean,  about 
200  miles  in  length  and  50  in  breadth, 
about  500  miles  southvvest  of  Constanti 
nople,  and  about  the  same  distance  west 
of  Syria  or  Palestine.  The  climate  ia 
mild  and  delightful,  the  sky  unclouded 
and  serene.  By  some  this  island  is  sua 
posed  to  be  the  Caphtor  of  the  Hehrev\s. 
Gen.  X.  14.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  Acts 
as  the  place  touched  at  by  Paul.  Acts 
xxvii.  7,  8.  13.  This  was  the  residence 
of  Titus,  who  was  left  there  by  Paul  to 
set  in  order  the  things  that  were  wanting, 
&c.  Titus  i.  5.  The  Cretans  among  the 
Greeks  were  famous  for  deceit  and  false- 
hood. Titus  i.  12,  13.  The  language 
spoken  there  was  probably  the  Greek. 
IF  Arabians.  Arabia  is  the  great  penin- 
sula which  is  bounded  north  by  part  of 
Syria,  east  by  the  Euphrates  and  the  Per- 
sian gulf,  south  by  the  Indian  ocean,  and 
west  by  the  Red  sea.  It  is  often  men- 
tioned m  the  Scriptures ;  and  there  were 
doubtless  there  many  Jews.  The  lan- 
guage spoken  there  was  the  Arabic.  IT  In 
our  tongues.  The  languages  spoken  by 
the  apostles  could  not  have  been  less 
than  seven  or  eight,  besides  different  dia- 
lects of  the  same  languages.  It  is  not 
certain  that  the  Jews  present  from  foreign 
nations  spoke  those  languages  perfectly  ; 
but  they  had  doubtless  so  used  them  as  to 
make  them  the  common  tongue  in  which 
they  conversed.  No  miracle  could  be 
more  decided  than  this.  There  was  no 
way  in  which  the  apostles  could  impose 
on  them,  and  make  them  suppose  they 
spoke  foreign  languages,  if  they  really 
did  not;  for  these  foreigners  were  abun- 
dantly able  to  determine  that.  It  may  be 
remarked  that  this  miracle  had  most  im- 
portant effects  besides  that  witnessed  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost  The  gospel  would 
be  carried  by  those  who  were  converted 
to  all  these  places;  and  the  way  would 
be  prepared  for  the  lal)Ours  of  the  apos- 
tles there.  Accordingly,  most  of  these 
places  became  afterwards  celebrated  bv 
the  establishment  of  Christian  churche«« 


3-2 


THE  ACT8 


[A.  D.  3S 


1*2  Ana  they  were  all  amazed, 
and  were  in  doubt,  saj'ing-  one  to 
another,  Wliat  *»  meaneth  this  1 

a  c.17.20. 


13  Others,  mocking-,  said,  The* 
men  are  full  of  hew  wine. 

14  But  Peter,  standincr  up  witl 


and  the  conversion  of  great  muhitudes  to 
the  Christian  faith.  Y  The  wonderful 
works  of  God.  Ti  f^iyxtJix  too  esju.  Tlie 
great  thitigs  of  God ;  that  is,  tlie  great 
things  that  God  had  done  in  the  gift  of 
his  Son ;  in  his  raising  him  from  the  dead  ; 
in  his  miracles,  ascension,  &c.  Com  p. 
Luke  i.  49.  Ps.  Ixxi.  19;  xxvi.  7;  Ixvi.  3; 
xcii.  5  ;  civ.  21,  &c. 

12.  Were  in  doubt.  This  expression, 
^«.)rr:^ouv,  denotes  a  state  of  ^esj.'ancy  or 
anxiety  about  an  event  It  is  applied  to 
those  who  are  travelling,  and  are  ignorant 
of  the  way,  or  v.lo  hesitate  about  the 
road.  They  were  ail  ac*onished  at  this  ; 
they  did  not  know  how  lu  understand  it 
or  explann  it,untn  some  of  them  supposed 
It  was  merely  the  effect  of  new  wine. 

13.  Others  moching,  said.  The  word 
rendered  "mocking"  means  to  cavil,  to 
deride.  It  occurs  in  the  Kew  Testament 
but  in  one  other  place.  Acts  xvii.  32. 
"And  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  some  mocked."  This 
was  an  effect  that  was  not  confined  to 
the  day  of  Pentecost.  There  has  bpen 
seldom  a  revival  of  religion,  a  remarkable 
rnanifcstation  of  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  has  not  given  occasion  for  pro- 
fane mockery  and  merriment.  One  cha- 
racteristic of^  wicked  men  is  to  deride 
tiiose  things  which  are  done  to  promote 
their  own  welfare.  Hence  the  Saviour 
nimselfwas  mocked;  and  the  efforts  of 
Christians  to  save  others  have  been  the 
subject  of  derision.  Derision,  awd  mock- 
ery, and  a  jeer,  have  been  far  more  ef 
5cctual  in  deterring  men  from  becoming 
Christians  than  any  attempts  at  sober 
argument.  God  will  treat  men  as  they 
treat  him.  Ps.  xviii.  2G.  And  hence  he 
Bays   to   the  wicked,   "  Because   I   have 

called   and  ye  refused but  ye  have 

set  nt  nought  my  counsel,  I  also  will 
J'.-.ugh  at  your  calamity,  1  will  mock  when 
your  fear  cometh."  Prov.  i.  21 — 20 
iT  These  men  are  full  of  neii)  wine.  These 
men  are  dnuik.  In  such  times  men  will 
have  some  way  of  accounting  for  the 
effects  of  the  gospel ;  and  the  way  is 
rommonly  alwut  um  wise  and  rational  as 
thia.  "To  escape  the  nbsMirdity  of  ac- 
knowledging their  own  ignorance,  they 
*f](»pted  the  thf^nry  tfiut  sirorig  drink  can 
icarh  langnaisrs." — Dr.  McLcIland.  In 
mfxleni  times  it  has  hern  u.-sual  lo  deno- 
'ninato  sncli  scenes  lanJilicisiii,  or  wild- 


fire, or  enthusiasm.     When  men  fail  in 
argument,  it  is  common  to  attempt  to  con- 
fute a  doctrine  or  bring  reproach  upon  a 
transaction  by  "giving  it  an  ill  name." 
Hence  the  names  Puritan,  Quaker,  M(h 
thodist,  &'C.  were  at  first  given   in  den- 
sion,  to  account  for  some  remarkable  ef- 
fect of  religion  on  the   world.     Comp 
Matt.  xi.  19.  John  vu.  20,  viii.  48.     And 
thus  men  endeavour  to  trace  revivals  to 
ungoverned   and   heated   passions ;   and 
they  are  regarcied  by  many  as  the  mere 
offspring  of  fanaticism.     The  friends  of 
revivals  should  not  be  discouraged   by 
this  ;  but  should  remember  that  the  very 
first  revival  of  religion  was  by  many  sup- 
posed to  be  the  effect  of  a  drunken  frolic 
ir  New  Wine,     j-xiuzoi;;.     This  word  pro- 
perly means  the  juice  of  the  grape  which 
distila  before  a  pressure  is  applied,  and 
called  must.     It  was   sweet  wine ;   and 
hence  the  word  in  Greek  meaning  sweet 
wa.s  given  to  it.    The  ancic?^.(s,  it  is  said, 
had  the  art  of  preserving  tlieir  new  wino 
with  the  pec  uliar  flavour  before  fermen- 
tation for  a  considerable  time,  and  were 
in  the  habit  of  drinking  it  in  the  morning. 
See  Horace,  Sat.  b.  ii.  iv.     Sweet  wine, 
which  was  probably  the  same  as  thai 
mentioned  here,  is  also  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament.  Isa.  xhx.  2G.  Amos  ix.  13. 
11.  But  Peter.  This  w  as  in  accordance 
with  the  natural  temperament  of  Peter. 
He  was  bold,  forward,  ardent;   and  hc 
rose  now  to  defend  the  apostles  of  Jesui 
Christ,  and  Christ  himself,  from  an  inju- 
rious charge.     Not  daunted  by  ridicule 
(>r  opposition,  he  felt  that  now  was  the 
time   for   preaching    the    gospel   to  the 
crowd  that  had  been  assembled  by  curi 
osity.     IS'o  ridicule  should  deter  Chris 
tians  from  an  honest  avowal  of  their  opi- 
nions, and  a  defence  of  the  operations  of 
the  Holy  S|)irit.    If   With  the  eleven.   Mat- 
thias was  now  one  of  the  ajiogtles,  and 
now  api)cared  as  one  of  the  witnesses  for 
the  truth.     They  probably  all  arose,  and 
took  part  in  the  discourse.    Possibly  Petoi 
began  to  discourse,  and  either  all  sjioke 
together  in  different  languages,  or  one 
succeeded  another.     If  Ye  men  of  Judea 
Men  w  ho   are  Jews ;   that   is,  icws  by 
birth.     'I'he  original  does  not  mean  that 
they  were  |)ernianont  dwellers  in  Judea, 
but  that  ihcy  were  Jews,  of  Jewish  fn- 
milicH.    liiternlly,  "  men,  Jews."     IF  Ana 
all  »/c  that  dwell,  &.<:.     All  others  le«i»lef 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  11. 


s?. 


the  eleven,  lifted  up  his  voice,  and 
6aid  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Judea, 
and  all  ye  that  dwell  at  .Jerusalem, 
be  this  kcown  unto  you,  and  hear- 
ken to  my  words : 


native-born  Jews,  whether  proselytes  or 
strangers,  who  were  abiding  at  Jerusa- 
Jem.  This  comprised,  of  course,  the  whole 
issenibly,  and  was  a  respGctful  and  con- 
ciliatory introduction  to  his  discourse, 
riiough  they  had  mocked  them,  yet  he 
treated  them  with  respect,  and  did  not 
render  railing  for  railing  (1  Pet.  iii.  9),  but 
sought  to  convince  them  of  their  error. 
IT  Be  this  known,  &c.  Peter  did  not  mti- 
mate  that  this  was  a  doubtful  matter,  or 
one  that  coild  not  be  explained.  His  ad- 
dress was  respectful,  yet  firm.  He  pro- 
ceeded calmly  to  show  them  their  error. 
When  the  enemies  of  religion  deride  us 
or  the  gospel,  we  should  answer  them 
kindly  and  respectfully,  yet  firmly.  We 
should  reason  with  them  coolly,  and  con- 
vince them  of  their  error.  Prov.  xv.  1.  In 
this  case  Peter  acted  on  the  principle 
which  he  afterwards  enjoined  on  all.  1 
Pet.  iii.  15,  ''Be  ready  always  to  give 
an  answer  to  every  man  that,aslveth  you 
a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with 
meelmess  and  fear."  The  design  of  Pe- 
ter was  to  vindicate  the  conduct  of  the 
apostles  from  the  reproach  of  intoxicai  ;on. 
to  show  that  this  could  be  no  other  than 
the  work  of  God  ;  and  to  make  an  appli- 
cation of  tlie  truth  to  his  hearers.  This 
he  did,  (1.)  By  showing  that  this  could  not 
be  reasonably  supposed  to  be  the  effect 
of  new  wine,  ver.  15.  (2.)  That  it  had 
been  expressly  predicted  in  the  writings 
of  the  Jewish  prophets,  ver.  15 — 21.  (3.) 
By  a  calm  argument,  jjroving  the  resur- 
rection and  ascension  of  Christ,  and  show- 
ing that  this  also  was  in  accordance  with 
the  Jewish  Scriptures,  ver.  22 — 35.  We 
are  not  to  suppose  that  this  was  the  whole 
of  Peter's  discourse,  but  that  these  were 
the  topics  on  which  he  insisted,  and  the 
main  points  of  his  argument. 

1 5.  For  these  are  not  drunken,  &c.  The 
Tvord  these  here  includes  Peter  himself, 
a.s  well  as  the  others.  The  charge  doubt- 
less extended  to  al .,  TT  The  third  hour  of 
Ihe  day.  The  Jew*  Jivided  their  day  into 
twelve  equal  parts,  reckoning  from  sun- 
rise to  sunset.  Of  course  the  hours  were 
longer  in  the  summer  than  in  the  winter. 
The  third  hour  would  answer  to  our  nine 
o'clock  in  the  mornings  The  reasons  why 
i.  was  so  improbable  that  they  should  be 
firunk  at  that  time  were  the  following. 


15  For  these  are  not  drunkei  ,  a? 
ye  suppose,  seeing  ^  it  is  bui  di< 
third  hour  of  the  day. 

16  But  this  is  that  which  v>as  » 
spoken  by  the  prophet  Joel  : 

a  1  Th.5.7.        J  Joel  2.2F,32. 

(1.)  It  was  the  hour  of  morning  Vv^orship 
or  sacrifice.  It  was  highly  improbable 
»liat  at  that  early  hour  they  would  be  in 
toxicated.  (2.)  It  was  not  usual  for  ever 
drunkards  to  become  drunk  in  the  day 
time.  1  Thess.  v.  7.  "  Tiiey  that  be  drunk 
en,  are  drunken  m  the  night."  (3.)  The 
charge  was,  that  they  had  become  drunk 
with  wine.  Ardent  spirits,  or  alcohol, 
that  curse  of  our  times,  was  unknowni. 
It  was  very  improbable  that  so  much  of 
the  weak  wine  commonly  used  in  Judea, 
should  have  been  taken  at  that  early  hour 
as  to  produce  intoxication.  (4.)  It  was 
a  regular  practice  with  the  Jews,  not  to 
eat  or  drink  any  thing  until  after  the  third 
hour  of  the  day,  especially  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  on  all  festival  occasions.  Some- 
times this  abstinence  was  maintained  un- 
til noon.  So  universal  was  this  custom, 
that  the  apostle  could  appeal  to  it  vvith 
confidence,  as  a  full  refutation  of  the 
charge  of  drunkenness  at  that  hour.  Even 
the  intemperate  were  not  accustomed  to 
drink  before  that  hour.  The  following 
testimonies  on  this  subject  from  Jewish 
writers,  are  from  Lightfoot.  "  This  was 
the  custom  of  pious  people  in  ancient 
times,  that  each  one  should  offer  his 
morning  prayers  with  additions  in  the  sy 
nagogue,  and  then  return  home  and  take 
refreshment."  Maimonides,  Shabb.ch.30. 
"  They  remained  in  the  synagogue  until 
the  sixth  hour  and  a  half,  and  then  each 
one  offered  the  prayer  of  the  Mincha,  be- 
fore he  returned  home,  and  then  he  ate." 
"  The  fourth  is  the  hour  of  repast,  when 
all  eat."  One  of  the  Jewish  writers  says, 
that  the  difference  between  thieves  and 
honest  men  might  be  known  by  the  fact 
that  the  former  might  be  seen  in  the 
morning  at  the  fourth  hour,  eating  and 
sleeping,  and  holding  a  cup  in  his  hand. 
But  for  those  who  made  pretensions  to  re 
ligion,  as  the  apostles  did,  such  a  thinji 
was  altogether  improbable. 

16.  This  is  that.  This  is  the  fvlfilmen 
of  that,  or  this  was  predicted.  This  was 
the  second  part  of  Peter's  argument,  to 
show  that  this  uas  in  accordance  with 
the  predictions  in  their  own  Scriptures 
H  By  the  prophet  Joel.  Joel  ii.  2S~32. 
This  is  not  qutited  literally,  either  froro 
the  Hebrew  or  the  Septuagint  The  auJ- 
stance  however  is  DreaerveiJ. 


34 


17  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  last  days,  (saith  God,)  1  will 

17.  It  .''hall  come  to  pass  It  shall  hap- 
pen, or  shall  occur.  IT  In  the  last  dai/s. 
Heb.  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  Arabic,  a/ter 
these  (hut":s,  or  afterwards.  The  ^pres- 
Bion  the  last  days,  however,  occurs  fre- 
quently in  the  old  Testament.  Gen.  xlix. 
1.  Jacob  called  his  sons,  that  he  might 
tell  them  what  should  happen  to  them  in 
(he  last  days,  i.  c.  in  future  times.  Heb.  in 
after  tirnes.  Micah  iv.  1.  "In  the  last  days 
(Heb.  in  after  times)  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord's  house,"  &c.  Isa.  ii.  2,  "  hi  the  last 
dai/s  tlie  moimtain  of  the  Lord's  house 
shall  bo  established  in  the  tops  of  the 
mountains,"  &c.  The  expression  then 
properly  denoted  the  future  times  in  gene- 
ral. But,  as  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  was 
to  the  eye  of  a  Jew  the  most  important 
event  in  the  coming  ages,  the  great,  glo- 
rious, and  crowning  scene  in  all  that  vast 
futurity,  the  phrase  «ame  to  be  regarded 
as  properly  expressive  of  that.  And  they 
spoke  of  future  times,  and  of  the  last 
times,  as  the  glad  period  which  should 
be  crowTied  and  honoured  with  the  pre- 
sence and  trium[)hs  of  the  Messiah.  It 
stood  in  opposition  to  the  usual  denomi- 
nation of  earlier  times.  It  was  a  phrase 
in  contrast  with  the  days  of  the  patriarch, 
the  kings,  the  prophets,  &c.  The  last 
days,  or  the  closing  period  of  the  world, 
were  the  days  of  the  Messiah.  It  does  not 
appear  from  this,  and  it  certainly  is  not 
implied  in  the  expression,  that  they  sup- 
posed the  world  would  then  corne  to  an 
end.  Their  views  were  just  the  contrary. 
They  anticipated  a  long  and  glorious 
lime,  imdcrthe  dominion  of  the  RTossiah, 
nnd  to  this  expectation  they  were  led  by 
the  promise  that  his  kingdom  should  be 
for  ever ;  that  of  the  increase  of  his  govern- 
ment there  should  be  no  end,  &c.  This 
expression  was  understood  by  the  writers 
of  the  New  Testament  as  referring  un- 
doubtedly to  the  times  of  the  gosjjel.  And 
hence  they  often  used  it  as  denoting 
that  the  time  of  the  expected  Messiah 
had  come,  but  not  to  imply  that  the  world 
was  drawing  near  to  an  end.  Ileb.  i.  2, 
*•  God  hath  s{V)ken  in  these  last  days  l)y 
hi»  Son. '  1  Pot.  i.  20,  "Was  manifested 
m  these  last  times  for  you."  2  Pel.  iii.  3. 
I  Pot.  i  f).  1  John  ii.  18.  "  Little  children 
It  is  the  last  time,"  »lc.  Jude  IM.  The  ex- 
pression the  last  day,  is  applied  by  our  Sa- 
viour to  the  resurrection  and  the  day  of 
judtrment.  John  vi.  39,  40.  41,  45;  xi.24  ; 
li.  48.  Hero  the  expre.s.sion  means  simply 

those  future  limes,  when  'he  Messiah 


THE  ACTS.  [A.D.  3S 

pour  out  "  of  my  Spirit  upon  al. 


a  Is.44.3.  Eze.36.27 


shall  have  come.     IT  1  tcUl  pour  out  of  my 
Sjiirit.     The  expression  in  Hebrew  is,  "1 
will  pour  out  my   Spirit."     'i'he  word 
pour  is  commonly  applied  to  water,  or  to 
olood,  to  pour  it  out,  or  to  shed  it,  I«a. 
Ivii.  6 ;  to  tears,  to  j)our  them  out,  i.  o.  to 
weep,  &c.  Ps,  xlii.  4.  1  Sam.  i.  15.     It  in 
applied  to  water,  to  wine,  or  to  blood,  in 
the  New  Testament.  Matt.  ix.  17.  Key. 
xvi.  1.  Acts  xxii.  20.  "  The  blood  of  thy 
martyr  Stephen  was  shed."    It   conveys 
also  the  idea  of  communicating  largely,  or 
freely,  as  water  is  poured  free.Y  ^roni  a 
fountain.  Titus  iii.  5,  C,  "  The  renewing 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  he  shed  on  us 
abundantly."  Thus  Job  xxxvi.  27,  "They 
(the  clouds)  pour  down  rain  according  ic 
the  vapour  thereof"  Isa.  xliv.  3,  "  I  will 
pour  water  on  him  that  is  thirsty."  xlv.  8, 
"  Let  the  skies  pour  down  righteousness. ' 
Mai.  iii.  10,  "I  will  pour  you  out  a  bless- 
ing."     It  is   also   api»liocl   to  fury   and 
anger,  when  God  intends  to  say  that  he 
will  not  spare,  but  will  signally  punish. 
Ps.  Ixix.  24   Jer.  x.  25.     It  is  not  unfre 
quently  applied  tothe  i>pirit.Pro\:  i.  23.  Isa- 
xliv.  3.  Zacb.  xii.  10.     And  then  it  means 
that  he  will  bestow  large  measures  of  spi- 
ritual influences.     As  the  Spirit  renew-s 
and  sanctifies  men,  so  to  pour  out  the  Spi- 
rit is  to  grant  freely  his  influences  to  re- 
new and  sanctify  the  soul.     IT  M)/  Spi-'-it. 
The  Spirit  here  denotes  the  third  persor 
of  the  Trinity,  promised  by  the  Saviour, 
and  sent  to  finish  his  work,  and  apply  it  to 
men.    The  Holy  Spirit  is  regarded  iis  the 
source,  or  conveyer  of  all  the  blessings 
which  Christians  experience.     Hence  lie 
renews  the  heart.  John  iii.  5,  G.   He  is  the 
source  of  all  proper  feelings  and  princi- 
ples in  Christians,  or  he   produces   the 
Christian  graces.  Gal.  v.  22-— 25.  Titus  iii. 
5 — 7.  The  spread  and  success  of  the  gos- 
pel is  attributed  to  him.  Isa.  xxxii.  15,  UV 
Miraculous  gifts  are  traced  to  him  ;  espe- 
cially the  various  gifts  wilh  which  the 
early  Christiana  were  endowed.   1  Cor. 
xii.  4—10.    The  promise  that  he  would 
I)Ourout  his  Spirit,  means  that  he  would 
in  the  time  of  the  Messiah,  impart  a  large 
measure  of  those  inlluonces,  which  it  was 
his  peculiar  province  to  cominunicato  to 
men.     A  jiarl  of  I  hem  were   cominuni- 
cnled  on  tlio  day  of  Ponlecnst,  in  the  mi- 
raciilouH  endowniont  of   iho   jMivver  of 
speaking  fi»reign  languages,  in  the  wis- 
dom  of  the  n|)ostlos,  and  in  the  conver- 
sion of  the  three  thousand.     H  Upon  all 
flesh.  The  word  flesh  here  means  persona 


4,D.33.J 


CHAPTER  II. 


33 


flesh:    and   your    sons    and   your 
daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  your 


or7«e?i.  See  Note,  Rom.  i.  3.  The  word  all 
liere  does  n:t  mean  every  individual,  but 
every  clasa  or  rank  of  men.  It  is  to  be  li- 
mited to  the  cases  specified  immediately. 
The  influences  were  not  to  be  confined  to 
any  class,  but  to  be  communicated  to  all 
kinds  of  persons,  old  men,  youth,  servants, 
&c.  Comp.  1  Tim.  ii.  1 — 4.  IT  And  your 
sons  and  ijour  daughters.  Your  children.  It 
would  seem,  however,  that  females  shared 
in  the  remarltable  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Philip,  the  Evangelist,  had  four 
daughters  which  did  prophesy.  Acts  xxi. 
9.  It  is  probable  also  that  the  females  of 
the  church  of  Corinth  partook  of  this  gift, 
though  they  were  forbidden  to  exercise  it 
m  public.  ICor.  xiv.  34.  The  office  of 
prophesying,  whatever  was  meant  by  that, 
was  not  confmed  to  the  7nen  among  the 
Jews.  Ex.  XV.  20  "Miriam,  the  pro- 
phetess, took  a  timbrel,"  &c.  Judg.  iv.  4, 
"  Deborah,  a  prophetess,  judged  Israel." 
2  Kings  xxii.  14.  See  also  Luke  ii.  36, 
'There  w'as  one  Anna,  a  prophetess," 
&:c.  TT  Shall  prophesy.  The  word  pro- 
phesy is  used  in  a  great  variety  of  senses. 
(1.)  it  means  to  predict,  or  foretel  future 
events.  Matt.  xi.  13 ;  xv.  7.  (2.)  To  divine, 
to  conjecture,  to  declare  as  a  prophet 
might.  Matt.  xxvi.  68,  "  Prophesy  who 
smote  thee."  (3.)  To  celebrate  the  praises 
of  God,  being  under  a  divine  influence. 
Luke  i.  67.  This  seems  to  have  been  a 
considerable  part  of  the  employment  in 
the  tincient  schools  of  the  prophets.  1  Sam. 
X.  6;  xix.  20  f  xxx.  15.  (4.)  To  teach — as  no 
email  part  of  the  office  of  the  prophets  was 
to  teach  the  doctrines  of  religion.  Matt, 
vii.  22,  "  Have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name  ?"  (5.)  It  denotes  then,  in  general, 
"!o  speak  under  a  divine  influence,  whether 
m  foretelling  future  events ;  in  celebrat- 
mg  the  praises  of  God ;  in  instructing 
others  in  the  duties  of  religion,  or  in 
speaking  foreign  languages  under  that  in- 
fluence. In  this  last  sense,  the  word  is 
"used  in  the  New  Testament,  to  denote 
those  who  were  miraculously  endowed 
with  the  power  of  speaking  foreign  lan- 
guages. Acts  xix.  6.  The  word  is  also 
used  to  denote  teaching,  or  speaking  in  in- 
telligible language,  in  opposition  to  speak- 
ing a  foreign  tongue.  1  Cor.  xiv.  1 — 
5.  In  this  place  it  means  that  they  should 
speak  under  a  divine  influence,  and  is  spe- 
cially  applied  to  the  power  of  speaking  in 
a  foreign  t->iigne.  ^Your  young  men  shall 
seety-"^  ..<.  The  will  of  God  in  former 
tnr  .-,  was  communicated  to  the  prophets 


young  men  shall  see  visions,  and 
your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams ; 


in  various  ways.  One  was  by  visions,  and 
hence  one  of  the  most  usual  names  of  the 
prophets  was  seers.  Tiie  name  seer  was 
first  given  to  that  class  of  men,  and  was 
superseded  by  the  name  prophet.  1  Sam. 
ix.  y.  "  He  that  is  now  called  a  prophet 
was  before  time  called  a  Seer."  ix.  11. 18 
19.  2  Sam.  xxiv,  11 ;  xxix.  29  &c.  This 
name  was  given  from  the  manner  in 
which  the  divine  will  was  communi- 
cated, which  seems  to  have  been  by 
throwing  the  prophet  into  an  ecstacy,  and 
then  by  causing  the  vision,  or  the  appear- 
ance of  the  objects  or  events  to  pass  before 
the  mind.  The  prophet  looked  up|on  the 
passing  scene,  the  often  splendid  diorama 
as  it  actually  occurred,  and  recorded  it  aa 
it  appeared  to  his  mind.  Hence  he  re- 
corded rather  the  succession  of  images 
than  the  times  iix  which  they  would  oc- 
cur. These  visions  occurred  sometimes 
when  they  were  asleep,  and  sometimes 
during  a  prophetic  ecstacy.  Dan.  ii.  28 , 
vii.  1,  2.  15  ;  viii.  2.  Ezek.  xi.  24.  Gen.  xv. 

1.  Num.  xii.  6.  Job  iv.  13  ;  vii.  14.  Ezek.  i. 
1 ;  viii.  3.  Often  the  prophet  seemed  to 
be  transferred,  or  translated  to  another 
place  from  where  he  was  ;  and  the  scene 
in  a  distant  land  or  age  passed  before  the 
mind.  Ezek.  viii.  3 ;  xl.  2 ;  xi.  24.  Dan.  viii. 

2.  In  this  case  the  distant  scene  or  time 
passed  before  the  prophet,  and  he  record- 
ed it  as  it  appeared  to  him.  That  this  did 
not  cease  before  the  times  of  the  gospel  is 
evident.  Acts  ix.  10,  "  To  Ananias  said 
the  Lord  in  a  vision,"  &c  12,  "  And  hath 
seen  (i.  e.  Paul)  in  a  vision,  a  man  named 
Ananias,"  &c.  i.  e.  Paul  hath  seen  Ana- 
nias represented  to  him,  though  absent ; 
he  has  had  an  image  of  him  coming  in  to 
him.  Acts  x.  3,  Cornelius  "  saw  in  a  vk 
sion  evidently  an  angel  of  God  coming  to 
him,"  &c.  This  was  one  of  the  modes  by 
which  in  former  times  God  made  known 
his  will ;  and  the  language  of  the  Jews 
came  to  express  a  revelation  in  this  man- 
ner. Though  there  were  strictly  no  vi-^ 
sions  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  yet  that  was 
one  scene  under  the  great  economy  of  the 
Messiah,  under  which  God  would  make 
known  his  will  in  a  manner  as  clear  as  he 
did  to  the  ancient  Jews.  IT  Your  old  men. 
shall  dream  dreams.  The  will  of  God  in 
former  times  was  made  know-n  often  in 
this  manner ;  and  there  a?e  several  in- 
stances recorded  in  whiclr.  it  was  done 
under  the  gospel.  God  informed  Abime- 
lech  in  a  dream,  that  Sarah  was  the  wife 
of  Abraham.  Gen.  xx.  3.    He  spoke  to 


35 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  33 


18  And  on  my  servants  and  on 
tny  handmaidens  1  will  pour  out,  in 
those  days,  of  my  Sj)irit ;  and  "  they 
shall  prophesy : 


oc.21.4,9,10.  ICo-.lZ-lO 


Jacob  in  a  dream,  Gen.  xxx:..  11 ;  to  La- 
ban,  xxxi.  24;  to  Joseph,  xxxvii.  5;  to  the 
biitler  and  baker,  xl.  5  ;  to  Pharaoh,  xH.  1 
-—7;  to  Solomon,  1  Kings  iii.  5;  to  Daiiif4, 
Dan.  ii.  3;  vii.  1.  It  was  prophesied  by 
Moseri  that  in  this  way  God  would  make 
known  his  will.  Num.  xii.  6.  It  occurred 
pven  in  the  times  of  the  gospel.  Matt.  i. 
20.  Joseph  was  warned  in  a  dream,  ii. 
12, 13. 19.  22.  Pilate's  wife  was  also  trou- 
bled in  this  manner  about  the  conduct  of 
the  Jews  to  Christ.  JMatt.  xxvii.  19.  As 
this  was  one  way  in  which  the  will  of 
G  "d  was  made  known  formerly  to  men, 
so  the  expression  here  denotes  simply  that 
his  will  should  be  made  known ;  that  it 
should  be  one  characteristic  of  the  times 
of  the  gospel  that  God  would  reveal  him- 
self to  man.  The  ancients  probably  liad 
some  mode  of  determining  whether  their 
dreams  were  divine  communications,  or 
whether  they  were,  as  they  are  now,  the 
mere  erratic  wanderings  of  the  mind 
when. unrestrained  and  unchecked  by 
the  will.  At  present  no  confidence  is  to 
be  put  in  dreams. 

18.  And  on  my  servants.  The  Hebrew 
in  Joel  is  "  u[x)n  the  servants."  The  Sej> 
tuagint  and  the  Latin  Vulgate,  however, 
render  it  "  on  mij  servants."  In  Joel,  the 
prophet  would  seem  to  be  enumerating 
the  different  conditions  and  ranks  of  soci- 
ety. The  influences  of  the  Spirit  would 
be  confined  to  no  class;  they  would  de- 
scend on  old  and  young,  and  even  on  ser- 
vants and  handmaids.  So  the  Chaldee 
Paraphrase  understood  it.  But  the  Sep- 
tuagint  and  Peter  evidently  understood 
it  in  the  sense  of  servants  of  G(xl ;  as  the 
worship[)ers  of  God  are  often  called  ser- 
mnis  in  the  Scriptures.  See  Kom.  i.  1. 
It  is  fKjssible,  however,  that  the  Hebrew 
intended  to  refer  to  the  S(rvanls  of 
God.  It  is  not  "  ujxm  your  servants,"  &c. 
OH  in  the  former  expression,  "your  sons," 
&c. ;  ^TJt  the  form  is  changed,  "  ufK)n  ser- 
vants Wid  handmaids."  The  language, 
ihereftic,  will  admit  the  conslruclion  of 
the  Sej)tuagint  and  of  Peter;  and  it  was 
lliiH  variation  in  the  Hebrew  which  sug- 
gested, doublles«,  the  mention  of  "  7nt/ 
servants,"  <\,r.  instead  of  your  servants. 
\  And  hand  maids.  Female  servants.  The 
«iamo  is  several  times  given  to  jiious  wo- 
men. Ps.  Ixxxvi.  10;  cxvi.  10.  Luke  i.  38. 
4H     Tho  meaning  of  this  vortie  does  not 


19  And  I  will  show  wonders  in 
heaven  above,  and  signs  in  the 
earth  beneath  ;  blood,  and  fire,  and 
vapour  of  smoke : 


materially  differ  from  tlie  former.  In  the 
times  of  the  gospel,  those  who  were 
brought  under  its  influence  should  be  re- 
markably endowed  with  abihty  to  de- 
clare the  will  of  God. 

19,  20.  /  will  show  wonders.  Literally, 
"I  will  give  signs."  S'^vm  r'i^xzx.  The 
word  in  the  Hebrew.  D^nciD,  viopheOiim, 
means  properly ^rotZ/^ies ;  wonderful  oc- 
currences ;  miracles  wrought  by  God  or 
his  messengers.  Exod.  iv.  21;  vii.  3.  9, 
xi.  9.  Deut.  IV.  34,  &c.  It  is  the  common 
word  to  denote  a  miracle,  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Here  it  means,  hq^ever,  a  por- 
ttJitous  appearance,  a  prodigy,  a  rtviarka- 
hie  occurrence.  It  is  commonly  joined  in 
the  New  Testament  with  the  word  sigiis, 
"signs  and  wonders."  Watt.  xxiv.  24. 
Mark  xiii.  22.  John  iv.  48.  In  these  places 
it  does  not  of  necessity  mean  miracles^^ 
but  unusual  and  remarkable  appearances. 
Here  it  is  fixed  to  rriean  great  and  striking 
changes  in  iJie  sky,  the  sun,  moon,  &o 
The  Hebrew  is,  "  I  will  give  signs  in  ihe 
heaven,  and  upon  the  earth."  Peter  has 
quoted  it  according  to  the  sense,  and  not 
according  to  the  letter.  The  Septuagint 
is  here  a  literal  translation  of  the  He- 
brew; and  this  is  one  of  the  instances 
where  the  JVew  Testament  writers  did 
not  quote  from  either. 

Much  of  the  difliculty  of  interpreting 
these  verses  consists  in  fixing  the  proper 
meaning  to  the  expression  "  tliat  great 
and  notable  dai/ oi' ihe  Lord."  If  it' bo 
limited  to  the  day  of  Pentecost,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  no  such  events  occurred  at  that 
time.  But  there  is,  it  is  believed,  no  pro- 
priety in  confining  it  to  that  time.  The 
description  here  i)erlains  to  "the  last 
days"  (ver.  17),  i.  e.  to  the  vliole  of  that 
period  of  duration,  however  long,  which 
was  known  by  the  jirophets  as  the  last 
times.  That  period  might  be  extended 
through  many  centuries;  and  during  that 
period  all  these  events  would  take  pface. 
The  day  of  the  Lord  is  the  day  when  CkxJ 
shall  manifest  himself  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner; a  day  when  he  shall  so  strikingly  (>« 
seen  in  his  wonders  and  liis  judgment* 
that  it  may  be  called  his  dny.  Thus  it  is 
applied  to  tlie  day  of  judgment,  as  the 
day  cf  the  Son  (f  man  ;  the  day  in  which 
he  will  be  the  great  attractive  object,  and 
will  bo  signally  glorified.  Luke  xvii  24 
1  TliCSB.  v.  2    Phil  i  «    *^  Pet.  iii.  12.    if 


k.  L).  33.J 


CHaPTEK  li. 


J7 


20  The  »  sun  shall  be  turned  into 
flarkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood, 

o  Mar.13.24.  2Pet.3.7,10. 

a.8  i  suppose,  "that  notable  day  of  the 
Lord"  here  denotes  that  future  time 
when  God  shall  manifest  hinLself  in  judg- 
ment, then  we  are  not  to  suppose  that 
Pete.'  meant  to  say  that  these  "  wonders" 
should  take  place  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, CT  had  their  fulfilment  then,  but 
>eo\dd  occur  under  that  indefinite  period 
called  "  the  last  days,"  the  days  of  the  Mes- 
siah, and  BEFORE  that  period  was  closed  by 
ihe  great  day  of  the  Lord.  The  gift  of 
tongues  was  a  partial  fulfilment  of  the 
general  prophecy  pertaining  to  those 
iimes.  And  as  the  prophecy  was  thus 
partially  fulfilled,  it  was' a  pledge  that  it 
would  be  entirely;  and  thus  there  was 
laid  a  foundation  for  the  necessity  of  re- 
pentance, and  for  calling  on  the  Lord  in 
(»r{ler  to  be  saved.  U  Blood.  Blood  is 
commonly  used  as  an  emblem  of  slaugh- 
ter, or  of  battle.  IT  Fire.  Fire  is  also  an 
image  of  war,  or  the  conflagration  of 
towns  and  dwelhngs  in  time  of  war. 
IT  Vapour  of  smoke.  The  word  vapour, 
ciT,u.i;,  means  commonly  an  exhalation 
from  the  earth,  &c.  easily  moved  from 
one  place  to  another.  Here  it  means 
(Heb.  Joel)  rising  columns,  or  pillars  of 
smoke ;  and  is  another  image  of  the  cala- 
mities of  war,  the  smoke  rising  from  burn- 
ing tovvns.  It  has  almost  always  been 
customary  in  war  to  burn  the  towiis  of 
an  enemy,  and  to  render  him  as  helpless 
as  possible.  Hence  the  calamities  de- 
noted here  are  those  represented  by  such 
scenes.  To  what  particular  scenes  there 
is  reference  here,  it  may  be  impossible 
now  to  say.  It  may  be  remarked,  how- 
ever, that  scenes  of  this  kind  occurred 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
there  is  a  striking  resemblance  between 
the  description  in  Joel,  and  that  by  which 
our  Saviour  foretels  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  21 
—24. 

20.  The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  dark- 
ness. See  Note,  Matt.  xxiv.  29.  The  same 
mages  used  here  with  reference  to  the 
sun  and  moon,  are  used  also  there.  They 
cx^cur  not  unfrequently.  Mark  xiii.  24. 
8  Pet  iii.  7 — 10.  The  shining  of  the  sun 
»  an  emblem  of  prosperity ;  the  with- 
diawing,  or  eclipse,  or  settmg  of  the  sun 
ts  an  emblem  of  calamity,  and  is  often 
fhvia  used  in  the  Scriptures.  Isa.  Ix.  20. 
Jer.  XV  9.  Ezek.  xxxii.  7.  Amos  viii.  9. 
Rev.  vi.  12 ;  viii  12 :  ix.  2 ;  xvi.  8.  To 
»av  that  the  sun  is  darkened,  or  turned 
1) 


before  that  great  and  notaale  daif 
of  the  Lord  come  : 


into  darkness,  is  an  image  of  calamity, 
and  especially  of  the  calaraUies  of  war 
when  the  smoke  of  burning  cities  rises  to 
heaven,  and  obscures  his  light.  This  i8 
not,  therefore,  to  be  taken  literally,  nor 
does  it  afford  any  indication  of  what 
will  be  at  the  end  of  the  world  in  regard 
to  the  sun.  IT  The  moon  into  blood.  The 
word  blood  here  means  that  obscure, 
sanguinary  colour  which  the  moon  has 
when  the  atmosphere  is  filled  with  smoke 
and  vapour ;  and  especially  the  lurid 
and  alarming  appearance  which  it 
assumes  when  smoke  and  flames  are 
thrown  up  by  earthquakes  and  fiery 
eruptions.  Rev.  vi.  12,  "And  I  beheld 
when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and 
lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and  the 
sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair 
and  the  moon  became  as  blood."  Rev. 
viii.  8.  In  this  place  it  denotes  great  ca- 
lamities. The  figures  used  are  indicative 
of  wars,  and  conflagrations,  and  unusual 
prodigies  of  earthquakes.  As  these  things 
are  (Slatt.  xxiv.)  applied  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem;  as  they  actually  oc 
curred  previous  to  that  event  (see  Notes, 
Matt,  xxiv.)  ;  it  may  be  supposed  that  the 
prophecy  in  Joel  liad  an  immediate  re 
ference  to  that.  The  meaning  of  the  quo 
tntion  by  Peter  in  this  place,  therefore 
is,  that  what  occurred  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, v)as  the  beginning  of  the  series  of 
wonders  that  vms  to  take  place  dufing  the 
times  of  ihe  Messiah.  It  is  not  intimated 
that  those  scenes  were  to  close,  or  to  be 
exhausted  -in  that  age.  They  may  pre- 
cede that  great  day  of  the  Lord  which  is 
yet  to  come  in  view  of  the  w'hole  earth. 
^  That  great  and  notable  day  of  the  laord. 
This  is  called  the  great  day  of  the  Lord 
because  on  tnat  ds/  he  will  be  signally 
manifested,  more  impressively  and  strik- 
ingly tlan  on  other  times.  The  ^*jTd 
notable,  l-t-xv^,  means  signal,  illustrioiis, 
distinguished.  In  Joel  the  W'Ord  is  terri- 
ble, or  fearful;  a  word  applicable  to  days 
of  calamity,  and  trial,  and  judgment.  The 
Greek  word  here  rendered  notable,  is  also 
in  the  Septuagint  frequently  used  to  de- 
note calamity,  or  times  of  judgment.  Deut 
X.  21.  2  Sam.  vii.  23.  This  will  apply  to 
any  day  in  which  God  signally  manifests 
himself;  but  particularly  to  a  day  when 
he  shall  come  forth  to  pimish  men,  as  at 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  Or  at  the  day 
of  judgment.  The  meaning  is.  that  thos« 
nonders  should    take   place  before  iha/ 


St* 


THL  ACTS. 


[A.  I).  t<8 


Ab  d  it  shall  come  -o  pass,  that 

•  I's.JG  $.  Ko.10.13.  lCor.I.2.  He.4.16. 


distinguished  day  should  arrive  when 
God  should  come' forth  in  judgment. 

21.  Whosoever  shall  call.  lu  the  midst 
of  these  wonders  and  dangers,  whosoever 
should  call  on  the  Lord  should  be  deli- 
vered (Joel).  The  name  of  the  Lord  is 
the  same  as  the  Lord  himself.  It  is  a 
Hebraism,  signifying  to  call  on  the  Lord. 
Ps.  Ixxix.  6.  Zech.  xui.  9.  IT  Shall  be 
saved.  In  Hebrew,  shall  be  delivered, 
i.  e.  from  impending  calamities.  When 
they  threaten,  and  God  is  coming  forth 
to  judge  them,  it  shall  be  that  those  who 
are  characterized  as  those  who  call  on 
the  Lord,  shall  be  delivered.  This  is 
eqiially  true  at  all  times.  It  is  remarka- 
ble that  no  Christians  perished  in  the 
siege  of  Jerusalem.  Though  more  than 
a  million  of  Jews  perished,  yet  the  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  who  were  there,  having 
been  v\'amed  by  him,  when  they  saw 
the  signs  of  the  Romans  approaching, 
withdrew  to  j^lia,  and  were  preserved. 
S.  it  shall  be  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
All  whose  character  it  has  been  that  they 
called  on  God,  will  then  be  saved.  While 
the  wicked  shall  then  call  on  the  rocks 
and  the  mountains  to  shelter  them  from 
the  Lord,  those  who  have  invoked  his 
favour  and  mercy  shall  then  faid  deli- 
verance. The  use  which  Peter  makes 
of  this  passage  is  this:  Calamities  were 
about  to  come ;  the  day  of  judgment  was 
approaching  ;  they  were  passing  through 
the  last  days  of  the  earth's  history;  and 
theref()re  it  became  them  to  call  on  the 
name  of  the  Iv^rd,  and  to  obtain  deliver 
ance  from  the  dangers  which  impended 
over  the  guilty.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  Peter  intended  to  ai)ply  this  to  the 
Messiah,  and  that  by  the  name  of  the 
I^ird  he  meant  the  Lord  Jesus.  See 
1  Cor.  i.  2.  Paul  makes  the  same  use  of 
the  pas.'^age,  expressly  applying  it  to  the 
Ltrd  Jesus  Christ.  Rom.  x.  ¥3,  14.  In 
Jool,  the  word  translated  Lord  is  Jkho- 
VAH,  the  incommunicable  and  peculiar 
namf!  of  God  ;  and  the  use  of  the  passage 
hcihrn  us  in  the  New  Testament,  shows 
how  the  apostles  rogar(le<l  the  Lord  Jesus 
Clirist ;  and  proves  that  they  had  no  hesi- 
mtion  in  applying  to  him  names  and  attri- 
butes which  could  belong  to  no  one  but 
fiod. 

This  verse  teaches  us,  1.  That  in  pros- 
pect of  the  judgments  of  God  which  are 
U)  come,  we  should  make  preparation. 
Wo  shall  be  railed  to  pass  through  the 
closing  scene  of  this  earth;  the  t!mc  when 


whosoever  "  sha  1  call  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved. 


the  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  ana 
the  moon  into  blood,  and  when  the  great 
day  of  the  Lord  shall  come.  2.  It  is  easy 
to  be  saved.  All  that  God  requires  of  us 
is  to  call  tipdn  hun,  to  pray  to  him,  to  a*k 
him,  and  he  will  answer  and  save.  If 
men  will  not  do  so  easy  a  thing  as  to  call 
on  God,  and  ask  him  fur  salvation,  it  is 
obviously  proper  that  they  should  be  cast 
ofl'  1'he  terms  of  salvation  could  not  be 
made  plainer  or  easier.  The  offer  is  wide, 
free,  universal,  and  there  is  no  obstacle 
but  what  exists  in  the  heart  of  the  sinner. 
And  from  this  part  of  Peter's  vindication 
of  the  scene  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  we 
may  learn  also,  1.  That  revivals  of  reli- 
gion are  to  be  expected  as  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
speaks  of  God's  pouring  out  his  Spirit, 
<fec.  as  w hat  was  to  take  place  ?>t  the  last 
days.  i.  e.  in  the  indehnite  and  large  tract 
of  tiu.e  which  was  to  come  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Messiah.  His  remarks 
are  by  no  means  limited  to  the  day  of 
Pentecost.  They  are  as  applicable  to 
future  periods  as  to  that  time ;  and  we 
are  to  expect  it  as  a  part  of  Christian  his- 
tory, that  the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  sen! 
down  to  awaken  and  convert  men 
2.  This  will  also  vindicate  revivals  fi-om 
all  the  charges  which  have  ever  been 
brought  against  them.  All  the  objections 
of  irregularity,  extravagance,  wildfire, 
enthusiasm,  disorder,  «kc.  which  have 
been  alleged  against  revivals  in  modern 
times,  might  have  been  brought  with 
equal  propriety  against  the  scene  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost.  Yet  an  ajK)stle  showed 
that  that  was  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
dictions of  the  Old  Testament,  and  waa 
an  undoubted  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
If  that  work  could  be  vindicated,  then 
modern  revivals  may  be  If  that  waa 
really  liable  to  no  objections  on  these  ac- 
counts, then  modern  works  of  grace 
should  not  be  objected  to  for  the  same 
things.  And  if  that  excited  deep  interest 
in  the  apostles;  if  thev  felt  dee|)  concern 
to  vindicate  it  from  the  charge  brought 
against  it,  then  Christians  and  Christiap 
ministers  now  .«hould  feel  similar  solici- 
tude to  defend  revivals,  and  not  be  Ibund 
among  their  revilcrs.  their  calumniator*, 
or  their  i<tcs.  There  will  be  eiir^niei 
enough  of  the  work  of  the  \hAy  SpirU 
without  the  aid  of  ])rofes8ed  Clirifitinns; 
and  thill  man  |M)SPesse8  no  enviable  feel 
ings  or  character  who  is  found  with  tn^ 
enenjies  nf  CJod  and  his  CnrUt  mi  op,>o* 


A..  D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  11. 


22  Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear  these 
v\'ords;  Jesus  of  Nazaieih,  a  man 
approved  of  God  among  you  by 
miracles  "  and  wonders  and  signs, 


a  Jno.U.lO.n.  He.2.4. 


mg  the  mighty  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
tne  human  heart. 

22.  Ve  men  of  Israel.  Descendants  of 
[srael  or  Jacob,  i.  e.  Jews.  Peter  pro- 
ceeds now  to  the  third  part  of  his  argu- 
ment, to  show  that  Jesus  Christ  had  been 
raised  up;  and  that  the  scene  which  liad 
occurred  was  in  accordance  with  his 
promise,  was  proof  of  his  resurrection, 
and  of  his  exaltation  to  be  the  Messiah  ; 
and  that,  therefore,  they  should  repent 
for  their  great  sin  in  having  put  their 
own  Messiah  to  death.  IT  A  man  approved 
of  God^t  A  man  who  was  shown  or  de- 
monslrated  to  have  the  approbation  of 
God,  or  to  have  been  sent  by  him.  TT  By 
miracles,  and  wonders,  and  signs.  The 
first  of  these  words  properly  means  the 
displays  of  pov)er  which  Jesus  made  ;  the 
second,  the  unusual  or  remarkable  events 
which  attended  him;  the  third,  the  signs 
or  proofs  that  he  was  from  God.  Toge- 
ther, they  denote  the  array  or  series  of 
remarkable  works — raising  the  dead,  heal- 
ing the  sick,  &c.  w-hich  showed  that  Jesus 
was  sent  from  God.  The  proof  which 
they  furnished  that  he  was  from  God  w^as 
this,  that  God  would  not  confer  such 
pow'er  on  an  impostor,  and  that  therefore 
he  w^as  w^hat  he  pretended  to  be.  TT  Which 
God  did  by  him.  The  Lord  Jesus  him- 
self often  traced  his  power  to  do  these 
thing*  to  his  commission  from  the  Father ; 
but  he  did  it  in  such  a  w'ay  as  to  show 
that  he  was  closely  united  to  him.  John 
V.  19.  30.  Peter  here  says  that  God  did 
these  works  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  show  that 
Jesus  was  truly  sent  by  him,  and  that 
thereforejie  had  the  seal  and  attestation 
of  God.  The  same  thing  Jesus  himself 
said.  John  v.  36,  "The  work  which  the 
Father  hath  given  me  to  finish,  the  same 
>\'orks  that  1  do,  bear  witness  of  me,  that 
he  Father  hath  sent  me."  The  great 
works  whicn  God  has  wrought  in  crea- 
tion, as  well  as  in  redemption,  he  is  re- 
presented as  having  done  by  his  Son. 
Heb.  i.  2,  "  By  whom  also  he  made  the 
worlds."  John  i.  3.  Col.  i.  15—19.  IT  In 
th?  midst  of  you.  In  your  owTi  land.  It 
is  al.so  probable  that  many  of  the  persons 
pre.-ent  had  been  witnesses  of  his  mira- 
jle^'.  IT  As  ye  yourselves  also  know.  They 
^ew  it  either  by  having  witnessed  them, 
or  oy  the  evidence  which  every  where 
Rb.>undpd    of    the    truth    *hat    ne    had . 


which  God  did,  by  him,  in  the 
midst  of  yo  I,  as  ye  *  yourselves 
also  know : 

23  Him,  being '  delivered  by  the 

b  Jno.15.24.        c  Lu.22.22:24.44.  c.3.18. 


wrought  them.  The  Jews,  even  in  the 
tirne  of  Christ,  did  not  dare  to  call  hia 
miracles  in  question.  John  xv.  24.  While 
they  admitted  the  miracle,  they  attempted 
to  trace  it  to  the  influence  of  Beelzebub. 
Matt.  ix.  34.  Mark  iii.  22.  So  decided  and 
numerous  were  the  miracles  of  Jesu.s 
that  Peter  here  appeals  to  them  as  hav- 
ing been  knowTi  by  the  Jews  themselves 
to  have  been  performed,  and  with  a  con- 
fidence that  even  they  could  not  deny  it 
Oft  this  he  proceeds  to  rear  his  argument 
for  the  truth  of  his  Messiahship. 

23.  Hiin,  being  delivered.  VxJotci-.  This 
word,  delivered,  is  used  commonly  of 
those  who  are  surrendered  or  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  enemies  or  adversaries 
It  means  that  Jesus  was  surrendered,  or 
given  up  to  his  enemies  by  those  who 
should  have  been  his  protectors.  Thus 
he  was  delivered  to  the  chiefpriests. 
Mark  x.  33.  Pilate  released  Barabbas, 
and  delivered  Jesus  to  their  will,  Mark 
XV.  15.  Luke  xxiii.  25 ;  he  was  delivered 
unto  the  Gentiles,  Luke  xviii.  32;  the 
chiefpriests  delivered  him  to  Pilate, 
Matt,  xxvii.  2 ;  and  Pilate  delivered  him 
to  be  crucified,  Matt,  xxvii.  26.  John  xis. 
16.  In  this  manner  was  the  death  of 
Jesus  accomplished,  by  being  surrendered 
from  one  tribunal  to  another,  and  one  de- 
mand of  his  countrymen  to  another,  until 
they  succeeded  in  procuring  his  death. 
It  may  also  be  implied  here  that  he  was 
given  or  surrendered  by  God  to  the  hands 
of  men.  Thus  he  is  represented  to  have 
been  given  by  God.  John  iii.  16.  1  John 
iv.  9,  10.  The  Syriac  tianslates  this, 
"  Him,  who  was  destined  to  this  by  the 
foreknowledge  and  will  of  God,  you  deli 
vered  into  the  hands  of  wicked  men,"  &c. 
The  Arabic,  "  Him,  delivered  to  you  by 
the  hands  of  the  wicked,  you  receivedf, 
and  after  you  had  mocked  him,  you  slew 
him."  IT  By  the  determinate  counsel.  The 
word  translated  determinate,  ryi  d,(iTf^iv»i, 
means,  properly,  that  which  is  defined, 
marked  out,  or  bounded;  as,  to  mark  out  or 
define  the  boundary  of  a  field,  &c.  See 
Kom.  i.  1. 4.  In  Acts  x.  42,  it  is  translated 
ordained  of  God ;  denoling  liis  purpose  thai 
it  should  be  so,  i.  e.  that  Jesus  should  be 
the  judge  of  quick  and  deau.  Luke  xxii.22, 
"  The  Son  of  man  goeth  as  it  is  determin- 
ed of  him,"  i.  e.  as  God  has  purposed  w 
determined  beforehand  that  he  should  to 


JO  THE  ACT«. 

determinate  counsel  ana  foreknow- 
ledge of  God,  ye  "  have  taken,  and 

a  c.5.30. 


TA.  D.  3. 


Acts  xi.  29,  "  The  disciples determined 

to  eend  relief  unto  the  brethren  which 
dwelt  in  Judea,"  i.  e.  they  resolved  or  pur- 
posed beforehand  to  do  it.  Acts  xvii.  26, 
"God ....  hath  delennined  the  times  before 
appointed  and  fixed,"  &c.  In  all  these 
Dlaces  there  is  the  idea  of  a  -purpose,  or 
intention,  or  plan  imjilying  intention,  and 
marking  out  or  fixing  the  boundaries  to 
some  future  action  or  event.  The  word 
implies  that  the  c  3ath  cf  Jesus  was  re- 
solved on  by  God  before  it  took  j)lace. 
And  this  truth  is  established  by  all  the 
predictions  made  in  the  Old  Tostami||t, 
and  by  the  Saviour  himself  God  was 
not  compelled  to  give  up  his  Son.  There 
was  no  claim  on  him  for  it.  And  he  had 
a  right,  therefore,  to  determine  when  and 
how  it  should  be  done.  The  fact,  more- 
over, that  this  was  predicted,  shows  that 
it  was  fixed  or  resolved  on.  No  event 
can  be  foretold,  evidently,  unless  it  be 
certain  that  it  will  take  place.  The  event, 
therefore,  must  in  some  way  be  fixed  or 
resolved  on  beforehand.  II  Counsel. 
<Soux;;.  This  word  properly  denotes  pur- 
pose, decree,  will.  It  expresses  the  act  of 
the  mind  in  willing,  or  the  purp^of^e  or  de- 
sign which  is  fornied.  Here  it  means  the 
purpose  or  will  of  God ;  it  was  his  plan 
or  decree  that  Jesus  should  be  delivered. 
Acts  iv.  28,  "  For  to  do  whatsoever  thy 
hand  and  thy  counsel  (h  ^ovKy,  o-tu)  deter- 
mined before  to  be  done."  Eph.  i.  11, 
■'  Who  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  liis  own  will."     Ileb.  vi.  17,  "  God, 

willing to  show the  immutability 

of  his  counsel."  See  Acts  xx.  27.  1  Cor. 
iv.  5.  Luke  xxiii.  51.  The  word  here, 
therefore,  proves  that  Jesus  was  deliver- 
ed by  the  deliberate  purpose  o^  God  ; 
that  it  was  according  to  his  previous  in- 
tention and  design.  The  reason  why  this 
was  insisted  on  by  Peter,  was,  that  he 
might  convince  the  Jews  that  Jcsiis  was 
not  delivered  by  weakness,  or  because  he 
was  unable  to  rescue  himself  Such  an 
opinion  would  have  been  inconsistent 
with  the  belief  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 
It  was  important,  then,  to  assert  the  dig- 
nity of  Jesus,  and  to  show  that  his  death 
was  in  accordance  with  the  fixed  design 
of  God  ;  and  therefore,  that  it  did  not 
interfere  in  the  least  with  his  claims  to 
be  the  Messinh.  The  same  thing  our  Sa- 
vio\ir  lins  himsolfexpresslvnnirmed.  John 
iix.  10,  11  ;  x.  Id  Matt.  xxvi.  b\l  H  Vore- 
hmwlfitlge.   This  word  denotes  the  seeing 


*  by  wicked   hands  have  crucifitiv 
and  slain : 

b  Matt.2''. 


beforehand  of  an  event  yet  to  take  place 
It  implies,  1.  Omniscience;  and  2.  Thai 
the  event  is  fixed  and  certain.  To  fore- 
see a  conUngent  event,  that  is,  to  foresee 
that  an  event  will  take  place,  when  i\ 
may  or  may  not  take  place,  is  an  alv 
surdity.  Foreknowledge,  therefore,  im- 
plies that  for  some  reason  the  event  wili 
certainly  take  place.  What  tliat  reason 
is,  the  word  itself  does  not  determine.  As, 
however.  God  is  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
tures as  purposing  or  determinnig  future 
events ,  as  they  could  not  be  foreseen  by 
him  unless  he  had  so  deterniuied,  so  the 
\vord  sometimes  is  used  in  the  sense  of 
determining  beforehand,  or  as  synony- 
mous with  decreeing,  llom.  viii.  159;  xi.  2. 
In  this  place  the  word  is  used  to  denote 
that  the  delivering  up  of  Jesus  was  some- 
thing more  than  a  bare  or  naked  decree. 
It  implies  that  God  did  it  according  to  his 
foresight  of  what  would  be  the  best  time, 
and  place,  and  manner  of  its  being  done. 
It  was  not  the  result  merely  of  will ;  it 
was  will  directed  by  a  wise  foreknow- 
ledge of  what  would  be  best.  And  this 
is  the  case  with  all  the  decrees  of  God. 
It  follows  from  this,  that  the  conduct  of 
the  Jews  was  foreknown.  God  was  not 
disai)pointed  in  any  thing  respecting  their 
treatment  of  his  Son.  Nor  will  he  be 
disappointed  in  any  of  the  doings  of  men 
Notwilhstanding  the  wickedness  of  the 
world,  his  counsel  shall  stand,  and  he 
will  do  all  his  pleasure.  Isa.  xlvi.  10. 
IF  Ye  have  taken.  See  Matt.  xxvi.  57.  Ye 
Jeit)s  have  taken.  It  is  possible  that  some 
were  i)rescnt  on  this  occasion  who  had 
been  personally  concerned  in  taking  Je- 
sus; and  m;my  who  had  joined  in  the 
cry,  "Cruciiy  Iiim."  Luke  xxiii.  18 — 21. 
It  was,  at  any  rate,  the  act  of  the  Jeuish 
people  by  which  this  had  been  done.  This 
was  a  striking  instance  of  the  fidelity  of 
that  i)reaching  which  says,  as  Nadian  did 
to  David,  "Thou  art  the  man!"  Peter, 
once  so  timid  that  he  denied  his  Lord 
now  charged  this  atrocious  rrinie  on  hia 
countrymen,  regardless  of  their  anger  and 
his  own  danger.  lie  did  not  deal  in  gene 
ral  accusations,  but  brought  the  charge* 
home,  and  declared  that  they  were  the 
men  who  had  been  concerned  i'.i  this 
amazing  crime.  No  jircaching  can  be 
siiccossrul  that  does  not  charge  on  men 
their  personal  guilt;  and  that  does  not 
lcar!(>ssly  proclaim  their  ruin  and  danger 
ir  W'iih  virkrd  hands,     (ireek,  "  through 


A.  D.  33 


CHAPTER  II. 


41 


or  by  the  hands  of  the  lawless,  or  wick- 
ed."' This  refers,  doubtless,  to  Pilate  and 
the  Roman  soldiers,  through  whose  in- 
etrumentality  this  had  been  done.  The 
reasons  for  supposing  that  this  is  the  true 
interpretation  of  the  passage  are  these: 
(1.)  The  Jews  had  not  the  power  of  in- 
flicting death  themselves.  (2.)  The  term 
used  here,  wicked,  'xvifi-j^v,  is  not  appUca- 
l.le  to  the  Jews,  but  to  the  Romans.  It 
properly  means  lawless,  or  those  who  had 
not  the  law,  and  is  often  applied  to  the 
iaeathen.  Rom.  ii.  12.  14.  1  Cor.  ix.  21. 
(3.)  The  punishment  which  was  inllicted 
was  a  Roman  punishment.  (4.)  It  was  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  the  Jews,  though  they 
had  condemned  him,  yet  had  not  put  him 
to  death  thems<^lves,  but  had  demanded  it 
of  the  Romaas.  But  though  they  had  em- 
ployed the  Romans  to  do  it,  still  they 
were  the  prime  movers  in  the  deed  ;  thev 
had  plotted,  and  compassed,  and  demand- 
ed his  death,-  and  they  were  therefore 
not  the  less  guilty.  The  maxim  of  the 
■common  law,  and  of  common  sense,  is, 
'  he  who  does  a  deed  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  at.other,  is  responsible  for  it." 
It  was  from  no  merit  of-  the  Jews  that 
they  had  not  put  him  to  death  themselves. 
It  was  simply  because  the  power  was 
taken  away  from  them.  ^  Have  crucified. 
Greek,  '.'  having  affixed  him  to  the  cross, 
ye  have  put  him  to  death."  Peter  here 
charges  the  crime  fully  on  them.  Their 
guilt  was  not  diminished  because  they 
had  employed  others  to  do  it. — From  this 
we  may  remark,  1.  That  this  was  one  of 
the  most  amazing  and  aw-ful  crimes  that 
could  be  charged  on  any  men.  It  was 
•analice,  and  treason,  and  hatred,  and  mur- 
der combined.  Nor  was  it  any  common 
murder.  It  was  their  own  Messiah  whom 
they  had  put  to  death  ;  the  hope  of  their 
fathers  ,•  he  who  had  been  long  promised 
by  God,  and  the  prospect  of  whose  com- 
ing had  so  long  cheered  and  animated 
the  nation  They  had  now  imbrued  their 
nands  in  his  blood,  and  stood  charged 
with  the  awful  crime  of  having  murdered 
the  Prince  of  Peace.  2.  It  is  no  mitiga- 
tion of  guilt  that  we  do  it  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  others.  It  is  often,  if  not 
elways,  a  deepening  and  extending  of  the 
crime.  3.  We  have  here  a  striking  and 
glear  instance  of  the  doctrine  that  the  de- 
crees of  God  do  not  interfere  with  the 
free  agency  of  men.  This  event  was 
certainly  determined  beforehand.  Nothing 
is  clearer  than  this.  It  is  here  expressly 
asserted ;  and  it  had  been  foretold  with 
undeviating  certainty  by  the  prophets. 
God  had,  for  wise  and  gracious  purposes, 
purposed  or  decreed  in  his  own  muid  that 

B  2 


I  his  Son  should  die  at  the  tmie,  and  in  the 
manner  in  which  he  did  •  for  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  death,  as  well  as  of  his 
birth  and  his  life,  were  foretold.  And 
yet,  in  this  the  Jews  and  the  RomajM 
never  supposed  or  alleged  that  they  w^ore 
compelled  or  cramped  in  what  they  did. 
They  did  what  they  chose.  If  in  this  case 
the  decrees  of  God  were  not  inconsistent 
with  human  freedom,  neither  can  they  be 
in  any  case.  Between  those  decrees  and 
the  freedom  of  man  there  is  no  inconsis- 
tency, unless  it  could  be  shown — what 
never  can  be — that  God  compels  men  to 
act  contrary  to  their  own  will.  In  that 
case  there  could  be  no  freedom.  But  that 
is  not  the  case  with  regard  to  the  decrees 
of  God.  An  act  is  what  it  is  in  itself ;  it 
can  be  contemplated  and  measured  by 
itself  That  it  v,as  foreseen,  forehiown,  or 
purposed,  does  not  alter  its  nature  and 
more  than  it  does  that  it  be  remembered 
after  it  is  performed.  The  memory  of 
what  we  have  done  does  not  destroy  our 
Ireedom.  Our  own  purposes  in  relation 
to  our  conduct  do  not  destroy  our  free- 
dom ,•  nor  can  the  purposes  or  designs  of 
any  other  being  violate  one  free  moral 
action,  unless  he  compels  us  to  do  a  thing 
against  our  will.  4.  VVe  have  here  a 
proof  that  the  decree  of  God  does  not 
take  away  the  moral  character  of  an  ac- 
tion. It  does  not  prove  that  an  acnon  is 
innocent  if  it  is  shown  that  it  is  a  part  of 
the  wise  plan  of  God  to  permit  it.  Never 
was  there  a  more  atrocious  crime  than  the 
crucifixion  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  yet  it 
was  determined  on  in  the  divine  coun- 
sels. So  with  all  the  deeds  of  human 
guilt.  The  purpose  of  God  \o  permit  them 
does  not  destroy  their  nature  or  make 
them  innocent.  They  are  what  they  are 
in  themselves.  The  purpose  of  God  does 
not  change  their  character;  and  if  it  is 
right  to  punish  them  in  fact,  they  will  be 
punished.  If  it  is  right  for  God  to  punish 
them,  it  was  right  to  resolve  to  do  it  And 
the  sinner  must  answer  for  his  sins,  not 
for  the  plans  of  his  Maker ;  nor  can  he 
take  shelter  in  the  day  of  wrath  against 
what  he  deserves  in  the  plea  that  God  haa 
determined  future  events.  If  any  men 
could  have  done  it,  it  would  have  been 
those  whcm  Peter  addressed  ;  yet  neither 
he  nor  they  felt  that  their  guilt  was  in  the 
least  diminished  by  the  fact  that  Jesua 
was  "  delivered  by  the  determinate  coun 
sel  and  foreknowledge  of  God."  5.  If  this 
event  was  predetermined  ;  if  that  act  ot 
amazing  wickedness,  when  the  Son  of  God 
was  put  to  death,  was  fixed  by  tlie  deter- 
minate counsel  of  God,  then  all  the  eventa 
leadinar  to  it.  and  the  circumstances  afr 


13 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  I).  33 


24.  ^^hoiii  "  («od  hath  raised  up, 
fiaving  loosed  the  pains  of  death : 
because  it  was  not  possible  ''  that 

oLu.24.  c.13.30  34.    lCor.6.14.    Ep.l.aO.   Col.2.12. 
ITh.1.10.  neb.13.20.  llV.t.1.2!.  b  Jno-lO-lS. 


tending  it,  were  also  a  partof  tlie  decree. 
Tlie  one  coulil  not  be  determined  without 
the  other.  0.  If  that  event  was  deter- 
mined, then  otlicrs  may  be  also  consist- 
ently with  liumaa  freedom  and  responsi- 
oiUly.  There  can  be  no  deed  of  wicked- 
ness that  shall  surpass  that  of  crucifying 
the  Son  of  God.  And  if  the  acts  of  his 
murderers  were  a  part  of  the  wise  coun- 
sel of  God,  then  on  the  same  pruiciple  are 
we  to  suppose  that  all  events  are  under 
his  direction,  and  ordered  by  a  purpose 
infinitely  wise  and  good.  7.  If  the  Jews 
could  not  take  shelter  from  the  charge  of 
wickedness  under  the  plea  that  it  was 
foreordained,  then  no  sinners  can  do  it. 
This  was  as  clear  a  case  as  can  ever  oc- 
cur;  and  yet  the  apostle  did  not  intimate 
that  an  excuse  or  mitigation  lor  their  sin 
could  be  plead  from  tliis  cause.  This 
tase,  therefore,  meets  all  the  excuses  of 
einners  from  this  plea,  and  proves  that 
those  excuses  will  not  avail  them  or  save 
them  in  the  day  of  judgment. 

24.  Whom  Gofl  hath  raised  up.  This 
was  the  main  pohit,  in  this  part  of  his  ar- 
?iiment,  which  Peter  wished  to  establish. 
fie  could  not  but  admit  that  the  Messiah 
lad  been  in  an  ignominious  manner  put 
,o  death.  But  he  now  shows  them  that 
Gixl  had  also  raised  him  up;  had  thus 
(^iven  his  attestation  to  his  doctrine;  and 
rtad  sent  down  his  Spirit  according  to  the 
promise  which  the  Lord  Jesus  made  be- 
fore his  death.  ^  Having  loosed  the  pains 
of  death.  The  word  loosed,  kWx;,  is  op- 
posed to  bind,  and  is  properly  applied  to 
a  cord,  or  to  any  thing  whic-h  is  bound. 
See  Matt.  xxi.  2.  Mark  i.  7.  Hence  it 
means  to  free,  or  lo  liberate.  Luke  xiii.  16. 
1  Cor.  vil.  27.  It  is  used  in  this  sense 
liero;  though  the  idea  oCunti/ing  or  loos- 
ing a  band  is  retained,  because  the  word 
translated  pains  often  means  a  cord  or 
band.  If  The  pains  of  death.  coJi.*?  toO 
^at/iruu.  The  word  translated  pains  de- 
notes properly  the  extreme  sufferings  of 
parturition,  and  then  any  severe  or  excru- 
ciating pangs.  Hence  it  is  applied  also  to 
death,  as  being  a  state  of  extreme  suffer- 
ing. A  very  frecpient  meaning  of  the  He- 
Brew  word,  of  vvliich  this  is  llie  transla- 
tion, is  cord,  or  band.  Tiiis  perhajw  was 
Iho  original  idea  of  the  word ;  and  the 
Hebrews  expressed  any  extreme  agony 
under  the  idea  of  bands  or  curds  closely 
trawn     .linding    and    constricting    the 


he  should  he  holden  of  it. 

25  For  David  speaketh*^  concern 
ing  him,  I  foresaw  the  Lord  always 

cPs.  16.8-11. 


limbs,  and  producing  severe  pain.  Thus 
death  was  represented  under  this  image 
of  a  band  that  confined  men ;  diat  pressed 
closely  on  them  ;  that  prevented  escape  ; 
and  produced  severe  suffering.  For  thia 
use  of  the  word  hy^,  sec  Ps.  cxi.x.  61  Isa. 
Ixvi.  7.  Jer.  xxii.  23.  Hos.  xiii.  13.  It  is  ap- 
plied to  death  (Ps.  xviii.  5),  "The  snarea 
of  death  prevented  me  ;"  answering 
to  the  word  sorrows  in  the  previous  part 
of  the  Averse.  Ps.  cxvi.  3,  "  The  sorrows 
of  death  compa.ssed  me,  and  the  pains  of 
hell  {hades,  or  sheol,  the  cords  or  pains  that 
were  binding  me  down  to  the  grave)  gal 
hold  on  me."  We  are  not  to  infer  from 
this  that  our  Lord  suffered  any  thing  after 
death.  It  means  simply  that  he  could  not 
be  held  by  the  grave,  but  that  God  loosed 
the  bonds  which  had  held  him  there,  ana 
that  he  now  set  him  free  w  ho  had  been 
encompa-ssed  by  these  pains  or  bonds,  until 
they  had  brought  him  down  to  the  grave 
Pain,  mighty  pain,  will  encompass  us  all 
like  the  constrictions  and  bindings  of  a 
cord  which  we  cannot  loose,  and  will 
fasten  our  limbs  and  Ixxlies  in  the  grave 
Those  bands  begin  to  be  thrown  around 
us  in  early  life,  and  they  are  drav\Ti  clo.ser 
and  closer,  until  we  lie  panting  under  the 
stricture  on  a  bed  of  pain,  and  then  are 
still  and  immoveable  in  the  grave;  sub- 
dued in  a  manner  not  a  little  resembling 
the  mortal  agonies  of  the  tiger  in  the  con- 
volutions of  the  boa  constrictor;  or  like 
Laocoon  and  his  sons  in  the  folds  of  the 
serpents  from  the  island  of  Tenedoa 
1l  II  was  not  ])0ssible.  This  does  not  refei 
to  any  nainral  impossibility,  or  to  any  in- 
herent cflkacy  or  iwwer  in  the  body  of 
Jesus  itself;  but  simply  means  that  in  the 
circumstances  of  the  case  such  an  evenl 
could  not  he.  U'Aj/  it  coulil  not  be,  he 
proceeds  at  once  to  show.  It  could  not 
be  consistently  with  the  promises  of  the 
Scrijitures.  Jesus  was  the  Prince  of  life 
(Acts  iii.  15),  and  had  life  in  himself  (John 
i.  4 ;  V.  26),  and  had  power  to  lay  dowii 
his  life,  and  to  take  it  again  (John  x.  18) ; 
and  it  wa.s  indispensable  that  he  shoidd 
rise.  He  came,  also,  that  through  death 
he  might  dcRtroy  liim  that  had  the  jwwer 
of  dcaih.  that  is,,  the  devil  (Hcb.  ii.  14); 
and  as  it  was  his  purix)se  to  pain  this  vie* 
tory,  ho  could  not  bo  defeated  in  it  by 
beini:  confined  to  the  grave. 

25—28.    For  David  sprahcth,  &c.  Thi« 
doctrine  vhat  the  Messiah  must  rise  from 


*..  D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  n. 


rs 


i^efore  ray  face ;  for  he  is  on  my 
fight  hand,  that  1  should  not  be 
moved  : 


the  dead,  Peter  pioceeds  to  prove  by  a 
quotation  from  the  Old  Testament.  This 
passage  is  taken  from  Psalm  xvi.  8 — 11. 
it  is  made  from  the  Greek  version  of  the 
Septuagint,  with  only  one  slight  and  un- 
important change.  Nor  is  there  any  ma- 
terial change,  as  will  be  seen,  from  the 
Hebrew.  In  what  sense  this  Psalm  can 
be  applied  to  Christ  will  be  seen  after  we 
have  examined  the  expressions  which 
Peter  alleges.  IF  I  foresaw  the  Lord.  This 
is  an  unhappy  translation.  To  foresee  the 
Lord  always"  before  us  conveys  no  idea, 
though  it  may  be  a  literal  translation  of 
the  passage.  The  word  ipeans  to  foresee, 
and  then  to  see  before  zis,  that  is,  as  pre- 
sent, with  us,  to  regard  as  being  near.  It 
thus  implies  to  put  confidence  in  one  ,•  to 
rely  on  him,  or  expect  assistdnce  from 
him.  This  is  its  meaning  here.  The  He- 
brew is,  I  expected,  or  waited  for.  It  thus 
expresses  the  petition  of  one  who  is  help- 
less and  dependent,  who  waits  for  help 
from  God.  It  is  often  thus  used  in  the  Old 
Testament.  IT  Always  before  my  face. 
As  being  always  present  to  help  me,  and 
to  deliver  me  out  of  all  my  troubles. 
V  He  is  on  my  right  hand.  To  be  at  hand 
is  to  be  near  to  afford  help.  The  right 
hand  is  mentioned  because  that  was  the 
place  of  dignity  and  honour.  And  David 
did  not  design  simply  to  say  that  he  was 
near  to  help  him,  but  that  he  had  the 
place  of  honour,  the  highest  place  in  his 
affections.  Ps.  cix.  31.  In  our  depend- 
ence on  God  we  should  exalt  him.  We 
should  not  merely  regard  him  as  our  help, 
but  should  at  the  same  time  give  him  the 
highest  place  in  our  affections.  T  That  I 
should  not  be  moved.  That  is,  that  no 
great  evil  or  calamity  should  happen  to 
me,  that  I  may  stand  firm.  The  phrase 
denotes  to  sink  into  calamities,  or  to  fall 
into  the  power  of  enemies.  Ps.  Ixii.  2.  6  ; 
xlvi.  6.  This  expresses  the  confidence  of 
one  who  is  in  danger  of  great  calamities 
and  who  puts  his  trust  in  the  help  of  God 
alone 

26.  Therefore  Peter  ascribes  these 
expressions  "to  the  Messiah.  The  reason 
why  he  would  exult  or  rejoice  was,  that 
he  woujd  be  preserved  amidst  the  sor- 
rows that  were  coming  on  him,  and  could 
look  forward  to  the  triumph  that  awaited 
him.  Thus  Paul  says  (Heb.  xii.  2),  that 
'Jesus . . .  .for  the  joy  that  was  set  before 
kim,  endured  the  cross,  despising  the 
ihame."  &c     And  throughout  the  New 


26  Therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice, 
and  my  tong-ue  was  glad  ;  moreover 
also  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope  : 

Testament,  the  shame  and  sorrow  of  His 
sufferings  were  regarded  as  cormected 
with  his  glory  and  his  triumph.  Lukfl 
xxiv.  26.  Phil.  ii.  6—9.  Eph.  i.  20,  21.  In 
this,  our  Saviour  has  left  us  an  example, 
that  Vve  should  walk  in  his  steps.  Th« 
prospect  of  future  glory  and  triumph 
should  sustain  us  amid  all  afPiictions,  and 
make  us  ready,  like  him,  to  lie  down  amid 
even  the  corruptions  of  the  grave.  ^  Did 
my  heart  rejoice.  In  the  Hebrew  this  is 
in  the  preserit  tense,  "  my  heart  rejoices." 
The  word  heart  here  expresses  the  person, 
and  is  the  same  as  saying  I  rejoice.  The 
Hebrew's  used  the  diflerent  members  to 
express  the  person.  And  thus  we  say, 
"  every  sotd  perished  ;  the  vessel  had 
forty  hands ;  wise  heads  do  not  think  so : 
hearts  of  steel  will  not  flinch,"  &c.  Frof. 
Stuart  on  the  xvith  Psalm.  The  meaning 
is,  because  God  is  near  me  in  time  of  ca- 
lamity, and  will  support  and  deliver  me 
I  will  not  be  agitated  or  fear,  but  wil^ 
exult  in  the  prospect  of  the  future,  in 
view  of  the  "joy  that  is  set  before  me." 
^  My  tongue  was  glad.  Hebrew,  My 
glory,  or  my  honour  exults.  The  word 
is  used  to  denote  majesty,  splendour,  dig- 
nity, honour.  It  is  also  used  to  express 
the  heart  or  soma,  either  flicause  that  ia 
the  chief  source  of  man's  dignity,  or  be- 
cause the  word  is  also  expressive  of  the 
liver,  regarded  by  the  Hebrews  as  the 
seat  of  the  affections.  Gen.  xlix.  6,  "  Unto 
their  assembly,  m,ine  honour,''  i.  e.  my 
soul,  or  myself  "  be  not  thou  united."  Ps 
Ivii.  8,  "  Awake  up,  my  glory,"  &c.     Ps, 

cviii.  1,  "I  wiU  sing even  W"ith  my 

glory."  This  word  the  Septuagint  trans- 
lated tongue.  The  Arabic  and  Latin  Vul- 
gate have  also  done  the  same.  Why  they 
thus  use  the  word  is  not  clear.  It  may 
be  because  the  tongue,  or  the  gift  of 
speech,  was  that  which  chiefly  contributes 
to  the  honour  of  man,  or  distinguishes  him 
from  the  brutal  creation.  The  word  glory 
is  flred  expressly  for  tongue  in  Ps.  xxx. 
12 ;  "  To  the  end  that  my  glory  may  sing 
praise  to  thee,  and  not  be  silent."  IT  More- 
over also.  Truly  ;  m  addition  to  this. 
IT  My  flesh.  My  body.  See  ver  31.  1  Cor 
V.  5.  It  means  here  properly  the  body 
separate  from  the  soul ;  the  dead  body. 
TT  Shall  rest.  Shall  rest  or  repose  m  the 
grave,  free  from  corruption.  ir  In  hope. 
In  confident  expectation  of  a  resurrecUon. 
The  Hebrew  word  rather  expresses  con- 
fidence th£^n  hope     The  passage  mean* 


44 


•ITK  ACTS. 


A.  D.  33 


27  Because  thou  wilt  not  leave 
my  soul  in  hell,  neither  wilt  thou 


My  body  will  I  commit  to  the  grave, 
^itn  a  confident  expectation  of  the  fu- 
ture, that  is,  with  a  firm  behef  that  it  will 
not  see  corruption,  but  will  be  raised  up.' 
It  thus  expresses  the  feelings  of  the  dying 
Messiah;  the  assured  confidence  which 
he  had  that  his  repose  in  the  grave  would 
not  be  long,  and  would  certainly  come  to 
an  end.  The  death  of  Christians  is  also 
in  the  New  Testament  represented  as  a 
sleep,  and  as  repose  (Acts  vii.  GO.  1  Cor. 
XV.  6.  18.  1  Thess.  iv.  13. 15.  2  Pet.  iii.  4); 
and  they  may  also,  after  the  example  of 
their  Lord,  commit  their  bodies  to  the 
dust,  in  hope.  They  shall  lie  in  the  grave 
under  the  assurance  of  a  happ^  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  though  their  bodies,  unlike  his, 
shall  moulder  to  their  native  dust,  yet  this 
corruptible  shall  put  on  incorruplion,  and 
this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality, 
i  Cor.  XV.  53. 

27.  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  sotd.  The 
word  soul,  with  us,  means  the  thinking, 
the  immortal  part  of  man,  and  is  applied 
to  it  whether  existing  in  connexion  with 
the  body,  or  whether  separate  from  it. 
I'he  Hebrew  word  translated  soul,  here, 
^CDJ,  naphshi,  however,  may  mean.  My 
spirit,  my  mind,  my  life ;  and  may  denote 
here  nothing  more  than  me,  or  myself. 
It  means,  pr(^rly,  breath;  then  life,  or 
the  vital  principle,  a  living  being;  then 
the  soul,  the  spirit,  the  thinking  part. 
Instances  where  it  is  put  l()r  the  indivi- 
dual himself,  meaning  "  me,"  or  "  myself," 
may  be  seen  in  Ps.  xi.  1  ;  xxxv.  3.  7.  Job 

x.  21.  There  is  no  clear  instance  in 
which  it  is  applied  to  the  soul  in  its  sepa- 
rate state,  or  disjoined  from  the  body.  In 
this  place  it  must  be  explained  in  jiart  by 
the  meaning  of  the  word  ML  If  that 
means  grave,  then  this  word  probably 
means  "me;"  thou  wilt  not  leave  me  in 
the  grave.  The  meaning  probably  is, 
'Thou  wilt  not  leave  me  in  Sheol,  nei- 
ther,' &c.  The  word  leave  here  means, 
•Thou  wilt  not  resign  me  to,  or  wilt  not 
give  mo  over  to  it,  trn  bo  held  und#  it.s 
pf.wer.'  In  hell.  «/;  -^'v.  The  word 
t-ell,  in  English,  now  commonly  denotes 
the  place  of  the  future  eternal  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked.  Tliis  sense  it  has 
ac(|uired  by  long  usage.  It  is  a  Saxon 
word,  derived  from  Ar/a/j,  to  cover;  and 
denotOH  lilorally,  a  covered  or  deep  place 
{Wrhsler);  tlicn  the  dark  and  dismal 
al)odo  of  doparlod  spirilH  ;  and  then  the 
place  of  tomieiU.  As  the  word  is  used 
nniD  bv  VIS.  it  bv  no  means  expresses  the 


suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  coi 
ruption. 

force  of  the  original ;  and  if  with  thit 
idea  we  read  a  passage  like  the  one  be 
fore  us,  it  would  convey  an  erroneous 
meiining  altogether;  although /orr«er/j 
the  luiglish  word  perhaps  expressed  no 
more  than  the  original.  The  Greek  word 
Hades  means  literally  a  place  devoid  of 
light;  a  dark,  obscure  abode;  and  in 
Greek  writers  was  applied  to  the  dark 
and  obscure  regions  where  disembodied 
spirits  were  supposed  to  dwell.  It  occurs 
but  eleven  times  in  the  New  Testament. 
In  this  place  it  is  the  translation  of  the 
Hebrew,  ^heol.  In  Rev.  xx.  13,  14,  it  is 
connected  with  rfea^A.  "And  death  and 
hell  (Hades)  d^vered  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  them.  "And  death  and  hell 
(Hades)  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire." 
See  also  Rev.  vi.  8.  i.  18,  "I  have  the 
keys  of  h«ll  and  of  death."  In  1  Cor.  xv 
55,  it  means  the  grave.  "O  grave  (Hades\ 
where  is  thy  victory  ?"  In  Alatt.  xi.  23,  it 
means  a  deep,  profound  place,  opposed  to 
an  exalted  one  ;  a  condition  of  calamity 
and  degradation  opposed  to  former  great 
prosperity.  "Thou,  Capernaum,  which 
art  exalted  to  heaven,  shalt  be  thrust 
down  to  helV  (Hades).  In  Luke  xvi.  23, 
it  is  applied  to  the  place  where  the  rich 
man  was  after  death,  in  a  state  of  punish- 
ment. "  In  hell  (Hades)  he  lifted  up  hia 
eyes,  being  in  tormerits."  In  this  place  it 
is  connected  with  the  idea  of  suffering; 
and  undoubtedly  denotes  a  place  of  pu 
nishment.  TheSeptuagint  has  used  this 
word  commonly  to  translate  the  word 
Sheol.  Once  it  is  used  as  a  translation  of 
the  phrase  "the  stones  of  the  pit"  (Isa. 
xiv.  i'J) ;  twice  to  express  silence,  particii 
larly  tlie  silence  of  the  grave  (Ps.  xciv. 
17 ;  cxv.  17) ;  once  to  express  the  Hebrew 
f<)r  "the  shadow  of  death"  (Job  xxxviii. 
17);  and  sixti/  times  to  translate  the  word 
Sheol.  It  is" remarkable  that  it  is  vevcr 
used  in  the  Old  Testament  to  denote  the 
word  kcber,  nap,  which  properly  denotes 
a  grave  or  sepulchre.  The  idea  which 
was  conveyed  by  the  word  Sheol,  or 
Hades,  was  not  projicrly  a  grave  or  sepid 
chrr,  but  that  dark,  iniknown  state,  ?«• 
chiding  the  grair,  which  conslitul.ed  tlie 
dominioiiH  of  the  dead.  What  idea  the 
Hebrews  had  of  the  future  world,  it  is 
now  difficult  to  explain,  and  is  not  neces- 
sary in  the  case  i)of()ro  us.  The  word 
originally  denoting  simivly  the  slate  of  the 
dea<I,the  insatiable  demands »yf  Ilie  grave, 
cnme  at  last  to  lie  extended  in  it3  mean- 
ing. Ill  pn)i)ortion  as  they  received  new 


A.  D.  3d.  i 


CHAPTER  ii. 


15 


revelations  or  formed  new  opinions  about 
the  future  world.  Perhaps  the  following 
may  be  the  process  of  thought  by  which 
the  word  came  to  have  the  peculiar 
meanings  which  it  is  found  to  have  in  the 
Old  Testament.  (1.)  The  word  deatli,  and 
the  grave  (^kiber),  would  express  the  abode 
of  a  deceased  body  in  the  earth.  (2.)  Man 
hfis  a  soul,  a  thinking  principle  ;  and  the 
inquiry  iiiust  arise,  w'hat  will  be  its  state  ? 
Will  it  die  also?  The  Hebrews  never 
appear  to  have  believed  that.  Will  it  as- 
cend to  heaven  at  once  i  On  that  subject 
they  had  at  first  no  knowledge.  Will  it 
go  at  once  to  a  place  of  torment  ?  Of  that 
also  they  had  no  information  at  first.  Yet 
they  supposed  it  would  live ;  and  tlie 
word  Sheol  expressed  just  this  state — the 
dark,  unknown  regions  of  the  dead ;  the 
abode  of  spirits,  whether  good  or  bad ; 
the  residence  of  departed  men,  whether 
fixed  in  a  permanent  habitation,  or  whe- 
ther wandering  about.  As  they  were 
ignorant  of  the  size  and  spherical  struc- 
ture of  the  earth,  they  seem  to  have  sup- 
posed this  region  to  be  situated  in  the 
earth,  far  below  us ;  and  hence  it  is  put 
in  opposition  to  heaven.  Ps.  cxxxix.  8, 
"  If  I  ascend  to  heaven,  thou  art  there  ; 
if  I  make  my  bed  in  hell  (Sheol),  thou  art 
there."  Amos  ix.  2.  The  most  com- 
mon meaning  of  the  word  is,  therefore,  to 
express  those  dark  regions,  the  lower  world, 
the  region  of  ghosts,  &c.  Iiostances  of 
this,  almost  without  number,  might  be 
given.  See  a  most  strildng  and  sublime 
instance  of  this  in  Isa.  xiv.  9.  "  Hell  from 
beneath  is  moved  to  meet  thee,"  &c. ; 
where  the  assembled  dead  are  repre- 
sented as  being  agitated  in  all  their  vast 
regions  at  the  death  of  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon. (3.)  The  inquiry  could  not  but  arise, 
whether  all  these  beings  were  happy  ? 
This  point  revelation  decided ;  and  it 
was  decided  in  the  Old  Testament.  Yet 
this  \vord  would  better  express  the  state 
of  the  wicked  dead,  than  the  righteous. 
It  conveyed  the  idea  of  darkness,  gloom, 
wandering ;  the  idea  of  a  sad  and  unfixed 
abode,  unlike  heaven.  Hence  the  word 
sometimes  expresses  the  idea  of  a  place 
of  punishment.  Ps.  ix.  17,  "  The  wicked 
shall  be  turned  into  hell,''  &c.  Prov.  xv. 
II;  xxiii.  14;  xxvii.  20.  Job  xxvi.  6.— 
While,  therefore,  the  word  does  not  mean 
properly  a  grave  or  a  sepulchre,  yet  it 
loes  mean  often  the  slate  of  the  dead, 
vithout  designating  whether  in  happi- 
ness or  wo,  but  implying  the  continued 
,«istence  of  the  soul.  In  this  sense  it  is 
ften  used  in  the  Old  Testament,  where 
^e  Hebrew  word  is  Sheol,  and  the  Greek 
Hades.    Gen  xxxvii.  35,  "  I  will  go  dovvio. 


into  the  grave,  unto  my  son,  mourning. 
I  will  go  downi  to  the  dead,  to  death,  ta 
ray  son,  still  there  existing,  xlii.  38 ;  xliv. 
29,  "  He  shall  bring  down  my  gray  hairs 
with  sorrow  to  the  grave."  Num.  xvi.  30 
33.  1  Kings  ii.  6.  9,  &c.  &c.  In  the  place 
before  us,  therefore,  the  meaning  is  sim 
ply,  thou  will,  not  leave  me  among  thk 
DEAD.  This  conveys  all  the  idea.  It  does 
not  mean  literally  the  grave  or  the  »epul 
chre ;  that  relates  only  to  the  body.  This 
expression  refers  to  the  deceased  Messiah 
Thou  wilt  not  leave  him  among  tlie  dead ; 
thou  wilt  raise  him  up.  It  is  from  thia 
passage,  perhaps,  aided  by  two  others 
(Rom.  X.  7,  and  1  Pet.  iii.  19),  that  the 
doctrine  originated,  that  Christ  "  descend- 
ed," as  it  is  expressed  in  the  creed,  "  hitc 
hell ;"  and  many  have  invented  strange 
opinions  about  his  going  among  lost  spi- 
rits. The  doctrine  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  has  been,  that  he  went  to  jjurga 
tory,  to  deliver  the  spirits  confined  there. 
But  if  the  interpretation  now  given  be 
correct,  then  it  will  follow,  (1.)  That  no- 
thing IS  affirmed  here  about  the  destina- 
tion of  the  human  soul  of  Christ  after  his 
death.  That  he  went  to  the  region  of  the 
dead  is  implied,  but  nothing  further.  (2.) 
It  may  be  remarked  that  the  Scriptures 
affirm  nothing  about  the  state  of  his  soul 
in  that  time  which  intervened  between 
his  death  and  resurrection.  The  only  in- 
timation which  occurs  on  the  subject  is 
such  as  to  leave  us  to  suppose  thai  he  was 
in  a  state  of  happiness.  To  the  dying 
thief  Jesus  said,  "  This  day  shalt  thou  be 
with  me  in  paradise."  Luke  xxiii.  43. 
When  Jesus  died  he  said,  "  It  is  fmished ;" 
and  he  doubtless  meant  by  that,  that  his 
sufferings  and  toils  for  man's  redemption 
were  at  an  end.  All  suppositions  of  any 
toils  or  pams  after  his  death  are  fables, 
and  without  the  slightest  warrant  in  the 
New  Testament,  'l^  Thine  holy  One.  The 
word  in  the  Hebrew  which  is  translated 
here  holy  one,  properly  denotes  one  who 
is  tenderly  and  piously  devoted  to  ano- 
ther ;  and  answers  to  the  expression  used 
in  the  New  Testament,  "  my  beloved  Son." 
It  is  also  used  as  it  is  here  by  the  Septua 
gint,  and  by  Peter,  to  denote  one  that  is 
holy,  that  is  set  apart  to  God.  In  this  senne 
it  is  applied  to  Christ,  either  as  being  set 
apart  to  this  oflice,  or  as  so  pure  as  to 
make  it  pioper  to  designate  him  by  w^ay 
of  eminence  the  holy  One,  or  the  holy  One 
of  God.  It  is  several  times  used  as  the 
well-known  designation  of  the  Messiah. 
Mark  i.  24,  "  I  know  thee,  who  thou  art, 
the  holy  One  of  God."  Luke  iv.  34.  Aft« 
iii.  14,  "But  ye  denied  the  hcly  One,  ann 
the  just,"  &f'.  See  also  Luke  •.  3r>,  "Thai 


J6 


VU\:   ACTS. 


[A    D.  a 


'2S  Thou  hast  made  known  to  me 
the  ways  of  life ;  thou  shalt  make 
me  full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance. 

29  Men  and  brethren,  '  let  me 

»  or,  I  may. 


holy  thing  that  is  born  of  thee  shall  be 
railed  the  Son  of  God."  II  To  see  corrup- 
tion. To  see  corruption  is  to  experience 
it,  to  be  made  partakers  of  it.  The  He- 
brews often  expressed  the  idea  of  experi- 
encing any  thing  by  the  use  of  words 
pertaining  to  the  senses ;  as,  to  taste  of 
death,  to  see  death,  &c.  Corruption  here 
means  putrefaction  in  the  grave.  The 
word  which  is  used  in  the  Psalm,  nnB', 
g/iahath,  is  thus  used  in  Job  xvii.  14,  "I 
have  said  to  corruption,  thou  art  my  fa- 
ther," &c.  The  Greek  word  thus  used 
projjerly  denotes  this.  Thus  it  is  used  in 
Acts  xiii.  34,  35,  3G,  37.  This  meaning 
would  be  properly  suggested  by  the  He- 
brew word ;  and  thus  the  ancient  ver- 
sions understood  it.  The  meaning  implied 
in  the  expression  is,  that  he  of  whom  the 
Psalm  was  written  should  be  restored  to 
life  again;  and  this  meaning  Peter  pro- 
ceeds to  show  that  the  words  must  have. 
28.  Thou  hast  made  known,  &c.  The 
Hebrew  is,  "  Thou  wilt  make  known  to 
ine,"  &c.  In  relation  to  the  Messiah,  it 
means.  Thou  wilt  restore  me  to  life. 
IT  The  vxiy  of  life.  This  properly  means 
the  path  to  life ;  as  we  say,  the  road  to 
preferment  or  honour;  X\\q  path  to  happi- 
ness ;  the  highway  to  ruin,  <ic.  See  Prov. 
vii.  26,  27.  It  means,  thou  wilt  make 
Known  to  me  life  itself,  i.  e.  thou  wilt 
restore  me  to  lifb.  Tlie  expressions  in 
the  Psalm  are  capable  of  this  interpreta- 
tion without  doing  any  violence  to  the 
text;  and  if  the  preceding  verses  refer  to 
the  death  and  burial  of  the  Messiah,  then 
the  natural  and  proper  meaniag  of  this  is, 
that  he  would  be  restored  to  life  again. 
IT  Thou  hast  made  me  full  of  joy.  This 
expresses  the  feelings  of  the  Messiah  in 
view  of  the  favour  that  would  thus  be 
showed  him ;  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  and  the  elevation  to  the  right  hand 
of  God.  It  was  this  which  is  represented 
us  sustaining  him — the  prosj)cct  of  the 
joy  that  was  bcflire  him,  in  heaven.  Hob. 
lii.  2.  K|)h.  i.  20—22.  IT  With  thjf  coun- 
tenance. Literally,  "  with  thy  face,"  that 
IB,  in  thy  presence.  The  words  cnnnte- 
nancc  and  jtresence  mean  the  same  thing; 
and  (IcikJo  favour,  or  the  honour  and 
haj»[»in('ss  [trovided  by  [ifiiig  admitted  to 
Jhe  |ircscnce  of  Goil.  'J'ho  prospect  of 
the  honour  that  would  Ik-  bestowed  on 
*4i9  IVie««iah,  wa»  that  which  f<u8tained 


freely  speak  unto  you  of  the  patri* 
arch  David,  that  he  is  both  dead 
and  buried,  and  his  sepulchre  is 
with  us  unto  this  day. 


him.  And  this  proves  that  the  person 
contemplated  in  the  Psalm  expected  to  be 
raised  from  the  dead,  and  exalted  to  the 
presence  oi Goil.  Tliat  expectation  is  new 
fulfilled ;  and  the  Messiah  is  now  filled 
with  joy  in  his  exaltation  to  the  throne  of 
the  universe.  He  has  "  ascended  to  his 
Father  and  our  Father;"  he  is  "seated 
at  the  right  hand  of  God ;"  he  has  entered 
on  that  "joy  w'hich  was  set  before  him  ;" 
he  is  "crowned  with  glory  and  honour;" 
and  "  all  things  are  put  under  his  feet." 
In  view  of  this,  we  may  remark,  (1.)  That 
the  Messiah  had  full  and  confident  ex- 
pectation that  he  would  rise  from  the 
dead.  This  the  Lord  Jesus  always 
evinced,  and  often  declared  it  to  his  dis- 
ciples. (2.)  If  the  Saviour  rejoiced  in 
view  of  the  glories  before  him,  we  should 
also.  We  should  anticipate  with  joy  an 
everlasting  dwelling  in  the  presence  of 
God,  and  the  high  honour  of  sitting  "  with 
him  on  his  throne,  as  he  overcame,  and  is 
set  down  with  the  Father  on  his  throne." 
(3.)  The  prospect  of  this  should  sustain 
us,  as  it  did  him,  in  the  midst  of  persecu- 
tion, calamity,  and  trials.  They  will  soon 
be  ended  ;  and  if  we  are  his  friends,  we 
shall  "overcome,"  as  he  did,  and  be  ad- 
mitted to  "  the  fulness  of  joy"  above,  and 
to  the  "right  hand"  of  God,  "where  are 
pleasures  for  evermore." 

29.  Men  and  brethren.  This  passage  of 
the  Psalms  Peter  now  proves  could  not 
relate  to  David,  but  must  have  reference 
to  the  Messiah.  He  begins  his  argument 
in  a  resjieclful  manner,  addressing  thera 
as  his  brethren,  though  they  had  just 
charged  him  and  the  others  with  intoxi- 
cation. Christians  should  use  the  usiia 
respectful  forms  of  salutation,  whateve 
contempt  and  reproaches  they  may  meet 
with  from  ojijwsers.  ir  Let  me  freely  s/k^ak. 
That  is,  'It  is  lawful  or  proper  to  s pea !• 
wilii  boldness,  or  openly,  respecting  Da 
vid.'  Though  ho  was  eminently  a  pioua 
man ;  tliough  venerated  by  us  all  as  a 
king  ;  vet  it  is  ])roper  to  say  of  han,  tnal 
he  is  (load,  and  has  returned  to  corrup 
lion.  Tins  was  a  delicate  way  of  expreK*. 
ing  high  respect  for  the  monarch  whom 
they  all  honoured;  and  yet  evincing  bold- 
ness in  examining  a  jmssage  of  Scripture 
which  proliiibly  many  t^up|iosrd  to  have 
rfforence  solely  to  him.  IT  Of  the  pa'ri 
arch  David    The  word  patriarch  pre  per' v 


A.  J).  33. 


CHAPTER  11. 


47 


30  Therefore  being  "  a  prophet, 
and  knowing  that  God  had  sworn  * 
with  an  oath  *=  to  him,  that  of  the 

a2Sa.23.2.        6  2,Sa.7.12,I3.  P8.132.ll         c  He.5.17. 


means  the  head  or  ruler  of  a  family  ;  and 
ihen  the  founder  of  a  family,  or  an  illus- 
trious ancestor.  It  was  commonly  applied 
to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  &c.  by  way 
of  eminence;  the  illustrious  founders  of  the 
Jewish  nation.  Heb.  vii.  4.  Acts  vii.  8,  9. 
It  was  also  applied  to  the  heads  of  the 
families,  or  the  chief  men  of  the  tribes  of 
Israel.  1  Chron.  xxiv.  31.  2  Chron.  xix.  8, 
&c.  It  was  thus  a  title  of  honour,  denot- 
ing high  respect.  Applied  to  David,  it 
means  that  he  was  the  illustrious  head  or 
founder  of  the  royal  family,  and  implies 
Peter's  intention  not  to  say  any  thing  dis- 
respectful of  such  a  king ;  at  the  same 
time  that  he  freely  canvassed  a  passage 
of  Scripture  which  had  been  supposed  to 
refer  to  him.  IT  Dead  and  buried.  The 
record  of  that  fact  they  had  in  the  Old 
Testament.  There  had  been  no  pretence 
that  he  had  risen,  and  therefore  the  Psalm 
©ould  not  apply  to  him.  IT  His  sepulchre 
is  with  us.  Is  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem. 
Sepulchres  were  commonly  situated  with- 
out the  walls  of  cities  and  the  limits  of 
villages.  The  custom  of  burying  in  towns 
was  not  commonly  practised.  This  was 
true  of  other  ancient  nations  as  well  as 
the  Hebrews,  and  is  still  in  eastern  coun- 
tries, except  in  the  case  of  kings  and 
very  distinguished  men,  whose  ashes  are 
permitted  to  repose  within  the  walls  of  a 
city.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  3,  "  Samuel  was  dead 
....  and  Israel ....  buried  him  in  Ramah, 
in  his  own  city."  2  Kings  xxi.  18,  "  Ma- 
nasseh . . . .  was  buried  in  the  garden  of 
his  own  house.''  2  Chron.  xvi.  14,  "  Asa 
was  buried  in  the  city  of  David."  2  Kings 
xiv.  20.  The  sepulchres  of  the  Hebrew 
kings  were  on  mount  Zion.  2  Chron.  xxi. 
20 ,  xxiv  25 ;  xxviii.  27 ;  xxxii.  33 ;  xxiv. 
16  2  Kings  xiv.  20.  David  was  buried 
in  the  city  of  David  (1  Kings  ii.  10),  with 
nis  fathers,  i.  e.  on  mount  Zion,  where  he 
built  a  city  called  after  his  name.  2  Sam. 
V .  7.  Of  what  form  the  tombs  of  the  kings 
weT'i  made  is  not  certainly  known.  It  is 
alni'jst  certain,  however,  that  they  would 
he  constructed  in  a  magnificent  manner. 
The  tombs  were  commonly  excavations 
fi^m  rocks,  or  natural  caves  ;  and  sepul- 
chres cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  of  vast  ex- 
tent, are  known  to  have  existed.  The 
tbllowing  account  of  the  tomb  called  "  the 
Bepulohre  of  the  kings,"  is  abridged  from 
Maundrell.  "  The  approach  is  through 
in  c-r.irance  cut  out  of  a  solid  rock,  which 


fruit  of  his  loins,  according  to  tha 
flesh,  he  would  raise  up  Christ  tu 
sit  on  his  throne  - 


admits  you  into  an  open  court  aliout  fortj 
paces  square,  cut  dcwn  into  the  rock.  On 
the  south  side  is  a  portiio  nine  paces  long 
and  four  broad,  hewn  li  tewise  out  of  the 
solid  rock.  At  the  end  of  the  portico  is 
the  descent  to  the  sepu  chres.  The  de 
scent  is  into  a  room  aboi.t  seven  or  eight 
yards  square,  cut  out  of  he  natural  rock 
From  this  room  there  a  e  passages  into 
six  more,  all  of  the  same  fibric  with  the^ 
first.  In  every  one  of  thes  ?  rooms,  except 
the  first,  were  coffins  placBd  in  niches  in 
the  sides  of  the  chamber  '  &:c.  (Maun- 
drell's  Travels,  p.  76.)  It  the  tombs  of 
the  kings  were  of  this  fo  m,  1t  is  clear 
that  they  were  works  of  gr^-at  labour  and 
expense.  Probably  also  there  were,  as 
there  are  now,  costly  and  splendid  monu- 
ments erected  to  the  mer.ory  of  the 
mighty  dead.  IF  Unto  this  day.  'That  the 
sepulchre  of  David  was  well  known  and 
honoured,  is  clear  from  Josephus.   A;Vii|. 

b.  vii.  c,  XV.  $  3.  "  He  (David)  was  buried 
by  his  son  Solomon  in  Jerusalem  with 
great  magnificence,  and  with  all  the  other 
funeral  pomps  with  which  kings  used 
to  be  buried.  Moreover,  he  had  im- 
mense w^ealth  buried  with  him:  for  a 
thousand  and  three  hundred  years  after- 
wards, Hyrcanus  the  high-priest,  when  ho 
was  besieged  by  Antiochus,  and  was  de- 
sirous of  giving  him  money  to  raise  the 
siege,  opened  one  room  of  David's  sepul- 
chre, and  took  out  three  thousand  talents 
Herod,  many  years  afterward,  opened  an 
other  room,  and  took  away  a  great  deal 
of  money,"  &c.     See  also  Antiq.  b.  xiii 

c.  viii.  $  4.  The  tomb  of  a  monarch  like 
David  would  be  well  known  and  had  in 
reverence.  Poter  m.ight,  then,  confidently 
appeal  to  their  own  belief  and  knowledge, 
that  David  had  not  been  raised  from  the 
dead.  No  Jew  believed  or  supposed  it. 
All,  by  their  care  of  his  sepulchre,  and 
by  the  honour  with  which  they  regarded 
his  grave,  believed  that  he  had  retumet* 
to  corruption.  The  Psalm,  therefor©, 
could  not  apply  to  him. 

30.  Therefore.  As  David  was  dead 
and  buried,  it  was  clear  that  he  could 
not  have  referred  to  himself  in  this  re- 
markable declaration.  It  followed  that 
he  must  have  had  reference  to  some 
other  one.  IT  Being  a  prophet.  One  who 
foretold  future  events.  That  Dav  id  wait 
inspired,  is  clear.  2  Sam.  xxiii.  2.  Many 
of  the  prophecies  relating  (o  the  Messiai 


iJ? 


THE  ACTS: 


!A.  JJ   ;J3. 


aic  found  m  the  Psalms  of  David.  Ps. 
xxii.  I.  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  46.  Luke  xxiv. 
44  — Ps.  xxii.  18.  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  35.— 
Ps.  Ixix.  21.  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii.  34.  48.— 
Ps.  Ixix.  25  Comp.  Acts  i.  20  ir  And 
knowing.  Knowing  by  what  God  had 
said  to  him  respecting  his  posterity. 
IT  Had  sworn  with  an  oath.  The  places 
which  speak  of  God  as  having  sworn  to 
David  arc  found  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  3,  4.  "I 
have  made  a  covenant  with  my  cliosen, 
[  have  sworn  unto  David  my  servant, 
Tiiy  seed  will  I  establish,"'  &c.  And  Ps. 
cxxxii.  11,  "The  Lord  hath  sworn  in  truth 
^^into  David,  he  will  not  turn  from  it.  Of 
the  fruit  of  thy  body  will  I  set  upon  my 
throne."  Ps.  Ixxxix.  35,  36.  The  promise 
to  which  reference  is  made  in  all  these 
places  is  in  2  Sam.  vii.  11 — 16.  IF  0/  the 
fruit  of  his  loins.  Of  his  descendants. 
See  2  Sam.  vii.  12.  Gen.  xxxv.  11 ;  xlvi. 
26.  1  Kings  viii.  19,  &c.  IT  According  to 
the  flesh.  That  is,  so  far  as  the  human 
nature  of  the  Messiah  was  concerned,  he 
would  be  descended  from  David.     Ex- 

firessions  like  these  are  very  remarkable, 
f  the  Messiah  was  only  a  man,  they 
would  be  unmeaning.  They  are  never 
used  in  relation  to  a  mere  man ;  and  they 
imply  that  the  speaker  or  writer  supposed 
that  there  pertained  to  the  Messiah  a  na- 
ture which  was  not  according  to  the 
flesh.  See  Rom.  i.  3,  4  IF  He  would  raise 
up  Christ.  I'hat  is,  the  Messiah.  To  raise 
up  seed,  or  descendants,  is  to  give  them 
to  him.  The  promises  made  to  David  in 
all  tlicse  |)laces  had  immediate  reference 
to  Solomon,  and  to  his  descendants.  But 
it  is  dear  that  the  New  Testament  wri- 
ters uiidcrslood  them  as  referring  to  the 
Messiah.  And  it  is  no  less  clear  that  the 
Jews  understood  that  the  Messiah  was  to 
be  descended  from  David.  Matt.  xii.  23  ; 
xxi.  9-;  xxii.  42.  45.  Mark  xi.  10.  John  vii. 
42,  <fcc.  In  what  way  these  promises  that 
were  made  to  David  were  understood  as 
applying  to  the  Messiah,  it  may  not  be 
easy  to  determine.  The  fact,  liowever, 
is  clear.  The  following  remarks  may 
throw  some  light  on  the  sul)joct.  The 
kingdom  which  was  promised  to  David 
was  to  have  no  end ;  it  was  to  be  esta- 
blished for  ever.  Yet  his  descendants 
died,  and  all  other  Idrigdoms  changed. 
The  j)romii-e  likewise  stood  Ini  itself;  it 
was  not  made  to  any  other  of  the  Jewish 
kings;  nor  were  similar  deciaralicjns  made 
of  surrounding  kingdoms  and  nations.  It 
eame,  therefi^ro,  gradually  to  lie  applied 
lo  that  fiiCjrc  King  and  kingdom  which 
was  the  hope  of  the  nation  ,  and  their 
I'yes  were  anxiously  fixed  on  the  long- 
exriecled  Messiah.     At   he  t:n\t)  that,  he 


came,  it  had  become  the  settled  doctnne 
of  the  Jews  that  he  was  to  descend  from 
David,  and  that  his  kingdom  was  to  be 
perpetual.  On  this  belief  of  the  prophecy 
the  aix)stles  argued  ;  and  the  opinions  of 
the  Jews  furnished  a  strong  point  by 
which  they  could  convince  them  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  Peter  affirms 
that  David  was  aware  of  this,  and  that  he 
so  understood  the  promise  as  referring  not 
only  to  Solomon,  but  in  a  far  more  im- 
portant sense  to  the  Mes,^iah.  Happily» 
we  have  a  commentary  of  David  himself 
also,  as  expressing  his  own  views  of  thai 
promise.  That  comment  is  Ibund  particu 
larly  in  the  iid,  xxiid,  Ixixth,  and  xvith 
Psalms.  In  these  Psalms  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  David  looked  forward  to  the 
coming  of  tlie  Messiah;  and  there  can 
be  as  little  that  he  regarded  the  promise 
made  to  him  as  extending  to  his  coming 
and  his  reign. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  there  are 
some  important  variations  in  the  manu 
scrij)ts  in  regard  to  this  verse.  The  ex 
pression  "according  to  the  fle-sh"  is  omi> 
led  in  many  MSS.  and  is  now  left  out  by 
Griesbach  in  his  New  Testament.  It  is 
omitted  also  by  the  ancient  Syriac  and 
Ethiopia  versions,  and  by  the  Latin  Vul- 
gate. IT  To  sit  on  his  throne.  To  be  his 
successor  in  his  kingdom.  Saul  was  the 
first  of  the  kings  of  Israel.  The  kingdom 
was  taken  away  from  him  and  his  poste- 
rity, and  conferred  on  David  and  his  de- 
scendants. It  was  determined  that  it 
should  be  continued  in  the  famihj  of  Da- 
vid, and  no  more  go  out  of  his  family,  as 
it  had  from  the  family  of  Saul.  The  pe- 
culiar characteristic  of  David  as  king,  oi 
that  which  distinguished  him  from  the 
other  kings  of  the  earth,  was,  that  hs 
reigned  over  the  people  of  God.  Israel 
was  his  chosen  people  ;  and  the  kingdom 
was  over  that  nation.  Hence  he  that 
should  reign  over  the  people  of  God, 
though  in  a  manner  somewnat  different 
from  David,  would  be  regarded  as  occu 
pying  his  throne,  and  as  being  his  succes 
sor.  The  form  of  the  administration  might 
be  varied,  but  it  would  still  retain  ita 
prime  characteristic,  as  being  a  reign 
over  the  people  of  God.  In  this  sense  tlie 
Messiah  sits  on  the  throne  of  Da-^id.  He 
is  his  descendant  and  successor.  He  has 
an  empire  over  all  the  friends  if  the  Most 
High.  And  as  that  kingdom  is  destined 
to  (ill  the  earth,  and  to  he  eternal  in  the 
heavens,  so  it  may  be  said  that  it  is  a 
kingdom  which  shall  have  no  end.  It  i8 
spiritual,  but  not  the  less  real;  defei«led 
not  with  carnal  weawns,  but  not  the  les^ 
really  defended  ;  advanced  not    bv  tho 


A.  U   33. 


CHAPTER  11. 


-19 


31  He,  seeing  this  before,  •  spake  I 
jt  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  that 
his  soul  was  not  left  in  hell,  neither 
his  flesh  did  see  corruption. 

32  This  *  Jesus  hath  God  raised 
up,  whereof  "^  we  all  are  witnesses. 

o  lPe.l.11,12.         iver.24.'        c  Lu.24.48 


sword  and  the  din  of  arms,  but  not  the 
less  really  advanced  against  principaUties 
and  powers,  and  spiritual  wickedness  in 
high  places ;  not  under  a  visible  head  and 
earthly  monarch,  but  yot  less  really  undei 
the  Captain  of  salvation,  and  the  King 
of  kings. 

31.  He,  seeing  this  before,  &c.  By  the 
spirit  of  prophecy.  From  this  it  appears 
that  David  had  distinct  views  of  the  great 
doctrines  pertaining  to  the  Messiah. 
IF  Spake,  &c.  See  Ps.  xvi.  IT  That  his 
noul,  &c.     See  Note  on  ver.  27. 

32.  This  Jesus.  Peter,  having  showTi 
that  it  was'  predicted  that  the  Messiah 
would  rise,  now  affirms  that  it  was  done 
in  the  case  of  Jesus.  If  it  was  a  matter 
of  prophecy,  all  objection  to  the  truth  of 
the  doctrine  was  taken  away,  and  the 
only  question  was,  whether  there  was 
evidence  that  this  had  been  done.  The 
proof  of  this  Peter  now  alleges,  and  offers 
his  ouTi  testimony,  and  that  of  his  bre- 
thren to  the  truth  of  this  great  and  glori- 
ous fact.  TT  We  all  are  witnesses.  It  seems 
probable  that  Peter  refers  here  to  the 
whole  one  hundred  and  twenty  who  were 
present,  and  who  were  ready  to  attest  it 
in  any  manner.  The  matter  which  was 
to  be  proved  was,  that  Jesus  was  seen 
alive  after  he  had  been  put  to  death. 
The  apostles  were  appomted  to  bear  wit- 
ness of  this.  And  we  are  told  by  Paul 
(1  Cor.  XV.  6),  that  he  was  seen  by  more 
than  five  hundred  brethren,  i.  e.  Chris- 
tiana, at  one  time.  The  hundred  and 
twenty  assembled  on  this  occasion  were 
doubtless  part  of  the  number,  and  were 
ready  to  attest  this.  This  was  the  proof 
that  Peter  alleged ;  and  the  strength  of 
this  proof  was,  and  should  have  been, 
perfectly  irresistible.  (1.)  They  had  seen 
him  themselves.  They  did  not  conjecture 
It,  or  reason  about  it ;  but  they  had  the 
evidence  on  which  men  act  every  day, 
and  Avhich  must  be  regarded  as  satisfac- 
tory— the  evidence  of  their  own  senses. 
(2.)  The  number  was  such  they  could  not 
be  imposed  on.  If  one  hundred  and 
twenty  persons  could  not  prove  a  plain 
matter  of  fact,  nothing  could  be  esta- 
blished by  testimony  ;  there  could  be  no 
W"uv  of  arriving  at  anv  facts.      S.)  The 

R 


33  Therefore, '^ being  by  the  right 
hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having '' 
received  of  the  Father  the  premise 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shod 
forth  this  f  which  ye  now  see  ana 
hear. 

d  c.5.31.  Pb.2.9.        e  Jn3.1€.T,13.  c.1.4,       /C-IO.IE 

Ep  4.8. 

thing  to  be  established  was  a  plain  mat 
ter.  It  was  not  tliat  thoy  saw  him  rise. 
That  they  never  pretended.  Impostors 
would  have  done  thus.  But  it  was  that 
thoy  saw  him,  talked,  walked,  ate,  drank 
with  him,  being  alive  after,  he  had  been 
crucified.  The  fa"*  of  his  death  was 
matter  of  Jewish  record;  and  no  one 
called  it  in  question.  The  only  fact  for 
Christianity  to  make  out  was  that  he  waa 
seen  alive  afterwards;  and  this  was  at- 
tested by  many  witnesses.  (4.)  They  had 
no  interest  in  deceiving  the  world  in  this 
thing.  There  was  no  prospect  of  plea 
sure,  wealth,  or  honour  in  doing  it.  (5.* 
They  offered  themselves  now  as  ready  to 
endure  any  sufferings,  or  to  die,  hi  attesta 
tion  of  the  truth  of  this  event. 

33.  Therefore,  being  by  the  rigid  hand. 
The  right  hand  among  the  Hebrews  was 
often  used  to  denote  power  ;  and  the  ex- 
pression here  means,  not  that  he  was  ex 
alted  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  but  by  his 
power.  He  was  raised  from  the  dead  by 
his  power,  and  borne  to  heaven,  triumph- 
ant over  all  his  enemies.  The  use  of  the 
word  right  hand  to  denote  power  is  com 
mon  in  the  Scriptures.  Job  xl.  14,  "  Thine 
own  right  hand  can  save  thee."  Ps.  xvii. 
7,  "  Thou  savest  by  thy  right  hand  them 
that  trust  in  thee."  Ps.  xviii.  35;  xx.  G; 
xxi.  8;  xliv.  3;  Ix.  5,  &c.  IT  Exalted.  Con- 
stituted King  and  Messiah  in  heaven. 
Raised  up  from  his  condition  of  humilia- 
tion to  the  glory  which  he  bad  with  the 
Father  before  the  world  was.  John  xvii. 
5.  And  having  received,  &c.  The  Holy 
Ghost  was  promised  to  the  disciples  be- 
fore his  death.  John  xiv.  26 ;  xv.  26 ;  xvi. 
13 — ]5.  It  vvas  expressly  declared,  (1.) 
That  the  Holy  Ghost  would  not  be  given 
except  the  Liord  Jesus  should  return  ta 
heaven  (John  xvi.  7)i  and  (2.)  That  this 
gift  was  in  the  power  of  the  Father,  and 
that  he  would  send  him.  John  xiv.  26; 
XV.  26.  This  promise  was  now  fulfilled, 
and  those  who  witnessed  the  extraordi 
nary  scene  before  them  could  not  doubt 
that  it  was  the  effect  of  divine  power 
IT  Hath  shed  forth  this,  &c.  This  power 
of  speaking  different  languages,  and  de 
daring  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  In  this 
way  Petep  accounts  for  the  remarkable 


«0 


THE  ACTS. 


3i  For  Uavid  is  not  ascended 
Into  the  heavens  :  but  he  saith  him- 
self, The  Lord  "  said  unto  my  Lord, 
iSit  Ihou  on  my  right  hand, 


o  r».110.1.  MaU.22.44. 


events  before  them.  It  could  not  be  pro- 
duced by  new  wine,  ver.  15.  It  was  ex- 
pressly loretold,  ver.  IG — 21.  It  was  pre- 
dicted that  Jesus  would  rise,  ver.  22 — 31. 
The  aix)stles  were  witnesses  that  he  had 
risen,  and  that  he  had  promised  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  should  descend  ;  and  the  ful- 
filment of  this  promise  was  a  rational  way 
'of  accounting  for  the  scene  before  them. 
It  was  unanswerable  ;  and  the  effect  on 
those  who  witnessed  it  was  surch  as  might 
be  expected. 

34,  35.  For  David  is  not  ascended  into 
tlie  heavens.  That  is,  David  has  not 
"jsen  Ih)m  the  dead,  and  ascended  to 
heaven.  This  further  shows  that  Ps.  xvi. 
could  not  refer  to  David,  but  must  refer 
to  the  Messiah.  Great  as  they  esteemed 
David,  and  much  as  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  apply  these  expressions  of  the 
Scripture  to  him,  yet  they  could  not  be 
applicable  to  him.  They  must  refer  to 
Borae  other  being;  and  especially  that 
passage  which  Peter  now  proceeds  to 
quote.  It  was  of  great  importance  to 
show  that  these  expressions  could  not  ap- 
ply to  David,  and  also  that  David  bore  tes^ 
timony  to  the  exalted  character  and  dig- 
nity of  the  Messiah.  Hence  Peter  hero 
adduces  David  himself  as  aflirming  tiiat 
the  Messiah  was  to  be  exalted  to  a  dig- 
nity far  above  his  own.  This  does  not 
afTirm  that  David  was  not  saved,  or  that 
his  spirit  had  not  ascended  to  heaven,  but 
that  he  had  not  been  exalted  in  the  hea- 
vens in  the  sense  in  which  Peter  was 
speaking  of  the  Messiah.  IT  But  he  saith 
hiim^elf.  Ps.  ex.  1.  IT  The  Lord.  The 
small  capitals  used  in  translating  the 
word  Lord  in  the  Bible,  denote  that  the 
original  word  is  Jthovah.  The  Hebrews 
regarded  this  as  \\ie  peculiar  name  of  God, 
a  name  incommunicable  to  any  other 
being.  It  is  not  applied  to  any  being  but 
God  in  the  Scriptures.  The  Jews  had 
such  a  reverence  for  it  that  they  never 
pronounced  it;  but  when  it  occurred  in 
the  Scriptures  they  pronounced  another 
name,  Adoui  Here  it  means,  Jehovah 
Raid,  &c.  ^  Mil  Lord.  This  is  a  differ- 
ent word  in  the  Hebrew:  it  is  Adoni. 
^3*1H.  It  jjroporly  is  apfilied  by  a  servant 
JO  his  master,  or  a  siilijrct  lo  his  sovereign, 
or  is  used  a.s  n  title  oi'  respect  by  an  infe- 
rior lo  a  superior.  It  means  here,  '  Jeho- 
vah said  to  him  whom  I,  David,  acknow- 


j_A.  L>.  33 
make   thy  foes 


thj 


35  Until   I 
footstool. 

36  Therefore  let  all  the  house 
of  Israel  know  assuredly,  that  <=  God 


ledge  to  be  my  superior  and  sovereign. 
Thus,  though  he  regarded  him  as  his  de 
scendant  according  to  the  flesh,  yet  he 
regarded  him  also  as  his  superior  ano 
Lord.  By  reference  to  this  passage  oui 
Saviour  confounded  the  Pharisees.  Matt 
xxu.  42 — 46.  That  tlie  passage  m  this 
Psalm  refers  to  the  Messiah  is  clear.  Ou. 
Saviour,  in  Matt.  xxii.  42,  expressly  ap- 
plied it  thus,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
show  that  this  was  the  well-understood 
doctrine  of  the  Jews.  See  ]\otes  on  Matt, 
xxii.  42,  &c. 

36.  Therefore,  let  all,  &c.  '  Convinced 
by  the  prophecies ;  by  our  testimony,  and 
by  the  remarkable  scene  exhibited  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost ;  let  all  be  convinced 
that  the  true  Messiah  has  come,  and  has 
been  exalted  to  heaven.'  tr  House  of  Is- 
rael. The  word  house  often  means  famili/; 
let  all  the  family  of  Israel,  i.  e.  all  the  na- 
tion of  the  Jews,  know  this.  IT  Know  as- 
suredly. Be  assured,  or  know  without 
any  hesitation,  or  possibility  of  mistake 
This  is  the  sum  of  his  argument,  or  his 
discourse.  He  had  established  the  pointa 
which  he  purposed  to  prove ;  and  he  now 
applies  it  to  his  hearers.  U  God  hath  made. 
God  hath  appointed,  or  constituted.  See 
ch.  V.  31.  IT  That  same  Jesus.  The  very 
person  who  had  suffered.  He  was  raised 
with  the  same  body,  and  had  the  same 
soul ;  was  the  same  being,  as  distinguished 
from  all  others.  So  Christians,  in  the  re- 
surrection, will  be  the  satne  beings  that 
they  were  before  they  died.  TT  ]Vhom  ye 
crucified.  See  ver,  23.  There  was  no- 
thing better  fitted  to  show  them  the  guilt 
of  having  done  this,  than  the  argument 
which  Peter  used.  He  showed  them  tliat 
God  had  sent  him;  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah ;  that  God  had  showed  his  love  fbj 
him,  in  raising  him  from  the  dead  The 
Son  of  God.  and  the  hope  of  their  nation, 
they  had  put  to  death.  He  was  not  an 
imjwstor;  nor  a  man  sowing  sedition; 
nor  a  blasphemer ;  but  the  Alessiah  of 
Cjod;  and  they  had  inihrued  their  haJirtn 
in  his  blood.— There  is  nothing  better  fI^ 
ted  to  make  sinners  f(>ar  and  tremble, 
than  to  i-liow  them  that  in  rejecting 
(-hrist,  they  iiiive  rejected  God;  in  refus- 
ing  to  serve  liim,  they  have  refuped  to 
serve  (Jod.  The  crime  of  sinnerh  lias  o 
double  malignity,  as  committed  ngaiuPt  o 
kinc  aixl  lovely "Sa\'our.  aiid  against  thu 


A.  D.  33.]  CHAPTER  11. 

hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom 
ye  have  crucified,  both  Lord  "  and 
Christ.  * 
37  Now  when  they  heard  tkis^ 

a  Jno.3.35,        6  Pi.2.2,6-S. 


51 


God  who  loved  him,  and  appointed  him 
to  save  men.  Comp.  eh.  iii.  14, 15.  IT  Both 
liO^d.  The  word  lord  properly  denotes 
proprietor  master,  or  sovereign.  Here  it 
moans  clearly  that  God  had  exalted  him 
to  be  the  king  so  long  expected  ;  and  that 
he  had  given  him  dominion  in  the  hea- 
vens ;  or  as  we  should  say,  ruler  of  all 
things.  The  extent  of  this  dominion  may 
be  seen  in  John  xvii.  2.  Eph.  i.  21,  &c. 
fn  the  exercise  of  this  office,  he  now  rules 
m  heaven  and  on  earth ;  and  will  yet 
come  to  judge  the  world.  This  truth  was 
particularly  fitted  to  excite  their  fear. 
They  had  rtTlirdered  their  Sovereign,  now 
shown  to  be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  in- 
trusted with  infinite  power.  They  had 
reason,  therefore,  to  fear  that  he  would 
come  forth  in  vengeance,  and  punish 
them  for  their  crimes.  Sinners,  in  oppos- 
ing the  Saviour,  are  at  war  with  their 
living  and  mighty  Sovereign  and  Lord. 
He  has  all  power ;  and  it  is  not.  safe  to 
contend  against  the  Judge  of  the  living 
and  the  dead.  IT  And  Christ.  Messiah. 
They  had  thus  crucified  the  hope  of  their 
nation;  imbrued  their  hands  in  the  blood 
of  him  to  whom  the  prophets  had  looked  ; 
and  put  to  death  that  Holy  One,  the  pros- 
pect of  whose  coming  had  sustained  the 
most  holy  men  of  the  world  in  affliction, 
and  cheered  them  when  they  looked  on 
to  future  years.  That  hope  of  their  fa- 
thers had  come,  and  they  had  put  him  to 
death ;  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  con- 
sciousness of  this,  that  a  sense  of  guilt, 
and  shame,  and  confusion,  should  over- 
whelm their  minds,  and  lead  them  to  ask 
in  deep  distress  what  they  should  do  ? 

37.  Now  when  they  heard  this.  When 
they  heard  this  declaration  of  Peter,  and 
this  proof  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah. 
There  was  no  fanaticism  in  his  discourse; 
it  was  cool,  close,  pungent  reasoning. 
He  proved  to  them  the  truth  of  what  he 
was  saying,  and  thus  prepared  the  way 
for  this  effect.  IT  They  were  pricked  in 
their  heart.  The  word  translated  were 
pricked,  KXTev\jyy,<r3iv,  is  not  used  else- 
where in  the  New  Testament.  It  pro- 
perly denotes  to  pierce  or  penetrate  with  a 
needle,  lancet,  or  sharp  instrument ;  and 
then  to  pierce  with  grief,  or  acute  pain  of 
any  kind.  It  answers  precisely  to  our 
word  compunction.  It  implies  also  the 
idea  of  sudden  as  well  as  acute  grief     In 


they  were  pricked  *  in  their  heart, 
and  said  unto  Peter  and  to  the  rest 
of  the  apostles.  Men  and  brethren, 
what  ^  sliall  we  do? 

c  Eze.7.16.  Zoc.12.10.        d  c.9.6;16.30. 

this  case  it  means  that  they  were  sud- 
denly and  deeply  affected  with  anguish 
and  alarm  at  what  Peter  had  said.  Tho 
causes  of  their  grief  may  have  been 
these :  (1.)  Their  sorrow  that  the  Messiah 
had  been  put  to  death  by  his  own  coun- 
trymen. (2.)  Their  deep  sense  of  guilt  in 
having  done  this.  There  would  be  min- 
gled here  a  remembrance  of  ingratitude, 
and  a  consciousness  that  they  had  been 
guilty  of  murder  of  the  most  aggravated 
and  horrid  kind,  that  of  having  killed 
their  own  Messiah.  (3.)  The  fear  of  his 
wrath.  He  was  still  alive,  exalted  to  be 
their  Lord,  and  intrusted  with  all  power. 
They  were'afraid  of  his  vengeance  ;  they 
w  ere  conscious  that  they  deserved  it ;  and 
they  supposed  that  they  were  exposed  to 
it.  (4.)  VVhat  they  had  done  could  not  be 
undone.  The  guilt  remained  ;  they  could 
not  wash  it  out.  They  had  imbrued  their 
hands  in  the  blood  of  innocence;  and  tho 
guilt  of  that  oppressed  their  souls.  Thi& 
expresses  the  usual  feelings  which  sin 
ners  have  when  they  are  convicted  of 
sin.  IT  Men  and  brethren.  This  was  an 
expression  denoting  affectionate  earnest 
ness.  Just  before  this  they  iTwcked  the 
disciples,  and  charged  them  with  being 
filled  with  new  wine.  ver.  13.  They 
now  treated  them  with  respect  and  con- 
fidence. The  views  which  sinners  have 
of  Christians  and  Christian  ministers  are 
greatly  changed  when  they  are  under 
conviction  for  sin.  Before  that,  they  may 
deride  and  oppose  them :  then,  they  are 
glad  to  be  taught  by  the  obscurest  Chris- 
tian ;  and  even  cling  to  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  as  if  he  could  save  them  by  his 
own  power.  T  What  shall  we  do  ?  VVhal 
shall  we  do  to  avoid  the  wrath  of  thi» 
crucified  and  exalted  Messiah?  They 
were  apprehensive  of  his  vengeance,  and 
they  wished  to  know  how  to  avoid  if 
Never  was  a  more  important  question 
asked  than  this.  It  is  the  question  which 
all  convicted  sinners  ask.  It  implies  an 
apprehension  of  danger;  a  sense  of  guilt, 
and  a  readiness  to  yield  the  will  to  the 
claims  of  God.  This  was  the  sarte  question 
asked  by  Paul  (Acts  ix.  6) ;  "  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  and  by  the 
jailer  (Acts  xvi.  30) ;  "  He. . . .  came  trem 
bling....  and  said.  Sirs,  what  must  t  dc 
to  be  saved  ?"'  The  state  of  mind  in  ttiis 
case— the  case  of  a  convicted  sinner — coD 


tl2 


THE  ACTiS. 


[A.  D-  3? 


eists  in.  (1.)  A  ccep  eence  cf  the  evil  of  the 
f.ast  life ;  rpinernhrance  of  a  lhou.saiul 
'-•riraes  perhaj^  before  forgotten ;  a  per- 
vading anj  deepening  conviction  that  the 
heart,  and  conversation,  and  li(e  has  been 
evil,  and  deserves  condemnation.  (2.)  Ap- 
prehension alx)ut  tlie  justice  of  G(id;  alarm 
when  the  mind  looks  upward  to  him,  or 
anward  to  the  day  of  death  and  judgment. 
'3.)  An  earnest  wish,  amounting  some- 
times to  agony,  to  be  delivered  from  this 
sense  of  condemnation,  and  this  appre- 
oension  of  the  future-  (4.)  A  readiness 
to  sacrifice  all  to  the  vvill  of  God,  to  sur- 
render the  governing  purpose  of  the 
mind,  and  to  do  what  he  requires.  In 
this  state  the  soul  is  prepared  to  receive 
the  offers  of  eternal  lift ;  and  when  the 
sinner  comes  to  this,  the  offers  of  mercy 
meet  his  case,  and  he  yields  himself  to 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  finds  peace. 

In  regaru  to  this  discours-e  yf  Peter,  and 
this  romarkable  result,  we  may  observe, 
(1.)  That  this  is  the  first  dijcourse  which 
was  preached  after  the  ascension  of 
Christ,  and  is  a  model  which  the  minis- 
ters of  religion  should  imitate.  (2.)  It  is 
a  clear  and  close  argument  There  is  no 
ranting,  no  declamation,  nothing  but  truth 
presented  in  a  clear  and  striking  manner. 
h  abounds  with  proof  of  his  main  point ; 
and  siipix>ses  that  his  hearers  were  ra- 
tional i)eings,  and  capable  of  being  influ- 
enced by  truth.  Ministers  have  no  right 
to  address  men  as  incapable  of  reason  and 
thought ;  nor  to  imagine  that  because  they 
are  speaking  on  religious  subjects,  that 
therefore  thev  are  at  liberty  to  speak  non- 
sense. (3.)  Though  these  were  eminent 
sinners,  and  had  added  to  the  crime  of 
murdering  the  Messiah  that  of  deriding 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  yet  Peter  reasoned  with  them 
<oolly,  and  endeavoured  to  convince  them 
of  their  guilt.  Men  Khould  be  treated  as 
endowed  with  reason,  and  as  capable  of 
seeing  the  force  and  beauty  of  the  groat 
truths  of  religion.  (4.)  The  arguments 
of  Peter  were  adapted  to  make  this  im- 
pression on  their  minds,  and -to  imjjrew 
thtm  deeply  with  the  sense  of  their  guilt. 
He  proved  to  them  that  thev  had  been 
guilty  of  putting  the  Me.ssiati  to  death  ; 
that  G(xl  had  raised  him  up;  aild  that 
they  were  now  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes 
whi(h  established  one  strong  prootofth(; 
Sriith  of  what  ho  was  sayirvg.  No  class 
jf  truths  could  have  been  ho  well  adapted 
to  make  an  impre.«sion  of  their  guilt  as 
these.  {•)■)  Conviction  for  sin  is  a  rational 
process  on  a  sinner's  mind.  It  is  the  pro- 
per stale  produced  by  n  view  of  the  jiast 
»(m<»      It  ifl  suffering  truth  to  make  an  ni>- 


j)ropnate  nnpression ;  suffermg  the  mind 
to  fuel  as  it  ought  to  feel.  The  man  who 
is  guilty,  ought  to  be  willing  to  see  and 
confess  it.  It  is  no  disgrace  to  confess  an 
error,  or  to  feel  deeply  when  we  know 
we  are  guilty.  Disgrace  consists  in  u  hy- 
pocritical desire  to  conceal  crune;  in  the 
pride  that  is  unwilling  to  uvovv  it;  in  tno 
Jabehdod  which  denies  it.  To  feel  it,  and 
to  acknowledge  it,  is  the  mark  of  an  open 
and  ingenuous  mind.  (6.)  These  earn* 
truths  are  adapted  still  to  produce  con 
viction  for  sin.  The  sinner's  ireatmeni . 
of  the  Messiah  should  produce  grief  ano 
alarm.  He  did  not  murder  him;  but  he 
has  rejected  him :  he  did  not  crown  hirr 
with  thorns;  but  he  has  despised  him 
he  did  not  insult  him  when  hanging  on 
the  cross;  but  he  has  a  thousand  times 
insulted  him  since :  he  did  not  pierce  iiis 
side  with  the  spear ;  but  he  has  pierced 
his  heart  by  rejecting  him,  and  contemn- 
ing his  mercy.  For  these  things  he  should 
weep.  In  the  Sa\iour'3  resurrection  he 
has  also  a  deep  interest.  He  rose  as  the 
pledge  that  we  may  rise :  and  when  the 
.'•inner  looks 'forward,  he  should  remem 
ber  that  he  must  meet  the  a.scended  Son 
of  God.  The  Saviour  reigns;  he  lives, 
Lord  of  all.  The  sinner's  deeds  now  are 
aimed  at  his  throne,  and  his  heart,  and  his 
crown.  All  his  crimes  are  seen  by  his 
Sovereign  ;  and  it  is  not  safe  to  mock  the 
Son  of  God  on  his  throne;  or  to  despi.se 
him  who  will  soon  come  to  judgment 
When  the  sinner  feels  these  truths,  he 
should  tremble,  and  cry  out,  What  shall  1 
do?  (7.)  We  see -here  hoto  the  Spirit  ope- 
rates in  producing  conviction  of  sin.  It  ier 
not  in  an  arbitrary  manner;  it  is  in  ac 
cordance  with  truth,  and  by  tiie  truth. 
Nor  have  we  a  right  to  expect  that  he 
will  convict  and  convert  men,  except  as 
the  truth  is  presented  to  their  fninds. 
They  who  desire  success  in  the  gospel 
should  present  clear,  striking,  and  im- 
pressive truth;  for  such  only  God  is  ac- 
customed to  bless.  (8.)  We  have  in  the 
conduct  of  Peter  and  the  other  apofitloH. 
a  striking  instance  of  the  jiower  of  the  gos- 
pel. Just  before,  Peter,  trembling  and 
afraid,  had  denied  h^  master  with  an 
oath.  Now,  in  the  presence  of  the  mur 
derers  of  the  Son  of  God,  he  boldly  charji 
cd  them  with  their  crime,  and  dared  thcit 
fiirv.  Just  befi)ro,  all  the  disciples  Pt 
sook  the  I^)rd  Jesus,  and  Jlod.  Now  in 
the  presence  of  his  nuirderers,  iliey  lified 
their  voice,  and  proclain'.ed  their  guilt  and 
danger,  even  in  the  city  where  he  had 
been  just  arraigned  and  rut  to  death 
What  eoL'ld  have  produced  this  chango 
but  the  power  of  (■i<vl '    And  is  thovo  not 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


53 


38  Then  Peter  said  unto  them, 
*  Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one 
cf  Tou  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 


o  Lu.24.47.  C.3. 


proof  here  that  a  religion  which  produces 
such  changes  came  from  heaven  ? 

38.  Tken  Peter  said  unlo  them.  Peter 
liad  been  the  chief  speaker,  though  others 
had  also  addressed  them.  He  now,  in 
ihe  name  of  all,  directed  the  multitude 
what  to  do.  IT  Repent  See  Note,  Matt, 
iii.  2  Repentance  implies  sorrow  for  sin 
as  committed  against  God,  with  a  purpose 
to  forsake  it.  It  is  not  merely  a  fear  of 
the  consequences,  or  of  the  wrath  of  God 
in  hell.  It  is  such  a  view  of  sin  as  evil 
in  itself,  as  to  lead  the  mind  to  hate  it  and 
forsake  it.  laying  aside  all  view  of  the 
punishment  of  sin,  the  true  penitent  hates 
t.  Even  if  sin  was  the  means  of  procur- 
.^ng  him  happiness ;  if  it  w'ould  promote  bis 
gratification,  and  be  unattended  w  ith  any 
future  punishment,  he  would  hate  it  and 
turn  from  it.  The  mere  fact  that  it  is 
evil.,  and  that  God  hates  it,  is  a  sufficient 
reason  why  those  who  are  truly  penitent 
should  hate  it  and  forsake  it.  False  re- 
pentance dreads  the  consequences  of  sin; 
true  repentance  dreads  sin  itself.  These 
persons  whom  Peter  addressed  had  been 
merely  alarmed ;  they  were  afraid  of 
wrath,  and  especially  of  the  wrath  of  the 
Messiah.  They  had  no  true  sense  of  sin 
as  an  evil,  but  were  simply  afraid  of 
punishment.  This  alarm  Peter  did  not 
regard  as  by  any  means  genuine  repent- 
ance. Such  conviction  for  sin  would 
soon  wear  off,  unless  repentance  became 
thorough  and  complete.  Hence  he  told 
them  to  repent,  to  turn  from  sin,  to  exer- 
cise sorrow  for  it  as  an  evil  and  bitter 
thing,  and  to  express  their  sorrow  in  the 
proper  manner.  We  may  learn  here, 
1.)  That  there  is  no  safety  in  mere  con- 
viction for  sin :  it  may  soon  pass  off,  and 
.eave  the  soul  as  thoughtless  as  before. 
(2.)  There  is  no  goodness  or  holiness  in 
mere  alarm  or  conviction.    The  devils 

tremble.     A  man  may  fear,  who  yet 

has  a  firm  purpose  to  do  evil  if  he  can 
do  it  with  impunity.  (3.)  Many  are  great- 
ly troubled  and  alarmed  who  yet  never 
repent.  There  is  no  situation  where  souls 
are  so  easily  deceived  as  here.  Alarm  is 
taken  for  repentance ;  trembling  for  godly 
eorrow ;  and  the  fear  of  wrath  is  taken  to 
be  the  true  fear  of  God.  (4.)  True  re- 
pentance is  the  only  thing  in  such  a  state 
of  mind  that  can  give  any  relief  An  in- 
genuous confession  of  sin,  a  solemn  pur- 
Gse  to  forsake  it,  and  a  tru3  haired  of  it, 
i:2 


for  the  remission  of  sins ,  aiid  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghoet. 


is  the  only  thing  that  can  give  the  raind 
true  composure.  Such  is  the  constitution 
of  the  mind,  that  nothing  else  will  furnish 
relief  But  the  moment  we  are  willing 
to  make  an  open  confession  of  guilt,  the 
mind  is  delivered  of  its  burden,  and  the 
convicted  soul  finds  peace.  Till  this  is 
done,  and  the  hold  on  sin  is  broken,  there 
can  be  no  peace.  (5.)  We  see  here  wha 
direction  is  to  be  given  to  a  convictec 
sinner.  We  are  not  to  direct  him  to  wait; 
nor  to  suppose  that  he  is  in  a  good  way ; 
nor  to  continue  to  seek ;  nor  to  call  him 
a  mourner ;  nor  to  take  sides  with  him,  as 
if  God  were  wrong  and  harsh;  nor  to 
tell  him  to  read,  and  search,  and  postpone 
the  subject  to  a  future  time.  We  are  to 
direct  him  to  repent ;  to  mourn  over  his 
sins,  and  to  forsake  them.  Religion  de- 
mands that  he  should  at  once  surrender 
himself  to  God  by  genuine  repentance  , 
by  confession  that  God  is  right,  and  that 
he'was  wrong;  and  by  a  fiim  purpose  to 
live  a  life  of  holiness.  II  Be  baptized. 
See  Note,  Matt.  hi.  6.  The  direction 
which  Christ  gave  to  his  apostles  was, 
that  they  should  baptize  all  who  believed 
Matt,  xxviii.  19.  Mark  xvi.  16.  The  Jews 
had  not  been  baptized  ;  and  a  baptism 
now  vvould  be  a  profession  of  the  religion 
of  Christ,  or  a  declaration  made  before 
the  world  that  they  embraced  Jesus  as 
their  Messiah.  It  was  equivalent  to  say 
ing  that  they  should  publicly  and  profess- 
edly embrace  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Sa 
viour.  The  gospel  requires  such  a  pro 
fession  ;  and  no  one  is  at  liberty  to  with 
hold  it.  And  a  similar  declaration  is  to 
be  made  to  all  who  are  inquiring  the  way 
to  life.  They  are  to  exercise  repentance ; 
and  then,  without  any  unnecessary  de- 
lay, to  evince  it  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel.  If  men  are  unwilling  to  profess 
religion,  they  have  none.  If  they  will 
not,  in  the  proper  way,  show  that  they  are 
truly  attached  to  Christ,  it  is  proof  that 
they  have  no  such  attachment.  Baptism 
is  the  application  of  water,  as  expressive 
of  the  need  of  purification,  and  as  emblem- 
atic of  the  influences  from  God  that  can 
alone  cleanse  the  soul.  It  is  also  a  form 
of  dedication  to  the  service  of  God.  H  In 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Not  mc,  but 
sv;.  The  usual  form  of  baptism  is  intc 
the  name  of  the  Father,  &c.  si;.  Here  it 
does  not  mean  to  be  baptized  by  the  au 
thority  of  Jesus  Christ.  r>"t  it  means  IG  b* 


54 


39  For  th  e  promise « is  unto  you, 
and  to  your  children,  and  ^  to  all 
a  Joel  2.28.    6  Ep.2.13.17. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  33. 

that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as 
the  Lord  our  God  shall  call. 


baptized  for  him  and  his  service  ;  to  be 
consecrated  in  this  way,  and  by  this  pub- 
lic profession,  to  him,  and  to  his  cause. 
The  ?ia>neoC  .}e?'as  Christ  means  the  same 
as  Jesus  CIn-ist  himself.  To  be  baptized 
to  his  navie  is  to  be  devoted  to  him.  The 
word  name  is  often  thus  used.  And  the 
profession  which  they  were  to  make 
amounted  to  this  :  a  confession  of  sins ;  a 
hearty  purpose  to  turn  from  them  ;  a  re- 
ci'ption  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  as 
their  Saviour ;  and  a  determination  to  be- 
come his  followers,  and  to  be  devoted  to 
his  service.  Thus  (1  Cor.  x.  2).  to  be 
baptizedunto  Moses  means  to  take  him  as 
the  leader  and  guide.  It  does  not  follow 
that  in  administering  the  ordinance  of 
baptism  they  used  only  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ.  It  is  much  more  probable  that 
they  used  the  form  prescribed  by  the  Sa- 
viour himself  (Matt,  xxviii.  19)  ;  though 
as  the  peculiar  mark  of  a  Christian  is  that 
he  receives  and  honours  Jesus  Christ, 
this  name  is  used  here  as  implying  the 
whole.  The  same  thing  occurs  in  Acts 
xix.  5.  ^  For  the  remission  oj  sins.  Not 
merely  the  sin  of  crucifying  the  Messiah, 
but  o'i  nil  sins.  There  is  nothing  in  bap- 
tism itself  ibat  can  wash  away  sin.  That 
can  be  done  only  by  the  pardoning  mercy 
of  God  through  the  atonement  of  Christ. 
But  baptism  is  expressive  of  a  willingness 
to  be  pardoned  in  that  way;  and  a  solemn 
declaration  of  our  conviction  that  there  is 
no  other  way  of  remission.  He  who  comes 
to  be  baptized,  comes  with  a  professed 
conviction  that  he  is  a  sinner,  that  there 
is  no  other  way  of  mercy  but  in  the  gos- 
pel, and  with  a  professed  willingness  to 
comidy  with  the  terms  of  salvation,  and 
receive  it  as  it  is  offered  through  Jesus 
Christ.  ^  And  7/e  shall  receive,  ice.  The 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  here  does  not  mean 
his  extraordinary  gifts,  or  the  power  of 
working  miracles.  But  it  simply  means, 
you  shall  partake  of  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Gho.st  as  far  as  they  may  be  adapted 
to  your  case,  as  far  as  may  be  needful  for 
your  comfort,  and  peace,  and  sanctifica- 
lion.  There  is  no  evidence  that  they 
were  all  end<)\v(;d  with  the  power  of 
working  miracles :  nor  does  the  connex- 
ion of  the  pasHUL'c  rofiuire  us  thus  to  un- 
derstand It.  Nor  docs  it  mean  that  they 
had  not  been  awakcuied  by  his  injlitences. 
All  true  conviction  is  from  him.  Johnxvi. 
8-10.  But  it  is  also  the  oilice  of  the  Spi- 
rit to  comfort,  to  enlighten,  to  give  peace, 


and  thus  to  give  evidence  that  the  soul  is 
born  again.  To  this,  probably,  Peter  re- 
fers; and  tliis  all  who  are  born  again,  and 
profess  faith  in  Christ,  possess.  There  ii 
peace,  calmness,  joy;  there  is  evidence  of 
piety,  and  that  evidence  is  the  product 
of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit.  "  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,"  &c. 
Gal.  V.  22.  2i. 

39.  For  the  promise.  That  is,  the  pro- 
mise respecting  the  particular  thing  of 
which  he  was  speaking — the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  promise  he  had 
adduced  in  the  beginning  of  his  discourse 
(ver.  17),  and  he  now  applies  it  to  them. 
As  the  Spirit  was  promised  to  descend 
on  Jews  and  their  sons  and  daughters, 
it  was  applicable  to  them  in  the  circum- 
stances in  which  they  then  were.  The 
only  hope  of  lost  sinners  is  in  the  promises 
of  God;  and  the  only  thing  that  can  give 
comfort  to  a  sCul  that  is  convicted  of  sin 
is  the  hope  that  God  will  pardon  and  save. 
IF  To  yon.  To  you  Jews,  even  though 
you  have  crucilied  the  Messiah.  The 
promise  had  especial  reference  to  tho 
Jewish  people.  11  To  your  children.  In 
Joel,  to  their  sons  and  daughters,  who 
should,  nevertheless,  be  old  enough  to 
prophesy.  Similar  promises  occur  in  Isa. 
xliv.  .3,  "  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  on  thy  seed, 
and  my  blessing  on  thine  offspring,"  and 
Isa.  lix.  21.  In  these  and  similar  places, 
their  descendants  or  posterity  are  denoted. 
It  does  not  refer  to  children  as  children, 
and  should  not  be  adduced  to  establish 
the  propriety  of  infant  baptism,  or  as  ap- 
plicable particularly  to  infants.  It  is  a 
promise,  indeed,  to  parents  that  the  bless- 
ings of  salvation  shall  not  be  confined  to 
parents,  but  shall  be  extended  also  to 
their  posterity.  Under  this  jjromise  pa- 
rents may  be  encouraged  to  train  up  their 
children  for  God ;  to  devote  them  to  his 
service  ;  believing  that  it  is  the  gracious 
purpose  of  God  to  perpetuate  the  bless- 
ings of  salvation  from  age  to  age.  U  To 
all.  To  the  whole  race ;  not  limited  to 
Jews.  ^  Afar  off.  To  those  in  other 
lands.  It  is  probable  that  Pcler  here  re- 
ferred  lo  the  Jews  who  were  scattered  in 
other  nations  ;  for  he  does  not  seem  yet 
to  have  understood  that  the  gospel  wa« 
to  be  preached  to  tho  Gentiles.  Sec  ch.  x. 
Yet  the  promi.<o  was  ecpially  applicable 
to  the  Gentiles  as  the  Jews  ;  and  the  apos- 
tleswereafterwardsbrought  to  understand 
it.    Actsx.    llom.  X.  12. 14— 20;  xi.    Tb* 


A.  D.  33. J 

40  And  with  many  olhei  words 
did  he  testify  and  exhort,  saying, 


CHAPTER  IL  f,6 

Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward 
generation. 


Gentiles  are  sometimes  clearly  indicated 
Dy  the  expression  "afar  ctT,"  (Eph.  ii.  13. 
] i) ;  and  they  are  represented  as  ha,  ing 
been  brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 
The  phrase  is  equally  applicable  to  those 
u'ho  have  been  far  off  from  God  by  their 
sins  and  their  evU  affections.  To  them 
tlso  the  promise  is  extended  if  they  will 
return.  IT  Even  as  many,  &c.  The  pro- 
mise is  not  to  those  who  do  not  hear  the 
pfospel,  nor  to  those  who  do  not  obey  it  ; 
but  it  is  to  those  to  whom  God  in  his  gra- 
cious providence  shall  send  it.  He  has 
the  power  and  right  to  pardon.  The 
meaning  of  Peter  is,  that  the  promisa  is 
ample,  full,  free ;  that  it  is  fitted  to  all,  and 
may  be  applied  to  all ;  that  there  is  no  de- 
fect or  want  in  the  provisions  or  promises; 
but  that  God  may  extend  it  to  whomso- 
ever he  pleases.  We  see  here  how  ample 
and  full  are  the  offers  of  mercy.  God  is 
not  limited  in  the  provisions  of  his  grace ; 
but  the  plan  is  applicable  to  all  mankind. 
It  is  also  the  purpose  of  God  to  send  it  to 
all  men ;  and  he  has  given  a  solemn 
charge  to  his  church  to  do  it.  We  cannot 
^  reflect  but  with  deep  pain  on  the  fact  that 
iP^'these  provisions  have  been  made,  fully 
made;  that  they  are  adapted  toallmen;  and 
yet  that  by  his  people  they  have  been  ex- 
tended to  so  small  a  portion  of  the  human 
family.  If  the  promise  of  life  is  to  all,  it  is 
the  duty  of  the  church  to  send  to  all  the 
message  of  eternal  mercy. 

40.  Many  other  words.  This  discourse, 
though  one  of  the  longest  in  the  New 
Testament,  is  but  an  outline.  It  contains, 
however,  "the  substance  of  the  plan  of 
mercy ;  and  is  admirably  arranged  to  ob- 
tain its  object.  IT  Testify.  Bear  witness  to. 
He  bore  witness  to  the  promises  of  Chris- 
tianity, to  the  truths  pertaining  to  the 
danger  of  sinners ;  and  to  the  truth  re- 
specting the  character  of  th&t  generation. 
If  Exhort.  Ho  entreated  them  by  argu- 
ments and  promises.  IT  Save  yourselves. 
This  expression  here  denotes,  preserve 
yourselves  from  the  influence,  opinions, 
and  fate,  of  this  generation.  It  implies  | 
that  they  were  to  use  diligence  and  effort 
to  deliver  themselves.  God  deals  with 
men  as  free  agents.  He  calls  upon  them 
to  put  forth  their  own  power  and  effort  to 
be  saved.  Unless  men  put  forth  their 
own  strength  and  exertion,  they  will  ne- 
ver i/i  saved.  When  they  are  saved, 
^ey  will  ascribe  to  God  the  praise  for 
h;iving  inclined  them  to  seek  him,  p.nd 
hr  the  grace  wl'^^'eby  they  are  saved 


IT  This  generation.  This  age  or  race  of 
men,  the  Jews  then  living^  They  were 
not  to  apprehend  danger  from  them  from 
which  they  were  to  deUver  themselves, 
but  they  were  to  apprehend  danger  froir. 
being  with  them,  united  in  their  plans 
designs,  and  feelings.  From  the  influence 
of  their  opinions,  &c.  they  were  to  escape^. 
That  generation  was  signally  corrupt  and 
wicked.  See  Matt,  xxiii.  xii.  39;  xvi.  ^> 
Mark  viii.  38.  They  had  crucified  the 
Messiah ;  and  they  were  for  their  sins 
soon  to  be  destroyed,  IF  Untoward.  "  Pn 
verse,  refractory,  not  easily  guided  or 
taught."  (Webster.)  The  same  characte. 
our  Saviour  had  given  of  that  generaticr- 
in  Matt.  xi.  16—19.  This  character  th?y 
had  shov\-n  uniformly.  They  were  smooth 
cunning,  plausible;  but  they  were  cor- 
rupt in  principle,  and  wicked  in  conduct 
The  Pharisees  had  a  vast  hold  on  the 
people.  To  break  away  from  then,  was 
to  set  at  defiance  all  their  power  and  doc 
trines  ;  to  alienate  themselves  from  tneir 
teachers  and  friends ;  to  brave  the  power 
of  those  in  office,  and  those  who  had  long 
claimed  the  right  of  teaching  and  guiding 
the  nation.  The  chief  danger  of  those 
who  were  now  awakened  was  from  this 
generation;  that  they  would  deride,  or 
denounce,  or  persecute  them,  and  induce 
them  to  abandon  their  seriousness,  and 
turn  back  to  their  sins.  And  hence  Peter 
exhorted  them  at  once  to  break  off  from 
them,  and  give  themselves  to  Christ.  We 
may  hence  learn,  (1.)  That  if  sinners  will 
be  saved  they  must  make  an  effort.  There 
is  no  promise  to  any  unless  they  will  exert 
themselves.  (2.)  The  principal  danger 
which  besets  those  who  are  awakened 
arises  from  tneir  former  companions. 
They  are  often  wicked,  cunning,  rich 
and  mighty.  They  may  be  their  kindred, 
and  will  seek  to  drive  off  their  serioua 
impressions  by  derision,  or  argument,  or 
persecution.  "They  have  a  mighty  hold 
on  the  affections ;  and  they  will  seek  to 
use  it  to  prevent  those  who  are  awakened 
from  becoming  Christians.  (3.)  Those  who 
are  awakened  should  resolve  at  once  to 
break  off  from  their  evil  companions,  and 
unite  themselves  to  Christ  and  his  people. 
There  may  be  no  other  way  in  which 
this  can  be  done  than  by  resolving  to  for- 
sake the  society  of  those  who  are  infidels, 
and  scoffers,  and  profane.  They  should 
forsake  the  world,  and  give  themselves 
up  to  God,  and  resolve  to  have  only  sc 
much  intercourse  with  the  world  as  may 


5(5 


THE  ACTS. 


[A   D.  33 


41  I  hen  they  that  gladly  receiv- 
ed hie  word  were  baptized :  and 
the  same  day  there  were  added  tmto 
Iher.i  about  three  thousand  souls. 


be  required  b/  duty,  and  as  may  be  con- 
sistent with  a  supreme  purpose  to  Uve  to 
the  honour  of  God. 

41.  Tliey  that  gladlij  received.  The  word 
rendered  gladly  means  freely,  cheerfully, 
joyfully.  It  implies  that  they  did  it  with- 
out compulsion,  and  with  joy.  Religion 
is  not  compulsion.  They  who  become 
Christians  do  it  cheerfully;  and  do  it  re- 
joicing in  the  privilege  of  becoming  re- 
conciled to  God  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Though  so  many  received  his  word  and 
were  baptized,  yet  it  is  implied  that  there 
were  others  who  did  not.  It  is  probable 
tliat  there  were  multitudes  assembled  who 
were  alarmed,  but  who  did  not  receive 
the  word  with  joy.  In  all  revivals  there 
are  many  who  become  alarmed,  who  are 
anxious  about  their  souls,  but  who  refuse 
the  gospel,  and  again  become  thoughtless, 
and  are  ruined.  IT  His  word.  The  mes- 
sage which  Peter  had  spokon  respecting 
the  pardon  of  sins  through  Jesus  Christ, 
f  Were  baptized.  That  is,  those  who  pro- 
fessed a  readiness  to  embrace  the  otlers 
of  salvation.  The  narrative  plainly  im- 
plies that  this  was  done  the  same  day. 
I'heir  conversion  was  instantaneous.  The 
demand  on  them  was  to  yield  themselves 
at  once  to  God.  And  their  profession  was 
made,  and  the  ordinance  which  sealed 
their  profession  administered  without  de- 
lay. IT  And  the  same  day.  The  discourse 
of  Peter  commenced  at  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  ver.  15.  How  long  it  con- 
tinued it  is  not  said ;  but  the  ceremony 
of  admitting  them  to  the  chTirch  and  of 
bajitizing  them  was  evidently  performed 
on  the  .same  day.  The  mode  in  which 
this  is  done  is  not  mentioned ;  but  it  is 
highly  improbable  that  in  the  midst  of  the 
city  of  Jerusalem  three  thousand  persons 
were  wholly  immersed  in  one  day.  The 
whole  narrative  supposes  that  it  was  all 
done  ill  the  city ;  and  yet  there  is  no  pro- 
bability that  there  were  conveniences 
there  lor  immersing  so  many  persons  in  a 
uingle  day.  Hesidee,  in  the  ordinary  way 
of  administering  baptism  by  immersion,  it 
IH  difficult  to  conceive  that  so  many  per- 
ftms  could  have  been  immersed  in  so 
»hort  a  time.  There  >«,  indeed,  here  no 
\)OfM\.i\c  proof  \\\n.\  they  were  not  immers- 
ed ;  but  the  narrative  is  one  of  those  in- 
cidental circiimslanres  often  much  more 
iatisfactory  than  phihilogical  discussion, 


42  And  <*  they  continued  stead* 
fastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and 
fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread, 
and  in  prayers. 


a  lCor.11.2.  He.10.25. 


that  show  the  extreme  improbability  that 
all  this  was  done  by  wholly  immersing 
them  in  water.  It  may  be  further  re- 
marked that  here  is  an  example  of  ver)' 
quick  admission  to  the  church.  It  was 
the  first  great  work  of  grace  under  the 
gospel.  It  was  the  model  of  all  revivals 
of  religion.  And  it  was  doubtless  intend- 
ed that  this  should  be  a  specimen  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  ministers  of  religion 
should  conduct  in  regard  to  admissions  to 
the  Christian  church.  Prudence  i6  indeed 
required;  but  this  exanaple  furnishes  no 
warrant  for  advising  persons  who  profess 
their  willingness  to  obey  Jesus  Christ,  to 
delay  uniting  with  the  church.  If  per- 
sons give  evidence  of  piety,  of  true  haired 
of  sin,  and  of  attachment  to  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, they  shouM  unite  themselves  to  his 
people  without  delay.  H  There  were  added. 
To  the  company  of  disciples,  or  to  the  Ibl 
lowers  of  Christ.  ^  Soids.  Persons.  Comp. 
1  Pet.  iii.  20.  Gen.  xii.  5.  It  is  not  affirmed 
that  all  t'  :■;  took  place  in  one  part  of  Je- 
rutiulem,  wr  that  it  was  all  done  at  once  J 
but  it  is  probable  that  this  was  what  was 
afterwards  ascertained  to  be  the  fruit  of 
this  diiy's  labour,  the  result  of  this  revi- 
val of  religion.  This  was  the  first  effusion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  under  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel ;  and  it  shows  that  such  scenes 
are  to  be  expected  in  the  church,  and  that 
the  gospel  is  fitted  to  work  a  rapid  and 
mighty  change  in  the  hearts  of  men. 

42.  A7)d  they  coiitinued  stead facily. 
They  persevered  in,  or  they  adhered  to. 
This  is  the  inspired  record  of  the  result. 
That  any  of  these  apostatized  is  nowhere 
recorded,  and  is  not  to  be  presumed. 
Though  they  had  been  suddenly  con- 
verted, though  suddenly  admitted  to  the 
church,  though  exposed  to  much  perse- 
cution and  contempt,  and  many  trials, 
yet  the  record  is  that  they  adhered  to 
the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the  Christian 
religion.  The  word  rendered  cnntinited 
steadfastly,  rr^txry-ueT-eovvTi;,  means  at- 
tending one,  remaining  by  his  sid?, 
not  leaving  or  forsaking  him.  If  7'Afl 
aposllis'  doctrine.  This  does  not  mean 
tliat  they  held  or  believed  the  dortrinea 
of  the  a|)ostlcs,  though  that  wns  true;  but 
it  means  that  theyndhered  to,  orattuiided 
on,  their  teaching  or  instruction.  TlkC  word 
doctrine  has  now  a  technical  sense,  and 
nr'jans  a  collection  and  urrangcinerii  j* 


A  D   33.]  (J H AFTER  II. 


43  And  fear  caiiie  upon  every 
soul  :  and  many  "  wonders  and 
signs  were  done  by  the  apostles. 

•  Mar.  IS.  17 

attftract  views  supposed  trc  be  contained 
in  the  liible.  In  the  Scriptures  the  word 
moans  simply  teaddng ;  and  the  expres 
eifkn  here  denotes  that  they  continued  to 
attend  on  tneir  inslructions.  On  i  evidence 
■)f  conversion  is  a  desire  to  be  instructed 
xi  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  religiou, 
and  a  willingness  to  attend  on  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.  %  And  fellowship.  The 
word  rendered  fellowship,  xofcci/Za,  is  often 
rendered  communion.  It  properly  denotes 
having  things  in  common,  or  participation, 
society,  friendship.  It  may  apply  to  any 
thing  which  may  be  possessed  in  oom- 
mcn,  or  in  which  all  may  partake.  Thus 
all  Christians  have  the  sam.e  hope  of  hea- 
ven ;  the  same  joys;  the  same  hatred  of 
sin ;  the  same  enemies  to  contend  with. 
Thus  they  have  the  same  subjects  of  con- 
versation, of  feeling,  and  of  prayer;  or 
they  have  communion  in  these  things. 
An9  thus  the  early  Christians  had  their 
property  in  common.  The  word  here 
may  apply  to  either  or  to  all,  to  their  con- 
versation, their  prayers,  their  dangers,  or 
their  property ;  and  means  that  they  were 
united  to  the  apostles,  and  participated 
with  them  in  whatever  befel  them.  It 
may  be  added  that  the  effect  of  a  revival 
of  religion  is  to  unite  Christians  more  and 
more,  and  to  bring  those  who  were  before 
^epajated  to  union  and  love.  Christians 
feel  that  they  are  a  band  of  brethren,  and 
that  however  much  they  were  separated 
before  they  became  Christians,  now  they 
nave  great  and  important  interests  in  com- 
mon; united  in  feelings,  in  interest,  in 
dangers,  in  conflicts,  in  opinions,  and  in 
the  hopes  of  a  blessed  immortality. 
IF  Breaking  of  bread.  The  Syriac  ren- 
ders this  nhe  eucharist,'  or  the  Lord's 
supper.  It  cannot,  however,  be  deter- 
mined whether  this  refers  to  their  par- 
taking of  their  ordinary  food  together;  or 
to  feasts  of  charity  ;  or  to  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. The  bread  of  the  Hebrews  was 
made  commonly  into  cakes,  thin,  hard  and 
brittle,  so  that  it  was  broken  instead  of 
being  CLt.  Hence,  to  denote  intimacy  or 
iHendship,  the  phrase  to  break  bread  toge- 
ther would  be  very  expressive,  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Greeks  denoted  it  by 
drinking  together,  cruy.;r'>iov.  From  the 
expression  used  in  ver.  44,  cnmp.  with 
ver.  46,  that  they  had  all  things  common, 
it  would  rather  seem  to  be  implied  that 
this,  referred  to  the  participation  of  their  j 


s; 


44  And  all  tnat  believed  v.  ere 
together,  and  *  had  all  thincrs  com- 
mon ; 

b  c.4.32,34. 

ordinary  meals.  The  action  of  breaking 
bread  was  commonly  perfcnned  by  the 
master  or  head  of  a  family,  immediately 
after  asking  a  blessing.  {Lightfoot.)  H  In 
prayers.  This  was  one  ejfect  of  the  infiu 
ence  of  the  Spirit,  and  an  evidence  of 
their  change.  A  genuine  revival  will  be 
always  followed  by  a  love  of  prayer. 

43.  And  fear  came.  That  is,  there  was 
great  reverence  or  awe.  The  multitude 
had  just  before  derided  thorn  (ver.  13); 
but  so  striking  and  manifest  Avas  the 
power  of  God  on  this  occasion,  that  it 
silenced  all  clamours,  and  produced  a 
general  veneration  and  awe.  The  effect 
of  a  great  work  of  God's  grace  is  com- 
monly to  produce  an  unusual  seriousness 
and  solemnity  in  a  community,  even 
among  those  who  are  not  convicted.  Il 
restrains,  subdues,  and  silences  opposi- 
tion. ^  Every  soul.  Every  person,  oi 
individual;  that  is,  upon  the  peojjle  ge 
nerally;  not  only  on  those  who  became 
Christians,  but  upon  the  multitudes  v.'ho 
witnessed  these  things.  All  things  wer« 
fitted  to  produce  this  fear:  the  recent 
crucifixion  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  the 
wonders  that  attended  that  event;  the 
events  of  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  and  the 
miracles  performed  by  the  apostles,  were 
all  fiued  to  diffuse  solemnity,  and  thought, 
and  anxiety  through  the  community 
H  Many  wonders  and  signs.  See  Note, 
ver.  22.  This  was  promised  by  the  Sa. 
viour.  Mark  xvi.  17.  Some  of  the  mira 
cles  which  they  wrought  are  specified  in 
the  following  chapters. 

44.  All  that  believed.  That  is,  that  be 
lieved  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah ;  foi 
that  was  the  distinguishing  point  bv  which 
they  were  known  from  others.  "!F  Were 
together,  e-rrlwdavrd.  Were  united,  were 
joined  in  the  same  thing.  It  does  not 
mean  tliat  they  lived  in  the  same  house 
but  they  were  united  in  the  same  comma 
nily ;  or  engaged  in  u\o  same  thing. 
They  were  doubtless  often  together  in 
the  same  place  for  prayer  and  praise 
One  of  the  best  means  for  strengthening 
the  faith  of  young  converts  is  for  the^n 
often  to  meet  together  for  prayer,  conver- 
sation, and  praise.  IT  Had  all  things  com' 
man.  That  is,  all  their  propertrj  or  pos' 
sessions.  See  ch.  iv.  32 — 37;  v.  I — 10- 
Tlie  apostles,  in  the  time  of  the  Saviour, 
evidently  had  all  their  property  in  com- 
mon stock,  and  Judas  was  made  Uteil 


w 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


45   And   sold    iheir  possessions    and  goods,  and  •  parted  them  to  ail 

„„ -,,„_  1 1 J 


a  U.58.7.  2Coi  9.1,9.  lJno.3.17. 


treasurer.  They  regarded  themselves  as 
one  family,  having  common  wants ;  and 
there  \va.s  no  use  or  propriety  in  their 
p,^ssessing  extensive  property  by  them- 
selves. Yet  even  then  it  is  probable  that 
j-omeof  them  retained  an  interest  in  their 
property  which  was  not  supposed  to  be 
necessary  to  be  devoted  to  the  common 
use.  It  is  evident  that  John  thus  possessed 
property  which  he  retained.  John  xix.  27. 
And  It  is  clear  that  the  Saviour  did  not 
command  them  to  give  up  their  property 
into  a  common  stock ;  nor  did  the  apx)s- 
ties  enjoin  it.  Acts  v.  4,  "  While  it  re- 
mained, was  it  not  thine  own?  and  after 
it  was  sold,  was  it  not  in  thine  own  pow- 
er?" It  was  therefore  perfectly  volun- 
tary ;  and  was  evidently  adapted  to  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  the  early  con- 
verts. Many  of  them  came  from  abroad. 
They  were  from  Parthia,  and  Media,  and 
Arabia,  and  Rome,  and  Africa,  &c.     It  is 

Erobable,  also,  that  they  now  remained 
)nger  in  Jerusalem  than  they  had  at  first 
g reposed.  And  it  is  not  at  all  improbable 
lat  they  would  be  denied  now  the  usual 
hospitalities  of  the  Jews,  and  excluded 
from  their  customary  kindness,  because 
they  had  embraced  Jesus  of  IVazareth, 
who  had  been  just  put  to  death.  In  these 
circumstances,  it  was  natural  and  proper 
that  they  should  share  together  their  pro- 
perty while  tiiey  remained  together. 

45.  And  sold.  That  is,  they  sold  as 
much  as  was  necessary  in  order  to  pro- 
cure tlie  means  of  providing  for  the  wants 
of  each  other.  II  Possessions.  Property, 
particularly  real  estate.  This  word, 
KTyt/uxTx,  refers  properly  to  their  Jixed  pro- 
perty, as  lands,  houses,  vineyards,  «S^c. 
The  word  rendered  poods,  u^rxfjE.;,  re- 
fers to  their  "personal  or  moveable  pro- 
perty. H  And  parted  them  to  all.  They 
distributed  them  to  supply  the  wants  of 
their  poorer  brethren,  according  to  their 
necessities.  IT  vis  every  man  had  need. 
This  expreftsion  limits  and  fixes  the  mean- 
ing of  wliat  is  said  before.  The  passage 
does  not  mean  that  they  sold  all  their  pos- 
Bossions,  or  that  lliey  relinquished  their 
title  to  fl/Z  their  pr)perty;  but  that  they 
«o  far  regarded  all  as  common  as  to  be 
W'.IIing  to  part  with  it  if  it  was  needful 
to  supply  the  wants  f)f  the  others.  Hence 
Ihc  pro|)f  rty  was  laid  at  the  disposal  of 
the  afiostles,  and  thoy  were  desired  to 
diHlril)iifc  it  freely  to  meet  the  wants  of 
Iho  |K>or.  ch.  iv.  '.U,  '.]:>. 
This  wna  an  important  incident  in  the 


men,  as  eve>ry  man  had  need. 


early  propagation  of  religion  ;  ana  il  may 
suggest  many  useful  reflections. 

1.  We  see  the  effect  of  religion.  The 
love  of  property  is  one  of  the  strongest 
affections  which  men  have  There  is 
nothing  that  will  overcome  it  but  reli- 
gion. That  will ;  and  one  of  the  Jirst  ef- 
f  iscts  of  the  gospel  was  to  loosen  the  hold 
of  Christians  on  property. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  pro- 
vide  for  the  wants  of  its  poor  and  needy 
members.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
property  should  now  be  regarded  as  so 
far  common  as  that  the  wants  of  the  poor 
should  be  supplied  by  those  who  are  rich. 
Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  11. 

3.  If  it  be  asked  why  the  early  disciples 
evinced  this  readiness  to  part  with  their 
property  in  this  manner,  it  may  be  repli 
ed,  (1.)  That  the  apostles  had  done  it  be- 
fore them.  The  family  of  the  Saviour  had 
all  things  common.  (2.)  It  was  the  naturo 
of  religion  to  do  it.  (3.)  The  circum- 
stances of  the  persons  assembled  on  thit* 
occasion  were  such  as  to  require  it.  They 
were  many  of  them  from  distant  regions; 
and  probably  many  of  them  of  the  poore? 
class  of  the  people  in  Jerusalem.  In  thb 
they  evinced  what  should  be  done  in  be 
half  of  the  poor  in  the  church  at  all  times. 

4.  If  it  be  asked  whether  this  was  done 
commonly  among  the  early  Christians,  it 
may  be  replied,  that  there  is  no  evidence 
that  it  was.  It  is  mentioned  here,  and  in 
ch.  iv.  32—37,  and  ch.  v.  1—7.  It  does 
not  appear  that  it  was  done  even  by  all 
who  were  afterwards  converted  in  Ju- 
dea  ;  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  it  was 
done  in  Antioch,  Ephesus,  Corinth.  Phi 
lippi,  Rome,  &c.  That  the  effect  of  reli- 
gion was  to  make  men  liberal,  and  willing 
to  provide  for  the  poor,  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  See  2  Cor.  viii.  19;  ix.  2.  1  Cor. 
xvi.  2.  Gal.  ii.  10.  But  there  is  not  proof 
that  it  was  common  to  part  with  their  jkw 
sessions,  and  to  lay  it  at  the  feet  of  the 
apostles.  Religion  does  not  contemplate, 
evidently,  that  men  should  break  up  all 
the  arrangements  in  society ;  but  it  con- 
templates that  those  who  have  property 
should  be  ready  and  willing  to  part  with 
it  (i)r  the  help  of  the  jvjor  and  needy. 

5.  If  it  be  asked  whether  a!l  the  ar 
rangements  of  property  should  he  broken 
up  now,  and  l)elievers  have  all  things  in 
roriimon,  wo  are  j)repare(i  to  answer,  No. 
For,  l.Tliis  was  nn  extraordinary  case. 
2  It  was  not  even  enjoined  by  the  apos- 
tles on  them.  3.  It  was  jv^rtibed  nowhera 


A.  D 


33.] 

46  And   they, 


CHAPTER  II 


5S 


continuing  daily 
with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and 
breaking '  bread  from  house  to  house, 
did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and 
singleness  of  heart, 


else.  4.  It  would  be  impracticable.  No 
community  where  all  things  were  in 
common  has  long  prospered.  It  has  been 
attempted  often,  by  pagans,  by  infidels, 
and  by  fanatical  sects  of  Christians.  It 
ends  soon  in  anarchy,  and  licentiousness, 
and  dleness,  and  profligacy ;  or  the  more 
cunning  secure  the  mass  of  the  property, 
and  control  the  whole.  Till  all  men  are 
made  alike,  there  could  be  no  hope  of 
such  a  community ;  and  if  there  could  be, 
I  would  not  be  desirable.  God  evidently 
intended  that  men  should  be  excited  to 
industry  by  the  hope  of  gain;  and  then  he 
demands  that  their  gains  should  be  de- 
voted to  his  service.  Still,  this  was  a 
noble  instance  of  Christian  generosity, 
and  evinces  the  power  of  religion  in  loos- 
ing the  hold  which  men  commonly  have 
on  the  world.  It  rebukes  also  those  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  of  whom,  alas,  there 
are  many,  who  give  nothing  to  benefit 
either  the  souls  or  bodies  of  their  fellow- 
men. 

4G  With  one  accord.  Comp.  ch.  i.  14  ; 
11. 1.  IF  In  ihe  temple.  This  was  the  pub- 
ic place  of  worship;  and  the  disciples 
were  not  disposed  to  leave  the  place 
where  their  fathers  had  so  long  worship- 
ped God.  This  does  not  mean  that  they 
were  constantly  in  the  temple,  but  only 
at  the  customary  hours  of  prayer ;  at  9 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at  3  in  the 
afternoon.  V  And  breaking  bread.  See 
Note,  ver.  42.  i  From  house  to  house. 
In  the  margin,  "  at  home."  So  the  Syriac 
and  Arabic.  The  common  interpretation, 
however,  is,  that  they  did  it  in  their  vari- 
ous houses,  now  in  this  and  now  in  that, 
as  might  be  convenient.  If  it  refers  to 
their  ordinary  meals,  then  it  means  that 
«hey  partook  in  common  of  what  they  pos- 
fcessed.  And  the  expression  in  this  verse, 
"  aid  eat  taeu'  meat,"  seems  to  imply  that 
this  refers  to  their  common  meals,  and 
not  to  the  Lord's  supper.  IT  Did  eat  their 
meat.  Did  partake  of  their  food.  The 
vs'ord  meat  with  us  is  applied  to  flesh.  In 
the  Bible,  and  in  old  English  authors,  it 
is  applied  to  provision  of  any  kind.  Here 
it  means  all  kinds  of  sustenance;  that 
which  nourished  them— . 'e'^iir — and  the 
nse  of  this  word  proves  that  it  does  not 
refer  to  the  Lord's  supper;  for  that  ordi- 
D.inf  0  Is  nowheia  represented  as  designei 


47  Praising  God,  and  having  fa- 
vour «  with  all  the  people.  And 
*  the  Lord  added  to  the  church 
daily  such  as  should  be  saved. 

o  Lu.2.52.  Bo.14.18.  b  c.5.14jll.24. 


for  an  ordinary  meal,  or  to  nourish  the  bodv. 
Comp.  1  Cor.  xi.  33,  34.  IT  With  glad- 
jiess.  With  rejoicing.  This  is  one  of  the 
effects  of  religion.  It  is  far  from  gloom  ;  il 
diffuses  jo3r  over  the  mind ;  and  it  bestowa 
additional  joy  in  the  participation  of  even 
our  ordinary  pleasures.  H  Singleness  of 
heart.  This  means  with  a  sincere  and 
pure  heart.  They  were  satisfied  end 
thankful.  They  were  not  perplexed  or 
anxious ;  nor  were  they  solicitous  for  the 
luxurious  living,  or  aspiring  after  the  vain 
objects  of  the  men  of  the  world.  Comp 
Rom.  xii.  8.  2  Cor.  i.  12.  Col.  iii.  22.  Eph. 
vi.  5. 

47.  Praising  God.  See  Luke  xxiv.  53. 
T  And  having  favour.  See  Luke  ii.  52. 
IT  With  all  the  people.  That  is,  with  the 
great  mass  of  the  people  ;  with  the  peo- 
ple generally.  It  does  not  mean  that  all 
the  people  had  become  reconciled  to 
Christianity;  but  their  humble,  serious 
and  devoted  lives  won  the  favour  of  the 
great  mass  of  the  community,  and  silenced 
opposition  and  cavil.  This  was  a  remark 
able  effect,  but  God  has  power  to  silence 
opposition ;  and  there  is  nolhing  so  well 
fitted  to  do  this  as  the  humble  and  con 
sistent  lives  of  his  friends.  IF  And  the 
Lord  added.  See  ch.  v.  14 ;  xi.  24,  &c. 
It  was  the  Lord  who  did  this.  There  was 
no  power  in  man  to  do  it ;  and  the  Chris- 
tian loves  to  trace  all  increase  of  the 
church  to  the  grace  of  God.  IT  Added 
Caused,  or  inclined  them  to  be  joined 
to  the  church.  IT  The  church.  To  the 
assembly  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  r 
U^KytTia.  The  word  church  properly 
means  those  who  are  called  out,  and  is 
applied  to  Christians  as  being  called  out, 
or  separated  from  the  world.  It  is  used 
but  three  times  in  the  Gospels.  Matt,  xvi 
18;  xviu.  17.  It  occurs  frequently  in 
other  parts  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
usually  as  applied  to  the  followers  of 
Christ.  Comp.  Acts  v.  11;  vii.  38 ;  viii. 
1.3;  ix.  31 ;  xi.  22.  26 ;  xii.  1.  5,  &c.  It  is 
used  in  classic  writers  to  denote  an  assem 
bly  of  anv  kind,  and  is  twice  thus  used  in 
the  New  Testament  (Acts  xix.  39.  41), 
where  it  is  translated  "  assembly-"  IT  Such 
as  should  be  saved.  This  whole  phrase  is  a 
translation  of  a  participle,  rovj  doi,Ojxivovs 
It  does  not  express  anv  purpose  that  they 
should  be  saved,  hul  simply  the  fact  that 


Hi 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  33 


CHAPTER  .H. 

IVi  OW  Peter  and  John  went  up  to- 

^^    gether  into  the  temple  at  "  the 

houT  of  prayer,  being  the  ninth  hour. 

2  And  a  certain  man,  lame  from 

a  Ps.55.n.  Da.6.10. 


they  were  those  who  would  be,  or  who 
were  about  to  be  saved.  It  is  clear,  how- 
ever, from  this  expression,  that  those  who 
became  members  of  the  church  were 
those  who  continued  to  adorn  their  pro- 
fcBsion,  or  who  gave  proof  that  they  were 
BUicere  Christians.  It  is  impUed  here, 
also,  that  those  who  are  to  be  saved  will 
ioin  themselves  to  the  church  of  God. 
This  is  every  where  required;  and  it 
constitutes  one  evidence  of  piety  when 
they  are  willing  to  face  the  world,  and 
give  themselves  at  once  to  the  service  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. — Two  remarks  may  be 
made  on  the  last  verse  of  this  chapter  ; 
one  is,  that  the  effect  of  a  consistent 
Christian  life  will  be  to  command  the  re- 
el of  the  w^orld  ;  and  the  other  is,  that 

e  effect  will  be  continually  to  increase 
the  number  of  those  who  shall  be  saved. 
In  this  case  they  were  daily  added  to  it ; 
the  church  was  constantly  increasing: 
and  the  same  result  may  be  expected  in 
all  cases  where  there  is  similar  zeal  self 
denial,  consistency,  and  prayer. 

We  have  now  contemplateil  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Christian  church ;  and  the 
first  glorious  revival  of  religion.  This 
chapter  deserves  to  be  profoundly  studied 
by  all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  by 
all  who  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  tlie 


spe 
the 


kingdom  of  God.  It  should  excite  our 
fervent  gratitude  that  God  has  left  this 
record  of  the  first  great  work  of  grace ; 
and  our  fervent  prayers  that  he  would 
multiply  and  cxterid  such  scenes  until  the 
earth  shall  bo  fillcfi  with  his  glory. 
CIIAI*TER  III. 
1.  Peicr  and  John  went  vp,  &c.  In  Luke 
xxiv.  53,  it  is  said  that  the  apostles  wore 
oontinually  in  the  temple,  praising  and 
blessing  God.  From  Acts  ii.  40,  it  is  clear 
that  all  the  di.?cipies  were  accustomed 
daily  to  resort  to  the  temple  for  devotion. 
Whether  they  joined  in  the  sacrifices  of 
the  temple-service  is  not  said  \  but  itie 
thing  is  not  improbable.  This  was  the 
place  and  the  rn.anner  in  which  they  and 
*h<}ir  fathers  had  worship{)ed.  They  came 
slowly  to  the  conclusion  that  they  wore 
lo  leave  the  temple;  and  they  would  na- 
turally resort  there  with  their  (ounfry- 
men  to  vvonshi[)  thn  God  of  their  liilhers. 
Fn  the  previous  rliaj)ler  ^i.  4;}),  we  are 
•old  in  general  that  many  wonders  and 


his   mother's  womb,  was   carried, 
whom  they  laid  daily  at  the  i^ate 
of  the  temp  e  which  is  called  Beau- 
tiful, to  ask  alms  of  them  that  en- 
tered into  the  temple ; 

b  Jno.g.S. 


signs  were  done  by  the  hands  of  tlw 
apostles.  From  the  many  miracles  wliich 
were  performed,  Luke  selects  one,  of 
w  hich  he  gives  a  more  full  accotmt  \  and 
especially  as  it  gives  him  occasion  to  re- 
cord another  of  the  addresses  of  Peter  to 
the  Jews.  An  impostor  would  have  been 
satisfied  with  the  gerieral  statement  that 
many  miracles  were  performed.  The  sa- 
cred writers  descend  to  particulars,  and 
tell  us  where,  and  in  relation  to  whom, 
they  were  performed.  This  is  a  proof 
that  they  were  honest  men,  and  did  not 
intend  to  deceive.  IT  Into  the  temple.  ]\ot 
into  the  edifice  properly  called  the  tem- 
ple, but  into  the  court  of  the  temple, 
where  prayer  was  accustomed  to  bo 
made.  See  Note,  Matt.  xxi.  12.  ^  Al  thf 
hour  of  prayer,  &c.  The  Jewish  day  wa' 
divided  into  twelve  equal  parts ;  o^ 
course,  the  ninth  hour  would  be  abou 
three  o'clock,  P.  M.  This  was  the  hour 
of  evening  prayer.  Morning  prayer  was 
offered  at  nine  o'clock.  Comp.  Ps.  Iv.  17. 
Dan.  vi.  10. 

2.  Ijamc,  &c.  The  mention  of  this 
shows  that  there  was  no  deception  in  the 
case.  The  man  had  been  always  lame  ; 
he  was  obliged  to  be  carried  ;  and  he  was 
well  known  to  the  Jews.  IF  Wliom  they 
laid  daily.  That  is,  his  friends  laid  him 
there  daily.  lie  would  therefore  be  well 
known  to  those  who  were  in  the  habit  of 
entering  the  temple.  Among  the  ancients 
there  were  no  hospitals  for  the  afflicted  : 
and  no  alms-houses  for  the  }X)or.  The 
poor  were  dependent,  therefore,  on  the 
cliarity  of  those  who  were  in  better  cir- 
cumstances. It  became  an  iiniHjrtanI 
matter  for  them  to  be  placed  where  they 
would  see  many  ])Cople.  Hence  it  wai 
customary  to  place  them  at  the  gates  of 
rich  men  (Luke  xvi.  20) ;  and  they  Jilso 
sat  by  the  side  of  the  highway  lo  beg 
where  many  persons  would  pass.  Marl. 
X.  40.  Luke  xviii.  Sf).  John  ix.  1 — 8.  The 
entrance  to  the  temple  \\o\i\il  be  R  favour- 
able place  for  begging;  for,  (1.)  great 
nv.ihitudes  were  accustomed  to  enter 
there;  and  (2.)  when  going  up  for  the 
purposes  of  religion,  they  would  be  more 
inclined  to  give  alms  than  at  other  times 
and  especially  was  this  true  of  the  Phari 
sees,  who  we«e  particularly  desirous  of 
publiciti/  in  be«towinjf  chanty  is  «* 


A.  D.  33  ] 


CHAPTER  m. 


61 


3  Who,  seeing  Peter  and  John 
about  to  go  into  the  temffc,  asked 
an  alms. 

4  And  Peter,  fastening  his  eyes 
apon  liim,  with  John,  said.  Look 
on  us. 

5  And  he  gave  heed  unto  them. 


KTied  by  Martial  (i.  112.),  that  this  cus- 
g?rc  prevailed  among  the  Romans  of  plac- 
J3g  ,he  poor  by  the  gales  of  the  temples  ; 
isid  the  custom  was  also  observed  a  long 
time  'n  the  Christian  churches.  IF  At  the 
S^ate  oj  the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful. 
In  regard  to  this  gate  there  have  been 
two  opinions,  one  of  which  supposes  that 
this  was  the  gate  commonly  called  Nica- 
nor,  which  led  from  the  court  of  the  Gen- 
tdes  to  the  court  of  the  women  (see  Plan 
in  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12/ ,  and  the  other, 
that  it  was  the  gate  at  the  eastern  entrance 
of  the  temple,  commonly  called  Susa7i. 
U  is  not  easy  to  determine  which  is  in- 
tended ;  though  from  the  fact  that  it  oc- 
curred near  Solomon's  porch  (ver.  11, 
comp.  Plan  of  the  temple,  Matt.  xxi.  12), 
it  seems  pi-obable  that  the  latter  was  in- 
tended. This  gate  was  large  and  splen- 
did. It  was  made  of  Corinthian  bra.ss,  a 
most  valuable  metal,  and  made  a  magni- 
ficent appearance.  Josephus,  Jewish  ]Var, 
b   V.  ch.  V.  $  3.     IF  To  ask  alms.  Charity. 

3.  Who,  seeing  Peter,  &c.  There  is  no 
evidence  that  he  was  acquainted  with 
them,  or  knew  who  they  were.  lie  asked 
of  them  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do  of 
the  multitude  that  entered  the  temple. 

4.  Fastening  his  eyes.  The  word  used 
liere  denotes  to  look  intently,  or  with  fixed 
attention.  It  is  one  of  the  peculiar  words 
which  Luke  uses.  Luke  iv.  20 ;  xxii.  56 ; 
Acts  i.  10  ;  iii.  12  ;  vi.  15 ;  vii.  55 ;  x.  4,  &c 
in  all  twelve  times.  It  is  used  by  no 
other  writer  in  the  New  Testament,  ex- 
cept by  Paul  twice,  2  Cor.  iii.  7. 13.  IT  Look 
on  us.  All  this  was  done  to  fix  the  atten- 
tion. He  wished  to  call  the  attention  of 
tiie  man  distinctly  to  himself,  and  to  what 
he  ^vas  about  to  do.  It  was  also  done 
tliat  the  man  might  be  fully  apprised  that 
his  restoration  to  health  came  from  him. 

6.  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none.  The 
man  had  asked  for  money ;  Peter  assures 
mm  that  he  had  not  that  to  give  ;  it  was 
done,  however,  in  such  a  way  as  to  show 
fiis  willingness  to  aid  him,  if  he  Jiad  pos- 
sessed it.  IT  Such  as  I  have.  Such  as  is 
in  my  power.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  meant  to  say  that  1|6  originated 
this  power  himself,  but  only  that  it  was 
tnirusCsd  to  him.    He  immediately  adds 


expecting  to  receive  something  of 
them. 

6  Then  Peter  said,  Silvei  an(i 
gold  have  I  none :  but  such  as  1 
have  give  I  thee  :  In  "  the  name  of 
Jesus  Chiist  of  Nazareth,  rise  up 
and  walk. 

o  c.4.ia 

ihat  it  was  derived  solely  from  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.     IT  Li  the  name.    Comp.  ch|| 
iv.  10.    In  Mark  xvi.  17,  18,  it  is  said; 
"  These  signs  shall  follow  them  that  be- 
lieve;  in  my  name  shall  they  cast  out 

devils,  &c they  shall   lay  hands  on 

the  sick,  and  they  shall  recover."  The 
expression  means  by  his  authority,  or  in 
virtue  of  power  derived  from  Jam.  We 
are  here  struck  with  a  remarkable  differ 
ence  between  the  manner  in  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  wrought  miracles,  end  that  m 
which  it  was  done  by  his  apostles.  He 
did  it  in  his  own  name,  and  by  virtue  of 
his  own  power.  He  claimed  dominion 
over  disease  and  death  The  apostles 
never  attempted  to  perform  a  miracle  by 
their  own  power.  It  was  only  in  the  name 
of  Jesus ;  and  this  circumstance  alone 
shows  that  there  was  a  radical  difference 
between  Christ  and  ail  other  prophets 
and  teachers.  ^  Of  Nazareth.  This  was 
the  name  by  which  he  was  commonly 
known.  By  this  name  he  had  been  desig 
nated  among  the  Jews,  and  on  the  cross 
It  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  the  man 
had  heard  of  him  by  this  name;  and  it 
was  important  that  he  should  understand 
that  it  was  by  the  authority  of  him  who 
had  been  crucified  as  an  impostor.  IF  Rise 
and  walk.  To  do  this  would  be  evidence 
of  signal  power.  It  is  remarkable  that  in 
cases  like  this,  they  were  commanded  to 
do  the  thing  at  once.  See  similar  cases 
in  John  v.  8.  Matt.  ix.  6 ;  xii.  13.  It  would 
have  been  easy  to  allege  that  they  had  no 
power,  that  they  were  lame,  or  sick,  or 
palsied,  and  could  do  nothing  until  God 
should  give  them  strength.  But  the  com- 
mand was  to  do  the  thing;  nor  did  the 
Saviour  or  the  apostles  stop  to  convince 
them  that  they  could  do  nothing.  They 
did  not  doubt  that  if  it  were  done,  they 
would  ascribe  the  power  to  God.  Pre- 
cisely like  this  is  the  condition  of  the  sin- 
ner. God  commands  him  to  do  the  thing  : 
to  repent,  and  believe,  and  lead  a  holy 
life.  It  is  not  merely  to  attempt  to  do  it; 
to  make  use  of  means ;  or  to  wait  on  him; 
but  it  is  actually  to  repent  and  believe  the 
gospel.  Where  he  may  obtain  power  to 
do  it  is  another  question.  It  is  easy  fot 
him  t-:  involve  himself  in  difficulty,  ae  iS 


fi2 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


7  And  he  took  him  by  the  right 
hand,  and  hfted  him  up:  and  im- 
mediately hio  feet  and  ankle-bones 
received  strength. 

8  And  he,  leaping  «  up,  stood, 
and  walked,  and  entered  with  them 
into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leap- 
ing, and  praising  God. 

o  Is.35.6 

™ould  ha\3  been  in  these  cases.  But 
the  command  of  God  is  positive,  and  must 
be  obeyed.  If  not  obeyed,  men  must 
perish ;  just  as  this  man  would  have  been 
always  lame  if  he  had  put  forth  no  effort 
of  iiis  own.  When  done,  a  convicted 
sinner  will  do  just  as  this  man  did,  in- 
ilinclively  give  all  Uie praise  to  God.  ver.  8. 

7.  And  he  took  him.  He  took  hold  of 
his  hand.  To  take  hold  of  the  hand  in 
Biich  a  case  was  an  offer  of  aid,  an  indi- 
cation that  Peter  was  sincere,  and  was  an 
inducement  to  him  to  make  an  edbrt. 
This  may  be  employed  as  a  beautiful 
illustration  of  the  manner  of  God  when 
he  commands  men  to  repent  and  believe. 
He  does  not  leave  them  alone ;  he  ex- 
tends help,  and  aids  their  eflorts.  If  they 
tremble,  and  feel  that  they  are  weak,  and 
needy,  and  helpless,  his  hand  is  stretched 
out,  and  his  power  exerted  to  impart 
8trengtli  and  grace.  ^  His  feel  and  ankle- 
bmes.  The  fact  that  strength  was  imme- 
diately imparted  ;  that  the  feet,  long  lame, 
were  now  made  strong,  was  a  full  and 
dear  proof  of  miraculous  power. 

8.  And  he,  leaping  up.  This  was  a 
natural  expression  of^joy;  and  it  was  a 
striking  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  in  Isa. 
rxxv.  6:  "Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap 
us  an  hart."  The  account  here  given  is 
one  that  is  perfectly  natural.  The  man 
would  be  fdled  with  joy,  and  would  ex- 

f)ress  it  in  this  manner.  He  had  been 
ame  from  a  child  ;  he  had  never  walked  ; 
and  there  was  more  in  the  miracle  than 
merely  giving  strength.  The  act  oCvxilk- 
ing  is  one  that  is  acquired  by  long  prac- 
tice. Children  learn  slowly.  Casper  Hau- 
$er,  lately  discovered  in  one  of  the  cities 
of  Germany,  who  had  been  confined  in 
prison  from  a  child,  was  unable  to  walk 
in  an  easy  way  when  released,  but  stum- 
bled in  a  very  awkward  manner.  (See 
hi.s  Life.)  When,  therefore,  this  man  was 
ttble  at  once  to  walk,  it  was  clear  proof 
of  a  miracle.  H  Praising  God.  This  was 
the  natural  arul  appropriate  expression  of 
his  feelings  on  tliis  occasion.  His  heart 
v\-()uld  lif!  lull  ;  and  he  could  have  no 
j(t»}r.t  that  lliiH  l»lo<^sintr  Imtl  roiiie  from 


9  And  all  the  people  saw  hint 
walkingiand  praising  God  : 

10  And  they  knew  that  it  was  he 
which  sat  for  alms  at  the  Beautiful 
gate  of  the  temple :  and  they  were 
filled  with  wonder  and  amazement 
at  that  which  had  happened  untc 
him. 


God  alone.  It  is  remarkable  that  he  did 
not  even  express  his  gratitude  to  Peter 
and  John.  They  had  not  pretended  to 
restore  him  in  their  own  name ;  and  he 
would  feel  that  man  could  not  do  it.  It 
is  remarkable  that  he  praised  God  with 
out  being  taught  or  entreated  to  do  it.  It 
was  instinctive — the  natural  feeling  of 
the  heart.  So  a  sinner.  His  first  feelings 
when  renewed,  will  be  to  ascribe  the 
praise  to  God.  While  he  may  and  will 
feel  regard  for  the  ministry  by  whose 
instrumentality  he  has  received  the  bless- 
ing, yet  his  main  expression  of  gratitude 
will  be  to  God.  And  this  he  will  do  in- 
stinctively ;  he  needs  no  prompter ;  he 
knows  that  no  power  of  man  is  equal  to 
the  work  of  converting  the  soul,  and  will 
rejoice,  and  give  all  the  praise  to  the 
God  of  grace. 

9,  10.  And  all  the  people,  <tc.  The  peo 
pie  who  had  been  accustomed  to  see  hitn 
sit  in  a  public  place.  IT  And  they  kneuK 
&c.  In  this  they  could  not  be  deceived ; 
they  had  seen  him  a  long  time,  and  now 
they  saw  the  same  man  expressing  his 
praise  to  God  for  complete  recovery.  The 
particulars  in  this  miracle  are  the  follow- 
ing ;  and  they  are  as  far  as  possible  from 
any  appearance  of  imposture.  1.  The 
man  had  been  afflicted  from  a  child  This 
was  known  to  all  the  people.  At  this 
time  he  was  forty  years  of  age.  ch.  iv.  22, 
2.  He  was  not  an  impostor.  If  he  had 
pretended  lameness,  it  is  wonderful  that 
ne  had  not  been  detected  before,  and  not 
have  been  suffered  to  occupy  a  place  thus 
in  the  temple.  3.  The  apostles  had  no 
agency  in  placing  him  there.  They  had 
not  seen  him  before.  There  was  mani- 
festly no  colhision  or  agreement  with  him 
to  attem|)f  to  imix)se  on  the  people.  4.  Th« 
man  himself  was  convinced  of  the  mini- 
cle  \  and  bd  not  doubt  that  the  jxjwer  by 
which  he  had  been  healed  was  of  God 
5.  T\\c  perride  were  (convinced  of  the  .same 
thing.  They  saw  the  effects;  ttiey  had 
known  him  well;  tlicy  had  had  every 
oi)i)ortunity^  know  that  he  was  dis- 
eased;  and  TOey  were  now  satisfied  t*'a. 
he  was  reslored      'I'liero   was  r.o  posaj 


A.  D.  33.] 


11  And,  as  the  lame  man  which 
was  healed  held  Peter  and  John, 
all  the  people  ran  together  unto 
thera,  in  the  porch  "  that  is  called 
Solomon's,  greatly  woitdering. 

12  And  when  Peter*  saw  z7,  he 
answered  unto  the  people,  Ye  men 
of  Israel,  why  marvel  ye  at  this  1 

oJno.lC.i3.  C5.I2. 


CHAPTER  III. 


63 


bility  of  deception  in  the  case.  It  was 
not  merely  the  friends  of  Jesus  that  saw 
this  ;  not  those  who  had  an  interest  in  the 
miracle,  but  those  who  had  been  his  ene- 
mies, and  who  had  just  before  been  en- 
gaged in  putting  him  to  death.  Let  this 
miracle  be  compared,  in  these  particulars, 
with  those  pretended  vaxraiCleB  which  have 
been  affirmed  to  have  been  wrought  in 
defence  of  other  systems  of  religion,  and 
it  will  be  seen  at  once  that  here  is  every 
appearance  of  sincerity,  honesty,  and 
ruth;  and  in  them  every  mark  of  decep- 
tion, fraud,  and  imposition.  (See  Paley's 
Evidences  of  Christianity,  Proposition  ii. 
ch  ii.) 

11.  Held  Peter  and  John.  The  word 
held  means  he  adhered  to  them ;  he  joined 
himself  to  them ;  he  was  desirous  of  re- 
maining with  them,  and  participating 
with  them.  IT  AU  the  people,  &c.  Excited 
by  curiosity,  they  came  together.  The 
fact  of  the  cure,  and  the  conduct  of  the 
man,  would  soon  draw  together  a  crowd, 
and  thus  furnish  a  favourable  opportunity 
for  preaching  to  them  the  gospel.  IT  In 
the  porch,  &c.  This  porch  was  a  covered 
way  or  passage  on  the  east  side  of  the 
temple.  It  was  distinguished  for  its  mag- 
aificence.  See  the  Plan  and  description 
of  the  temple.  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12. 

ly.  When  Peter  saw  it.  Saw  the  peo- 
ple assembling  in  such  multitudes  and 
wondering  at  the  miracle.  IT  He  ansu)ered. 
The  word  answer,  with  us,  implies  that  a 
question  had  been  asked,  or  that  some 
subject  had  been  proposed  for  considera- 
tion. But  the  word  is  used  in  a  different 
sense  in  the  Bible.  It  is  often  used  when 
no  question  was  asked,  but  when  an  oc- 
xysion  was  offered  for  remarks,  or  where 
an  opportunity  was  presented  to  make  a 
'.tdtement.  It  is  the  same  as  replying  to 
a  thing,  or  making  a  statement  in  regard 
to  some  subject.  Dan.  ii.  26.  Acts  v.  8. 
1  Ye  men  of  Israel.  Jews.  Comp.  ch.  ii. 
1 4.  IT  Why  marvel  ye  at  this?  The  par- 
ticidar  thing  which  he  intended  to  re- 
prove here,  was  not  that  they  v)07idered, 
for  that  was  nroner ;  but  that  they  looked 


or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us, 
as  though  by  our  own  ''  powei  oi 
holiness  we  had  made  this  man  to 
walk  ] 

13  The  God  '  of  Abraham,  and 
of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  the  God  of 
our  fathers,  ''hath  glojified  *  his  Son 
Jesus ;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and 

i2Cor.3.5.  cMaU.22.32.     .        dc  5.30,31. 

e  Jno.17.1.  Ep.1.20-22.  Ph.2.9-11.  Ee.2.9.  Re.l.5,lS 

a>i  Peter  and  John  as  if  they  had  been  the 
authors  of  this  heahng.  They  ought  to 
have  understood' it.  The  Jews  were 
sufficiently  acquainted  with  miracles  to 
interpret  them,  and  to  know  whence  they 
proceeded ;  and  they  ought  not,  therefore, 
to  ascribe  them  to  man,  but  to  inquire 
why  they  had  been  wrought  by  God. 
IT  Why  look  ye,  &c.  Why  do  ye  fix  the 
eyes  vvith  amazement  on  us,  as  though  we 
could  do  this  ?  Why  not  look  at  once  to 
God?  ^  By  our  own  power.  By  any  ar< 
of  healing,  or  by  any  medicine,  we  had 
done  this.  ^  Or  holiness.  Piety.  As  if 
God  had  bestowed  this  on  us  on  account 
of  our  personal  and  eminent  pierj'.  It  may 
be  remarked,  that  here  was  ample  oppor- 
tunity for  them  to  establish  a  reputation 
of  their  own.  The  people  were  disposed 
to  pay  them  honours  ;  they  might  at  once 
have  laid  claim  to  vast  authority  over 
them  ;  but  they  refused  all  such  personal 
honours,  and  ascribed  all  to  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Whatever  success  may  attend  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel ;  or  however  much 
the  world  may  be  disf)osed  to  do  them 
honour;  they  should  disclaim  all  power  in 
themselves,  and  ascribe  it  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not  by  the  talents  or 
personal  holiness  of  ministers,  valuable  as 
these  are,  that  men  are  saved  ;  it  is  only 
by  the  power  of  God,  designed  to  honour 
his  Sen.     See  2  Cor.  iii.  5,  6. 

13.  The  God  of  Abraham.  He  is  called 
the  God  of  Abraham  because  Abraham 
acknowledged  him  as  his  God,  and  because 
God  showed  himself  to  be  his  friend 
Comp.  Matt.  xxii.  32.  Ex.  iii.  6.  15.  Gen 
xxviii.  13;  xxvi.  24.  It  was  important  to 
show  that  it  was  the  same  God  who  had 
done  this  that  had  been  acknowledged  by 
their  fathers;  and  that  they  were  not 
about  to  introduce  the  worship  of  anjf 
other  God.  And  it  was  especially  impor- 
tant, because  the  promise  had  been  made 
to  Abraham,  that  in  his  seed  should  all 
the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Gen 
xii.  3.  Comp.  Gal.  iii.  16.  IT  Hath  glorified 
Has  honoured.  You  denied,  despised 
and  murdered  him :  bu*  God  has  exalted 


54 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  3.1 


denied  *  him  in  the  presence  of  Pi- 
lute,  when  he  ''  was  determined  to 
let  him  go. 

14  But  ye  denied  the  Holy  "^  One 
and  the  Just,  ''  and  desired  a  mur- 
derer to  be  granted  unto  you ; 

a  Jno.19.15.  i  Matt.27. 17-25.  Lu.23.16-23. 

c  P».16.10.  Lu.1.35.  d  c.7.52;22.14. 

and  honoured  him.  This  miracle  was 
done  hi  the  name  of  Jesus,  ver.  6.  It  was 
tlio  power  of  God  that  had  restored  him  ,* 
aiid  by  putting  forth  this  power  God  had 
shown  that  he  approved  the  work  of  his 
Son,  and  was  disposed  to  honour  him  in 
the  view  of  men.  Comp.  John  xvii.  1. 
Eph.  i.  20-22.  Phil.  ii.  9—11.  Ileb.  ii.  9. 
Rev.  i.  5—18.  ^  Ye  delivered  vp.  That 
IS,  you  delivered  him  to  the  Romans  to  be 
put  to  death.  See  Note,  eh.  ii.  2.3.  IT  Avd 
denied  him  in  Ike  presence  of  Pilale.  De- 
nied that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Were 
unwilling  to  own  him  as  your  long-ex- 
pected King.  John  xix.  15.  IT  Wlien  he 
was  determined,  &c.  Matt.  xxvu.  17 — 25. 
Luke  xxiii.  16—23.  Pilate  was  satisfied 
of  his  innocence ;  but  he  was  weak,  and 
timid,  and  irresolute,  and  yielded  to  their 
wishes.  The  fact  that  Pilate  regarded 
him  as  innocent  was  a  strong  aggravation 
of  their  crime.  They  should  have  re- 
garded him  as  innocent;  but  they  urged 
on  his  condemnation,  against  the  delibe- 
rate judgment  of  him  before  whom  they 

.had  arraigned  him ;  and  thus  showed  how 
obstinately  they  were  resolved  on  his 
death. 

14.  T/ie  hob/  One,  <i'c.  See  Ps.  xvi.  10. 
Comp.  Note,  Acts  ii.  27.  IT  And  the  just. 
The  word  just  here  denotes  imwcent,  or 
one  who  was  free  from  crime.  It  properly 
is  used  in  reference  to  Zr/w,  and  denoles 
one  who  stands  upright  in  the  view  of  the 
law,  or  vvho  is  not  chargeable  with  crime. 
In  this  sense  the  Lord  Jesus  was  not  only 
j>ersonalli/  innocent,  but  even  before  his 
judges  he  stood  unconvicted  of  any 
crime  The  crime  charged  on  liim  at 
first  was  Jilasphcmy  (Matt.  xxvi.  6.5);  and 
on  this  charge  the  Sanhedrim  had  con- 
demned him,  without  proof  But  of  this 
charge  Pilale  would  not  take  cogni/anre, 
and  hence  before  him  they  charged  him 

^ith  sedition.  Luke  xxiii.  2.  Neither  of 
these  charges  were  made  out;  and,  of 
course,  in  the  eye  «)f  the  law  he  was  in- 
nocent and  just.  It  greatly  aggravated 
their  crime  tliat  they  demanded  liisdealli 
■till,  even  after  u  was  ascertained  thp.t 
^hey  could  prove  nothing  agamst  him  • 
thus  showing  that  it  was  mere  hatred  and 
iiinl»f;o  that  led  lliem  to  sc  ek  his  death 


15  And  killed  the  '  Prince  ot  life, 
whom  God  hath  raised  '  from  the 
dead  ;  whereof  f  we  are  witnesses, 

16  And  his  name,  through  faith 
in  his  name,  hath  made  this  mar 
strong,  whom  ye  see  and   know; 

J  or,  autlior.  Jno.1.4.  IJno.S.ll.  e  M»tt  9A3-1. 

Ep.1.20.        /c.2.32. 


IT  And  desired  a  murderer.  Matt.  xx\  ii. 
21. 

15.  And  hilled  the  Pnni^  of  Life.  The 
word  rendered  prince  dcotes  properly  a 
military  leader  or  comrrinder.  Hence, 
in  Heb  ii.  10,  it  is  transla'eu  captain  ;  "  It 

became  him to  mak»»  the  Captain  of 

their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings.' 
As  a  captain  or  commander  lead«  on  to 
victory,  and  is  said  to  obtain  it,  so  the 
word  comes  to  denote  one  who  is  the 
cause,  the  author,  the  procurer,  &c.  In 
this  sense  it  is  used.  Acts  v.  31,  "Him 
hath  God  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  a 
Saviour, /or  to  give  repentance  to  Israel," 
&c.  In  Heb.  xii.  2,  it  is  properly  rendered 
author  ;  "  Looking  unto  Jesus,  the  author 
and  finisher  of  our  faith."  The  word 
author,  or  giver,  would  express  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  here.  It  also  implies  that 
he  has  dominion  over  life;  an  idea,  in- 
deed, which  is  essentially  connecled  with 
that  of  his  being  the  author  of  it.  The 
word  life  here  is  used  in  a  large  sense,  as 
denoting  all  manner  of  life.  In  this  sense 
it  is  used  in  reference  to  Christ  in  John  i. 
4,  "In  him  was  life,"  &c.  Comp.  John  v. 
26.  1  John  v.  11.  1  Cor.  xv.  45.  Jesus  is 
here  called  the  Prince  of  life  in  contrast 
with  him  whom  the  Jews  demanded  in 
his  place,  Barabhas.  He  was  a  murderer 
(Luke  xxiii.  19.  Mark  xv.  7),  one  who  had 
destroyed  life  ;  and  yet  they  demanded 
that  he  whose  character  it  was  to  destroy 
life  should  be  released,  and  the  Author 
of  life  to  lie  put  to  death.  IT  Whom  God 
hath  raised.  Arc.  ch.  ii  24.  32. 

16.  And  his  name.  The  name  of  Jesus 
is  here  put  for  Jesus  himself;  and  it  is 
the  same  as  saying,  "  and  he,"  Arc'  In  thia 
way  the  word  jiame  is  often  used  by  tlic 
Hebrews,  .-'specially  when  speaking  of 
God.  Acts  i.  15;  iv.  12.  Eph.  i.  21.  Rev 
iii.  4.  It  does  not  mean  that  there  was 
any  efTicacv  in  the  mere  name  of  Jesus 
that  should  heal  the  man,  Imt  that  it 
was  done  by  his  aulhorily  and  |.ower. 
1i  'Phrnurrh  ftifh  in  his  uninr.  Bv  means 
of  fiilh  III  him;  that  is,  by  tlie  faiih 
which  IN'Ier  and  John  had  in  Jesus.  It 
does  not  refer  to  any  faiih  that  the  mar 
had  himself,  fiir  there  i.-s  no  evidence  that 
he  behoved  iii  him.    But  it  was  bv  mram 


I.  D.  33.J  CHAPTER  111, 

yea,  the  faith  which  is  by  him  hath  ' 
given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in 
the  presence  of  you  all. 


85 


of  the  faith  which  the  apostles  exercised 
m  him  that  the  miracle  was  wrought,  and 
was  thus  a  fulfilment  of  the  declaration 

■•n  Matt.  xvii.  20,  "  If  ye  have  faith ye 

shall  say  to  this  mountain,  remove  hence," 
&c.  This  truth  Peter  repeats  two  or  three 
timefj  in  the  verse  to  impress  it  more  dis- 
tinctly on  the  minds  of  his  hearers. 
IT  Whom  ye  see  and  know.  There  could 
therefore  be  no  mistake.  He  was  well 
known  to  them.  There  was  no  doubt 
about  the  truth  of  the  miracle  (ch.  iv.  16), 
and  the  only  inquiry  was  in  what  way  it 
had  been  done.  This  Peter  affirms  to 
have  been  accomplished  only  by  the 
power  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  "IT  Perfect 
soundness.  sko-kkv,^::(v.  This  Avord  is  not 
used  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament. 
It  denotes  integrity  of  parts,  freedom  from 
any  defect ;  and  .t  here  means  that  the 
cure  was  perfect  and  entire,  or  that  he 
was  completely  restored  to  the  use  of  his 
limbs.  IT  In  the  presence  of  you  all.  You 
are  all  witnesses  of  it,  and  can  judge  for 
yourselves.  This  shows  how  confident 
the  apostles  were  that  a  real  miracle  had 
been  performed.  They  were  willing  that 
it  should  be  examined ;  and  this  is  con- 
clusive proof  that  there  was  no  attempt 
at  imposture.  A  deceiver,  or  one  who 
pretended  to  work  miracles,  would  have 
been  cautious  of  exposing  the  subject  to 
the  danger  of  detection. 

17.  And  now,  brethren.     Though  they 
had  been  guilty  of  a  crime  so  enormous, 
yet  Peter  shows  the   tenderness  of  his 
neart  in  addressing  them  still  as  his  bre- 
thren.   He  regarded  them  as  of  the  same 
nation  with  himself,  as  having  the  same 
!aopes,  and  as  being  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges.    The   expression  also  shows 
that  he  was  not  disposed  to  exalt  himself 
as  being  by  nature  more  holy  than  they. 
This  verse  is  a  remarkable  instance  of 
tenderness  in    appealing  to  sinners.     It 
would  have  been  easy  to  have  reproach- 
ed them  for  their  enormous  crimes  ;  but 
t  vvas  not  the  way  to  reach  the  heart. 
Viie  had   indeed  stated  and  proved  their 
\  wickedness.     The    object    now   was   to 
I  bring  them  to  repentance  for  it ;  and  this 
;  was  to  be  done  by  tenderness,  and  kind- 
;  ness,  and  love     Men  are  melted  to  con- 
■^trition,  not  by  reproaches,  but  by  love.  IF  / 
voot     I  know  :  I  am  Vv'ell  apprized  of  it. 
I  know  yo  J  will  affirm  it ;  and  I  admit 
iVit  it  was  so     Still  the  enormous  d  ?e(^ 
f2 


17  And  row,  brethien,  I  wet  that 
through  ig-norauce  "  ye  did  zY,  asrf/o 
also  your  rulers. 

a  Lu.23.34.  Jao.16.3.  lCor.2.8 

has  been  done.  It  cannot  be  recalled 
and  it  cannot  be  innocent.  It  remain?, 
therefore,  that  you  should  repent  of  it, 
and  seek  for  pardon.  H  That  through  ig^ 
norance,  &c.  Peter  does  iiot  mean  to 
affirm  that  they  were  innocent  in  having 
put  him  to  death,  for  he  had  just  proved  • 
the  contrary ;  and  he  immediately  pro  ^-* 
ceeds  to  exhort  them  to  repentance.  But'] 
he  means  to  say  that  their  offence  v.a-s  I 
mitigated  by  the  fact  that  they  were  igno-  1 
rant  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  The  same  I 
thing  the  Saviour  himself  affirmed  when 
dying.  Lu^'e  xxiii.  34.  "  Father,  forgive 
them,  for  tney  know  not  what  they  do." 
Comp.  Acts  xiii.  27  1  Cor.  ii.  8.  The 
same  thing  the  apostle  Paul  affirmed  m 
relation  to  himself,  as  one  of  the  reasons 
why  he  obtained  pardon  from  the  enor- 
mous crime  of  persecution.  1  Tim.  i.  13 
In  cases  like  these,  though  crime  might 
be  mitigated,  yet  it  was  not  taken  entirely 
away.  They  were  guilty  of  demanding 
a  man  to  be  murdered  who  was  declared 
innocent ;  they  were  urged  on  with  un 
governable  fury;  they  did  it  from  con 
tempt  and  malice  ;  and  the  crime  oi  mur- 
der remained,  though  they  were  ignoranS 
that  he  was  the  Messiah.  It  is  plainly 
implied  that  if  they  had  put  him  to  death 
knoiving  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  as 
the  Messiah,  there  would  have  been  no 
forgireness.  Comp.  Heb.  x.  26 — 29.  Igno- 
rance, therefore,  is  a  circumstance  which 
must  always  be  taken  into  view  in  an 
estimate  of  crime.  It  is  at  the  same  time 
true,  that  they  had  opportunity  to  know 
that  he  Vi-as  the  Messiah;  but  the  mere 
fact  that  they  were  ignorant  of  it,  was 
still  a  mitigat-ng  circumstance  in  the 
estimate  of  their  crime.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  mass  of  the  people 
had  no  fixed  belief  that  he  was  t!le 
Messiah.  IT  As  did  also  your  riders. 
Comp.  1  Cor.  ii.  8,  where  the  apostle 
says  that  none  of  the  princes  of  thia 
world  knew  the  wisdom  of  the  gospel, 
for  had  they  known  it,  they  would  no! 
ha\e  crucified  the  Lord  of  glor}'.  Is 
is  certain  that  the  leading  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  were  urged  on  by  the  most  un- 
governable fury  and  rage  to  put  Jesus  to 
death,  even  when  they  had  abundanl 
oppoi-tunity.  to  know  his  true  character 
This  was  particularly  the  case  with  the 
high-priest.  But  yet  it  was  true  that 
they  did  n:t  believe  that  he  wa.=!  the  Mop- 


66 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  3a. 


18  But  those  •  thinga  which 
God  before  had  showed  by  the 
mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that 
Christ  stoild  sulTer,  he  hath  so 
fulfilled. 

a  Lu.24.44.  C.26.22J23. 


Bfah.  Their  minds  had  been  prejudiced. 
They  had  expected  a  prince  and  a  con- 
queror. All  tiheir  views  of  the  Messiah 
were  different  from  the  character  which 
Jesus  manifested.  And  though  they  might 
have  known  that  he  was  the  Messiah  ,• 
though  he  had  given  abundant  proof  oC 
the  lact,  yet  it  is  clear  that  they  did  not 
believe  it.  It  is  not  credible  that  they 
would  have  put  to  death  one  whom  they 
really  believed  to  be  the  Christ.  He  was 
the  hope,  the  only  hope  of  their  nation  ; 
and  they  would  not  have  dared  to  imbrue 
heir  hands  in  the  blood  of  him  whom 
they  really  bebeved  to  be  the  illustrious 
personage  so  long  promised,  and  expected 
by  their  fathers.  It  was  also  probably 
true  that  no  small  part  of  the  Sanhedrim 
was  urged  on  by  the  zeal  and  fury  of  the 
chief-priests.  They  had  not  courage  to 
resist  them ;  and  yet  they  might  not  hav# 
entered  heartily  mto  this  work  of  perse- 
cution and  death.  Comp.  John  vii.50 — 53. 
The  speech  of  Peter,  however,  is  not  in- 
tended to  free  them  entirely  from  blame  ; 
nor  should  it  be  pressed  to  show  that  they 
were  innocent.  It  is  a  mitigating  circum- 
stance thrown  in  to  show  them  that  there 
was  still  hoj)e  of  mercy. 

18.  JJut  those  things.  To  wit,  those 
things  that  did  actually  occur,  pertaining 
lo  the  life  and  death  of  the  Messiah. 
^  Had  showed.  Had  announced,  or  fore- 
told. IT  Bi/  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets. 
That  is,  by  the  prophets  in  general,  with- 
out affirming  that  each  individual  pro- 
phet had  a  distinct  prediction  respecting 
this.  The  prophets  taken  together,  or  the 
prophecies  as  a  V}hole,  had  declared  this. 
The  word  all  is  not  unfrequently  used  in 
this  somewiiat  limited  sense.  Mark  i.  37. 
John  iii.  26.  In  regard  to  the  prophecies 
respecting  Christ,  see  Note,  Luke  xkiv. 
27.  IT  Ihjh  80  fulfilled.  He  has  caused 
to  be  fuflilled  in  this  manner ;  that  is,  by 
the  rejection,  denial,  and  wickedness  of 
Ihe  rulers.  It  has  turned  out  to  be  in 
strict  accordance  with  the  prcphecy. 
This  fact  Peter  incs  in  exhorting  tnem  to 
re|)entancc;  but  it  is  rtot  to  he  regarded 
as  an  excuse  for  ttiojr  sins.  The  mere  fact 
that  nil  this  was  (i)relold,  that  it  was  in 
acconlance  with  llio  purposes  and  pre- 
dictions of  God,  docK  not  take  qwov  the 


19  Repent  *  ye  therefore,  and  be 
converted,  "^  that  your  sins  may  be 
**  blotted  out,  when  the  times  of  re- 
fresliing  *  shall  come  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord ; 

b  c.2.38.  c  Is.l. 16-20.  Joel  2.13.  d  I8.43.S6. 

(  Jer.3l.23-25.  Zep.3.14-20.  Re.21.4. 


gu 

In  regard  to  this,  we  may  remark,  (1.)  The 
prediction  did  not  change  the  nature  of 
the  act.    The  mere  fact  that  it  was  fore- 
told, or  foreknown,  did   not  change  its 
character.  See  Note,  ch.  i    23.   (2.)  Peter^ 
still  regarded  them  as  guihy.   He  did  not' 
urge  the  fact  that  this  was  foreknown  as 
an  excuse  for  their  sin,  but  to  show  them 
that  since  all  this  happened  according  to 
the  prediction  and  the  purpose  of  God, 
they  had  hope  in  his  mercy.     The  plan' 
was  that  the  Messiah  should  die  to  make 
a  way  for  pardon;  and,  therefore,  they 
might  have  hope  in  his  mercy.     (3.)  Thia-^ 
was  a  signal  instance  of  the  power  and 
mercy  of  God  in  overruling  the  wicked 
conduct  of  men  to  further  his  purposes 
and  plans.     (4.)  All  the  other  sins  of  men 
may  thus   be  overruled,  and   thus   the 
wrath  of  man  may  be  made  to  praise 
him.    But,  (5.)  This  will  constitute  no  ex 
cuse  for  the  sinner.     It  is  no  part  of  liis 
intention  to  honour  God,  or  to  advance 
his  purposes;  and  there  is  no  direct  ten- 
dency in  his  crimes  to  advance  his  glory 
The  direct  tendency  of  his  deeds  is  coun- 
teracted and  overruled  ;  and  God  brings 
good  out  of  the  evil.   But  this  surely  con- 
stitutes no  excuse  for  the  sinner. 

If  it  be  asked  why  Peter  insisted  on 
this,  if  he  did  not  mean  that  it  should  be 
regarded  as  an  excuse  for  their  sin  ;  I  re- 
ply, that  it  was  his  design  to  prove  thai 
Jesus  was  Ihe  Messiah,  and  having  proved 
this,  he  could  assure  them  that  there  was 
mercy.  Not  because  they  had  not  been 
guilty;  not  because  ihey deserved  favour; 
but  because  the  fact  that  the  Messiah  haft 
come  was  an  argument  that  any  finnera 
might  obtain  mercy,  as  he  immediately 
proceeds  to  show  them.  ^ 

10.    Repent    ye.      Note,    Matt,  iii    2     , 
IT  Therefore.     Because  of  your  sin  in  ]»ut      i 
ting  Jesus  to  death  ;  and  because  he  is  the 
Messiah,  and  God  Uirough  him  is  willing 
to  show  mercy  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  j 
IT  And  be  converted.   This  expression  con- 
voys an  idea  not  at  all  to  lie  found  in  the 
original.    It  conveys  the  idea  oi'pas.tivity 
BV:  nmvertrd,  as  if  they  wore  to  yield  tc 
some   lltroign   influence  that  they  were 
nov^  resisting.    But  the  idea  of  being  pas- 
sive, in  this,  is  not  conveyed  by  the  origi- 


K.  D.  33. J 


CHAPTER  111. 


67 


■  f  lal  word.  The  word  means  properly  to 
j  i-ir7i ;  to  return  to  a  path  fr  jm  which  one 
'  nas  gone  astray ;  and  then  to  turn  away 

from  sins,  or  to  forsake  them.  It  is  a  word 
used  in  a  general  sense  to  denote  the 
whole  turning  to  God.  That  the  form  of 
the  word  here  (i^io-T^i^^rs)  does  not  de- 
note passivity  may'be  clearly  seen  by  re- 
ferring to  the  following  places,  where  the 
same  form  of  the  word  is  used.  Matt. 
x\iv  18.  Mark  xiii.  16.  Luke  xvii.  31. 
1  Thess.  i.  9.  The  expression,  therefore, 
would  have  been  more  appropriately 
rendered  "repent,  and  turn,  that  your 
sins,"  &c.  To  be  converted  cannot  be  a 
matter  of  obligation  ;  but  to  turn  to  God 
IS  the  duty  of  every  sinner.  The  crimes 
of  which  he  exhorted  them  to  repent 
'vere  those  pertaining  to  the  death  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  as  well  as  all  the  past  sins  of 
their  life.  They  were  to  turn  from  the 
course  of  wickedness  in  which  they  and 
the  nation  had   been  so  long  walking. 

[IT  That  your  sins,  «fec.    In  order  that  your 
sins  7nay  be  forgiven.     Sin  cannot  be  par- 
doned before  man  repents  of  it.     In  the 
j    order  of  the  work  of  grace,  repentance 

■  must  always  precede  pardon.    Of  course, 
'    no  man  can  have  evidence  that  his  sin  is 

pardoned  until  he  repents.     Comp.  Isa. 

i.  16—20.  Joel  ii.  13.  IT  May  be  blotted  out. 

May  be  forgiven,  or  pardoned.     The  ex- 

>*pression,  to  blot  out  sins,  occurs  also  in 

I    Isa.  xliii.  25.  Ps,  li.  1.  9.  Jer.  xviii.  23.  Neh. 

t     iv.  5.  Isa.  xliv.  22.  The  expression,  to  blot 

^  out  a  7iame,  is  applied  to  expunging  it  from 

a  roll,  or  catalogue,  or  lint,  as  of  an  army, 

&c.     Ex.  xxxii.  32,  3.3.  Deut.  ix.  14;  xxv. 

/ 19 ;  ixix.  29,  &c.     The  expression,  to  olot 

\  out  sins,  is  taken  from  the  practice  of  cre- 

•:  ditors  charging  their  debtors,  and  when 

;  the  debt  was  paid,  cancelling  it,  or  wholly 

'  removing  the   record.     The  word   used 

here  properly  refers   to  the  practice  of 

writing  on  tables  covered  with  wax,  and 

then  by  inverting  the  stylus,  or  instrument 

ot  writing,  smoothing  the  wax  again,  and 

rhus  removing  every  trace  of  the  record. 

'This  more  entirely  expresses  the  idea  of 

pardoning,  than  blotting  does.     It  means 

vvliolly  to  remove  the  record,  the  charge, 

and  every  trace  of  the  account  against  us. 

In  this  way  God  forgives  sins.     H  When 

the  times,  &c.    The  word  'i-^,-,  rendered 

"when,"  is  commonly  rendered  that,  and 

denotes  the ^naZ  caitse,  or  the  reason  why 

a  thing  is  done.  Matt.  ii.23;v.  16.  45,  &c. 

By  many  it  has  been  supposed  to  have 

this  sense  here,  and  tc  mean  "  repent 

i?i  order  that  the  times  of  refreshing  may 
ccine,"  <S:c.  Thus  Kuinoel,  Grotius,  Light- 
foot,  the  Syriac  version,  &c.  If  used  in 
his  sense,  it  means  that  their  repentance 


^ortb.-^ 
it  ia  I 


and  forgiveness  would  be  the  means  ot 
introducing  peace  and  joy.  Others  have 
rendered  it  in  accordance  with  our  trans- 
lation, "  when,"  meaning  that  they  might 
find  peace  in  the  day  when  Christ  should 
return  to  judgment;  which  return  would 
be  to  them  a  day  of  res?,  though  of  terroi 
to  the  wicked.  Thus  Calvin,  Beza,  the 
Latin  Vulgate,  Schleusner,  &c.  The 
grammatical  construction  will  admit  of 
either,  though  the  former  is  more  in  ao 
cordance  with  the  usual  use  of  the  worth" 
The  objection  to  the  former  is,  that 
not  easy  to  see  how  their  repenting, 
should  be  the  means  of  introducing  the  I 
times  of  refreshing.  And  this,  also,  cor- 
responds very  little  with  the  desigii  of 
Peter  in  this  discourse.  That  was  to  e/i- 
courage  them  to  repentance;  to  adduce 
arguments  why  they  should  repent ;  and 
why  they  might  hope  in  his  mercy.  To 
do  ihis,  it  was  needful  only  to  assure  thenj 
that  they  were  living  under  the  times  i 
graciously  promised  by  God,  the  times  of  | 
refreshing,  when  pardon  might  be  obtain^ 
ed.  The  main  inquiry,  therefore,  is,  what 
did  Peter  refer  to  hy  the  times  of  refresh^ 
ing,  and  by  the  restitution  of  all  things'. 
Did  he  refer  to  any  particular  manifesta- 
tion to  be  made  then ;  or  to  the  influence 
of  the  gospel  on  the  earth ;  or  to  the  future 
state,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  '^ome  to 
judgment  ?  The  idea  which  I  suppose 
Peter  intended  to  convey  was  this: 
'  Repent,  and  be  converted.  You  have 
been  great  sinners,  and  are  in  danger. 
Turn  from  your  ways,  that  your  sins  may 
be  forgiven.'  But  then,  what  encourage, 
ment  would  there  be  for  this?  or  vWiy 
should  it  be  done?  Answer.  'You  are 
hving  under  the  times  of  the  gospel,  the 
reign  of  the  Messiah,  the  times  of  refresh- 
ing. This  happy,  glorious  period  has  been 
long  anticipated,  and  is  to  continue  to  the 
close  of  the  world,  the  period  including 
the  restitution  of  all  things,  and  the  re- 
turn of  Christ  to  judgment,  has  come , 
and  is,  therefore,  the  period  when  you 
may  find  mercy,  and  when  you  shnu/d 
seek  it,  to  be  prepared  for  his  return.'  In 
this  sense  the  passage  refers  to  the  fact 
that  this  time,  this  dispensation,  this  eco- 
nomy, including  all  this,  had  come,  and 
thev  were  livirig  under  it,  and  might  and 
should  seek  for  mercy.  It  expresses, 
therefore,  the  common .  belief  of  the  Jews 
that  such  a  time  should  come,  and  the 
comment  of  Feier  about  it?  nature  and 
continuance.  The  belief  of  the  Jews 
was  that  such  times  should  come.  Peter 
afllrms  that  the  belief  of  such  a  period 
was  well-founded — a  time  ^\hen  merj 
mav  be  obtained.    That  tir-  »  has 


lerot 
r.oa^m. 


THE  ACT«. 


fA.  D.  33 


20  And  he  "  shall  send  Jesus 
Christ,  which  before  was  preached 
unto  you  : 

ac.l.n.  He.9.28. 

The  doctrine  that  it  should  come  Avas  well- 
founded,  and  has  been  fulfilled.  This 
was  a  reason  why  they  should  repent,  and 
hope  in  tiie  mercy  of  God.  Peter  goes  on, 
then,  to  state  further  cliaracierisiics  of 
that  period.  It  should  include  the  restitu- 
tion of  all  things,  the  return  of  Christ  to 
judgment,  &c.  And  all  this  was  an  addi- 
tional consideration  why  they  should  re- 
pent, and  turn  Irom  their  sins,  and  seek 
for  forgiveness.  The  meaning  of  the  pas- 
sage may,  therefore,  be  thus  summed  up : 
'  Repent,  since  such  times  shall  come ; 
they  are  clearly  predicted;  they  were  to  be 
expected ;  and  you  are  now  living  under 
them.  In  these  times;  in  this  dispensa- 
t'on,  also,  God  shall  send  his  Son  again  to 
judge  the  world  ;  and  all  thhigs  sliall  be 
etosed  and  settled  for  ever.  Since  you 
live  under  this  period,  you  may  .seek  for 
mercy ;  and  you  should  seek  to  avoid  the 
vengeance  due  to  the  wicked,  and  to  be 
admitted  to  heaven  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
y*hall  return.'  IT  Times  of  refreshing. 
[The  word  rendered  refreshing,  y.vu,-\ijlti, 
means  properly  the  breathing,  or  refresh- 
ment, after  being  heated  with  labour,  run- 
ning, &.C.  It  hence  denotes  any  kind  of 
refreshment,  as  rest,  or  deliverance  from 
evils  of  any  kind.  It  is  used  nowhere 
j_else  in  the  New  Testament,  except  that 
the  verb  is  used  in  2  Tim.  i.  16,  "Onesi- 
phorus. .  .  .oft  refreshed  me,  and  was  not 
ashamed  of  my  chain."  lie  administered 
comfort  to  me  in  my  trials.  It  is  u.sed  by 
the  LXX.  in  the  Old  Testament  nine 
times.  Ex.  viii.  15,  "But  when  Pharaoh 
bBvv  that  there  was  respite,"  i.  e.  cessation 
iT  rest  from  the  plagues.  IIos.  xii.  8.  Jer. 
xlix.  31,  Ps.  Ixix.  11,  &c.  In  no  place  in 
J.he  Old  Testament  is  the  7i'ord  ai)plied  to 
('^  the  terms  of  the  gospel.  The  idea,  hovv- 
\  I  ver,  that  the  times  of  the  Messiah  would 
be  times  of  rest,  and  ease,  and  prosperity, 
\\:^s^  a  favourite  one  among  the  Jews,  and 
WtLS  countenanced  in  the  Old  Testament. 
Soo  Isa.  xxviii.  12,  "To  whom  he  said, 
ThL«;  is  the  rest  wherewith  ye  may  cause 
the  weary  to  rest ;  and  this  is  the  refresh- 
\  tng,"  &c.  They  anticipated  the  times  of 
*^he  gospel  ns  a  period  when  ihoy  sliould 
have  rest  from  ihoir  enemies;  a  rcsjiite 
from  the  evils  of ojipression  and  \\ar  ami 
a  period  of  great  r>nti<>nal  prosperity  and 
pciK  o.  Under  the  idea  that  the  iia/ij)}/ 
lip"  >'  (f  the  Messiah  had  come,  Peter  now 
-^^rt'8.sr«  them,  and  assures  them  that 


21  Whorii  the  heav^ens  must  re 
ceive  until  the  times  *  of  restitutior 
of    all    things,   which    God    hath 
b  Matin.n. 

they  might  obtain  pardon  and  peace 
IT  ISluill  come.  This  does  not  mean  that 
this  period  was  still  future,  for  it  had 
come;  but  that  the  expectation  of  the 
Jews  that  such  a  Messiah  should  come 
was  well-founded.  A  remarkably  similai 
construction  we  have  concerning  Elijah 
(Matt.  xvii.  11),  "And  Jesus  answered 
and  said,  Elias  truly  shall  first  come,  and 
restore,"  &c. ;  that  is,  the  doctrine  that 
Elijah  should  come  was  true;  though  he 
immediately  adds  that  it  had  already  taken 
place,  ver.  12.  See  Note  on  the  place 
Tl  From  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Greek. 
"  from  the  face  of  the  Lord."  The  expres- 
sion means  that  God  was  its  author.  From 
the  face  of  the  Lord  means  from  the  Lord 
himself.  Mark  i.  2,  "  I  send  thy  messen- 
ger before  thy  face,"  i.  e,  before  thee, 
Comp.  Mai.  hi.  1.  Luke  i.  76;  ii.  31. 

20.  And  he  shall  send,  &c.  ch.  i.  11. 
Under  this  economy  of  things,  he  shall 
send  Jesus  Christ,  i.  e.  the  Messiah,  to 
teach  men;  to  redeem  them;  to  save 
them ;  to  judge  the  world  ;  to  gather  his 
people  to  himself;  and  to  condemn  the 
wicked.  Under  this  economy  they  were 
then.  This,  therefore,  was  an  argument 
why  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God. 
that  they  might  escape  in  the  day  of  judg 
ment.  IT  Which  before  was  preached,  «kc. 
Who  has  been  proclaimed  as  the  Me.ssiah. 
The  name  Jesus  C'hrist  is  equivalent  here 
to  the  Messiah.  The  Messiah  had  been 
proclaimed  to  the  Jews  as  about  to  come 
In  his  time  was  to  be  the  period  of  re 
freshing.  He  had  come ;  and  they  were 
under  the  economy  in  which  the  blessings 
of  the  Messiah  were  to  be  enjoyed.  This 
does  not  refer  to  his  personal  ministry,  or 
to  the  preaching  of  the  ajK)stlcs ;  but  tc 
the  fact  that  the  Messiah  had  been  a  long 
time  annoujtced  to  them  by  the  proj)hets 
as  about  to  come.  All  the  proplicts  had 
preached  him,  as  the  hope  of  the  nation. 
It  may  bo  remarked,  however,  that  there 
is  here  a  diflerence  in  the  manuscripts- 
A  large  majority  of  them  read  :TfCK.x£«. 
piir.uei  01 ,  w  ho  was  designated  or  appointed 
instead  of  vviio  was  preached.  This  read 
ing  is  approved  liy  Gricsliach,  Knapp 
Bengc!,  tVc.  It  was  followed  in  the  nn 
cirnt  Sy-iac.  the  Arabic,  &c.  and  is  un- 
doubtedlv  the  true  reading. 

21.  \V}i(im  Ihe  heaven  ?nust  receive.  The 
common  i)elicf  of  the  Jews  was,  that  the 
Messiah  would  reign  '•«»  /he  earth  foi 


Al.D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  .11. 


j9 


spoken  "  by  the  mouth  of  all  his 
"aoly  prophets  since  the  world  began. 


ever.  John  xii.  34.  On  this  account  they 
would  object  that  Jesus  could  not  be  the 
Messiah  ,  and  hence  it  became  so  impor- 
tant for  Vae  apostles  to  establish  the  fact 
that  he  had  ascended  to  heaven.  The 
"evidence  which  they  adduced  was  the 
fact  that  they  saw  him  ascend.  Acts  i.  9. 
The  meaning  of  the  expression  "  w  hom 
the  heaven  must  receive,"  is  that  it  was 
fit  or  proper  (Su)  that  he  should  ascend. 
One  reason  of  that  fitness  or  propriety  he 
himself  stated  in  John  xvi.  7,  corap.  xvii. 

2.  It  w^as  also  ft  or  expedient  that  he 
should  do  it,  to  direct  the  affairs  of  the 
universe  for  the  welfare  of  the  church 
(Eph,  i.  20—22),  and  that  he  should  exer- 
cise there  his  office  as  a  priest  in  inter- 
ceding for  his  people.  1  John  ii.  1,  2.  Heb. 
vii.  25;  ix.  24.  Rom.  viii.  34,  &c.  It  is 
remarkable  that  Peter  did  not  adduce 
any  passage  of  Scripture  on  this  subject; 
but  it  was  one  of  the  points  on  which 
there  was  no  clear  revelation.  Obscure 
intimations  of  it  might  be  found  in  Ps.  ex. 
xvi.  &c.  but  the  fact  that  he  should  as- 
".end  to  heaven  was  not  made  prominent 
in  the  Old  Testament.  The  words  "whom 
the  heaven  must  receive,"  also  convey 
the  idea  of  exaltation  and  power ;  and  Pe- 
ter doubtless  intended  to  say  that  he  was 
clothed  with  power,  and  exalted  to  ho- 
nour in  the  presence  of  God.  See  Ps.  cxv. 

3,  comp.  1  Pet.  iii.  22,  "  Who  is  gone  into 
heaven,  and  is  on  the  right  hand  of  God  ; 
angels  and  authoruies  and  powers  being 
made  subject  unto  him."  Note,  Acts  ii. 
33.  IF  Until.  This  word  implies  that  he 
would  then  retui  n  to  the  earth ;  but  it 
does  not  imply  that  he  would  not  again 
ascend  to  heaven.  IT  The  times  of  the 
restitution  of  all  things.  The  noun  ren- 
dered    restitution     {k7rox:irx(rr:i!rs.og)    doCS 

not  elsewhere  occur  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  verb  from  which  it  is  derived 
occurs  eight  times.  It  moans  properly  to 
"esfore  a  thing  to  its  farmer  situation,  as 
restoring  a  sprained  or  dislocated  limb  to 
ts  former  soundness  Hence  it  is  used  to 
restore,  or  to  h:al,  in  the  New  Testament, 
"^latt.  xii.  13,  'And  it  (the  hand)  was  re- 
nored  whole  as  (he  other."  Mark  iii.  5. 
Luke  vi.  10.  And  hence  it  is  apphed  to  the 
preparation  jf  fitness  for  the  coming  cf 
the  Messiah  which  was  to  attend  the 
preaching  of  John  in  the  character  of 
Klias.  Matt.  xvii.  11.  Mark  ix.  12.  Thus  in 
Josophus  (Antiq.  li.  3.  8),  the  word  is  used 
to  denote  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  the 
caotivitv  of  Babylon,  and  their  restoration 


22  For  IMoses  truiy  said  unto  the 
fathers,  A  *  Prophet  shall  the  Lord 


to  their  former  state  and  privileges.  The 
word  has  also  the  idea  of  consuvLmation, 
completion,  or  filling  up.  Thus  it  is  used 
in  Philo,  Hesychius,  Phavorinus,  and  by 
the  Greek  classics.  (See  Lightfoot  anrt 
Kuinoel.)  Thus  it  is  used  here  by  the 
Syriac.  "  Until  the  complement  or  filling 
wpof  the  times;"  that  is,  of  all  the  events 
foretold  by  the  prophets,  &c.  Thus  the 
Arabic.  "  Until  the  times  which  shall  esta- 
blish the  perfection  or  completion  of  all  the 
predictions  of  the  prophets,"  &c.  In  this 
sense  the  passage  means  that  the  heavens 
must  receive  the  Lord  Jesus  until  all  things 
spoken  by  the  prophets  in  relation  to  his 
work,  his  reign,  the  spread  of  the  gospel, 
the  triumph  of  religion,  &c.  shall  have 
been  fulfilled.  It  also  conveys  the  idea 
of  the  predicted  recovery  of  the  world 
from  sin,  and  the  restoration  of  peace  and 
order;  the  consummation  of  the  work  of 
the  Messiah,  now  begun,  but  not  yet 
complete  ;  slow  it  may  be  in  its  advc~ces, 
but  triumphant  and  certain  in  its  progress, 
and  its  close.  IT  All  things.  All  things 
which  have  been  foretold  by  the  prophets 
The  expression  is  limited  by  the  connex- 
ion to  this ;  and  of  course  it  does  not  mean 
that  all  men  shall  be  saved,  or  that  all 
the  evils  of  sin  can  be  repaired  or  reme- 
died. This  can  never  be,  for  the  mis- 
chief is  done,  and  cannot  be  undone; 
but  every  thing  which  the  prophets 
have  foretold  shall  receive  their  comple- 
tion and  fulfilment.  ^  Which  God  hath 
spoken.  Which  have  been  revealed,  and 
are  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament.  T  Of 
all  his  holy  prophets.  This  does  not  mean 
that  each  one  of  the  prophets  had  spoken 
of  these  things ;  but  that  all  which  had 
been  spoken  should  be  fulfilled.  IT  Since 
the  world  began.  This  is  an  expression 
denoting  the  same  as  from  the  beginning 
meaning  to  affirm  with  emphasis  that  all 
the  prophecies  should  be  fulfilled.  The 
apostles  were  desirous  to  show  that  they, 
as  well  as  the  Jews,  held  entirely  to  the 
prophets,  and  taught  no  doctrine  which 
they  had  not  taught  before  them. 

22.  For  Moses  truly  said.  The  autho- 
rity of  Moses  among  the  Jews  was  abso- 
lute and  final.  It  was  of  great  importance, 
therefore,  to  show  not  only  that  they  wera 
not  departing  from  his  law,  but  that  he 
had  actually  foretold  these  very  things. 
The  object  of  the  passage  is  not  to  prove 
that  the  heavens  must  receive  him,  but 
that  he  was  truly  the  Messiah.  ^  Untc 
the   fathers.     To  "their  ancestoi-s,  tir  thg 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.D.  53 


your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your 
brethren,  like  unto  me;  him  shall 


founders  of  the  nation.  See  Deut.  xviii, 
15 — 19  '^  A  prophet.  Literally,  one  who 
fbretels  future  events.  But  it  is  also  used 
to  denote  a  religious  teacher  in  general. 
See  Rom.  xii.  6.  In.  Deut.  it  is  evi- 
dently used  in  a  large  sense,  to  denote 
one  who  should  infallibly  guide  and  di- 
rect the  nation  in  its  religious  affairs ;  one 
who  should  be  commissioned  by  God  to 
do  this,  in  opposition  to  the  divijters  (ver. 
14;  on  which  other  nations  relied.  The 
meaning  of  this  passage  in  Deuteronomy 
is  apparent  from  the  connexion.  Moses 
is  stating  to  them  (ver.  1—8)  the  duty  and 
office  of  the  priests  and  Levites.  He  then 
cautions  them  against  conforming  to  the 
surrounding  nations,  particularly  on  the 
Bubject  of  religious  instruction  and  gui- 
dance. They,  said  he,  consult,  in  times  of 
perplexity,  with  enchanters,and  charmers, 
and  necromancers,  and  wizards,  &c.  (ver. 
11 — 14),  but  it  shall  not  be  so  with  you. 
You  shall  not  be  left  to  this  false  and  un- 
certam  guidance  in  times  of  perplexity 
and  danger;  for  the  Lord  will  raise  up, 
from  time  to  time,  a  prfjphet,  a  man  di- 
rectly commissioned  in  an  extraordinary 
manner  from  heaven,  like  me,  who  shall 
direct  and  counsel  you.  The  promise, 
therefore,  pertains  to  the  series  of  jyrophets 
which  God  would  raise  up;  or  it  is  a  pro- 
mise that  God  would  send  his  prophets,  as 
occa-sion  might  demand,  to  instruct  and 
counsel  the  nation.  The  design  was  to 
keep  them  from  consulting  with  diviners, 
&c.  and  to  preserve  them  from  following 
the  pretended  and  false  religious  teachers 
of  surrounding  idolatrous  people.  In  this 
mterpretation  most  commentators  agree. 
See  particularly  Calvin  on  this  place. 
Thus  explained,  the  prophecy  had  no  cx- 
dusive  or  even  direct  reference  to  the 
Messiah,  and  there  is  no  evidence  that 
the  Jews  understood  it  to  have  any  such 
reference,  except  as  one  of  the  series  of 
projmets  that  God  would  rai.se  up  and 
send  to  instruct  the  nation.  If  then  it  be 
a'^ked  on  what  principle  Peter  appealed  to 
(his,  wo  may  reply,  (I.) That  the  Messiah 
was  to  sustain  the  character  of  a  prophet, 
and  the  prophecy  had  reference  to  him  as 
vne  of  the  teachers  that  God  would  raise 
uji  to  instruct  the  nation.  (2.)  It  would 
upi»ly  to  him  iy  ivay  of  eminence,  as  the 
greates'  of  t]ic  messengers  that  God  would 
send  to  instruct  llio  peof)le.  In  this  sen.se 
it  i«  probable  that  the  Jews  would  urider- 
fitand  it.  (3.)  This  was  one  of  those 
emergencies  in  the  history  of  the  nation 


ye  hear  in  all  things,  whatsoevei 
he  shall  say  unti  you. 

when  they  might  expect  such  an  inter 
vention.  The  prophecy  implied  that  in 
times  of  perplexity  and  danger,  God  would 
raise  up  such  a  prophet  Such  a  time 
then  existed.  The  nation  was  corrupt, 
distracted,  subjected  to  a  foreign  power, 
and  needed  such  a  teacher  and  guide. 
If  it  be  asked  why  Peter  appealed  to  this, 
rather  than  to  explicit  piophecies  of  the 
Messiah,  we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  his 
main  object  was  to  show  their  guilt  in 
having  rejected  him  and  put  him  to  death 
ver.  14,  15.  (2.)  That  in  order  to  do  this, 
he  sets  before  them  clearly  the  obligation 
to  obey  him ;  and  in  doing  this,  appeals 
to  the  express  command  of  Moses.  He 
shows  them  that,  according  to  Moses, 
whoever  would  not  obey  such  a  prophet 
should  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people. 
In  refusing,  therefore,  to  hear  this  great 
prophet,  and  putting  him  to  death,  they 
had  violated  the  express  command  of  their 
own  lawgiver.  But  it  was  possible  stiU 
to  obey  him,  for  he  still  lived  in  heaven ; 
and  all  the  authority  of  Moses,  therefore, 
made  it  a  matter  of  obligation  for  them 
still  to  hear  and  obey  him.  The  Jews 
were  accustomed  to  apply  the  name  pro- 
phet to  the  Messiah  (John  i.  21;  vi.  14; 
yii.  40.  Matt.  xxi.  11.  Luke  iv,  24),  and 
it  has  been  shown  from  the  writings  of 
the  Jewish  Rabbins,  that  they  believed 
the  Messiah  would  be  the  greatest  of  the 
prophets,  even  greater  than  Moses.  See 
Note,  John  i.  21.  IT  The  Lord  your  God 
In  the  Hebrew,  "  Jehovah,  thy  God.' 
IT  Raise  up  unto  you.  Appoint,  or  com 
mission  to  come  to  you.  H  Of  your  hre 
thren.  Among  yourselves ;  of  your  own 
countrymen ;  so  that  you  shall  not  be  de- 
pendent on  foreigners,  or  on  teachers  of 
other  nations.  AH  the  prophets  were 
native-born  Jews.  And  it  was  particu- 
larly  true  of  the  Messiah  that  he  was  to 
be  a  Jew,  descended  from  Abraham,  and 
raised  up  from  the  midst  of  lus  brethren 
Heb.  ii.  11.  IG,  17.  On  this  account 
was  to  be  presumed  that  they  would  feei 
a  deeper  interest  in  him,  and  listen  more 
attentively  to  his  instructions.  IT  Likt 
unto  me.  Not  in  all  things,  but  only  ir 
the  ix)int  which  was  under  discussion 
He  was  to  resemble  him  in  being  able  to 
make  known  to  them  the  will  of  God,  and 
thus  preventing  the  necessity  of  look'iii 
to  other  teachers.  The  idea  of  re.Hm 
blance  between  Moses  and  the  prophet  u 
not  very  strictly  expressed  in  the  Greek 
except  in  the  mere  circumstar.ee  of  bein| 


\.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  in. 


23  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  every  soul  which  will  not  hear 
that  Prophet  shall  be  destroyed  from 
amon^  the  people. 


raised  up.  God  shall  raise  up  to  you  a 
prophet  as  he  has  raised  up  me — <i,-  t/^L 
The  resemblance  between  Moses  and  the 
Messiah  should  not  be  pressed  too  far. 
The  Scriptures  have  not  traced  it  farther 
Ihan  to  the  fact  that  both  were  raised  up 
by  God  to  communicate  his  will  to  the 
Jewish  people  ;  and  therefore  one  should 
he  heard  as  well  as  the  other.  H  Him 
shall  ye  hear.  That  is,  him  shall  you 
obey,  or  you  shall  receive  his  instructions 
as  a  communication  from  God.  IT  In  all 
things  whatsoever,  &c.  These  words  are 
not  quoted  literally  from  the  Hebrew,  but 
they  express  the  se?ise  of  what  is  said  in 
Deut.  xviii.  15.  18. 

23.  Ajid  it  shall  come  to  pass.  It  shall 
be  or  shall  occur.  This  is  not  the  usual 
word  rendered  "  it  shall  come  to  pass." 
It  is  a  word  commonly  expressing  futu- 
rity, but  here  it  conveys  the  notion  of  o6- 
ligation.  In  this  verse  Peter  has  not  quoted 
the  passage  in  Deuteronomy  literally,  but 
he  has  given  the  sense.  '^  Every  soul, 
'^.very  person,  or  individual.  Soul  is  often 
put  for  the  whole  man  by  the  Hebrews. 
Acts  vii.  14.  Josh.  x.  28.  IT  Hear  that  pro- 
phet. That  is,  obey  his  instructions.  He 
shall  have  authority  to  declare  the  will 
of  God  ;  and  he  that  does  not  obey  him 
refuses  to  obey  God.  Comp.  Luke  x.  16. 
John  xiii.  20.  IF  Shall  be  destroyed.  Tliis 
quotation  is  made  according  to  the  sense, 
and  not  literally.  In  the  Hebrew  the  ex- 
pression is  (Deut.  xviii.  19),  "I  will  require 
it  of  him,"  i.  e.  I  will  hold  him  answer- 
able, or  responsible  for  it ;  I  will  punish 
him.  This  expression  the  LXX.  have 
rendered  by  "  I  will  take  vengeance  on 
him."  The  idea  of  the  passage  is,  there- 
fore, that  God  would  punish  the  man  that 
would  not  hear  the  prophet,  without  spe- 
cifying the  particular  way  in  which  it 
should  be  done.  The  usual  mode  of 
punishing  such  offenceo  was  by  cutting 
the  offender  off  from  among  the  people. 
Ex.  XXX.  33;  xii.  15 ;  xix.  31.  Num.  xv.  31  ; 
six.  13.  Lev.  vii.  20,  21.  25.  27,  &c  The 
sense  is,  that  he  should  be  punished  in 
the  usual  manner ;  i.  e.  by  excision,  or  by 
being  destroyed  from  among  the  people. 
The  word  translated  shall  be  destroyed 
means  properly  to  exterminate ;  wholly  to 
devote  to  ruin,  as  of  a  wicked  people,  a 
wicked  man  whos<?  life  is  taken,  &c.  To 
be  destroyed/row  among  the  people  means, 
owever,  to  be  excommunicated,  or  to  be 


24  Yea,  and  all  the  \  rophets  from 
Samuel,  and  th  .se  that  follow  after, 
as  many  as  have  spoken,  have  like- 
wise foretold  of  these  days. 

deprived  of  the  privileges  of  a  people. 
Among  the  Jews  this  was  probably  the 
most  severe  punishment  that  could  be  in- 
flicted. It  involved  the  idea  of  behig  cul 
off  from  the  privileges  of  sacrifice  and 
worship  in  the  temple  and  in  the  syna- 
gogue, &c.  and  of  being  regarded  as  a 
heathen  and  an  outcast.  The  idea  which 
Peter  expressed  here  was,  that  the  Jewa 
had  exposed  themselves  to  the  severest 
punishment  in  rejecting  and  crucifying 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  that  they  should, 
therefore,  repent  of  this  great  sin,  and 
seek  for  mercy.  The  same  remark  is  ap 
plicable  still  to  men.  The  Scriptures 
abundantly  declare  the  truth,  that  if  ;  a- 
ners  will  not  hear  the  Lord  Jesus,  they 
shall  be  destroyed.  And  it  becomes  each 
individual  to  inquire  w-ith  honesty  wlie- 
ther  he  listens  to  his  instructions,  and 
obeys  his  law,  or  whether  he  is  rejecting 
him  and  following  the  devices  and  de- 
sires of  his  own  heart.  It  will  be  a  solemn 
day  when  the  sinner  shall  be  called  to 
render  a  reason  w  hy  he  has  rejected  the 
teachings  and  laws  of  the  Son  of  God! 

24.  All  the  prophets.  That  is,  the  jtro- 
phets  in  general.  It  may  be  said  of  t!ie 
prophets  generally,  or  of  all  of  them,  that 
they  have  foretold  these  things.  This 
expression  is  not  to  be  pressed  as  if  wo 
were  to  look  for  distinct  predictions  of  the 
Messiah  in  each  one  of  the  prophets.  Ths 
use  of  language  does  not  require  so  strict 
an  interpretation.  ^  From  Samuel.  In 
the  previous  verse  (22)  Moses  was  men- 
tioned as  the  first  in  order.  The  next  in 
order  was  Samuel.  The  same  mention 
of  Moses  and  Samuel  occurs  in  Ps.  xcix.  6. 
The  reason  why  Samuel  is  me  itioned 
here  is,  probably,  that  he  was  the  first 
prophet  after  Moses  who  recorded  a  pre- 
diction respecting  the  times  of  the  Mes- 
siah. The  Jews,  in  their  divisions  of  the 
books  of  the  Old  Testament,  reckoned  the 
book  of  Joshua  as  the  first  of  the  prophets. 
But  in  Joshua  and  Judges  there  does  no» 
occur  any  distinct  prediction  of  the  Mes- 
siah. The  prophecy  in  Samuel,  to  which 
Peter  probably  had  reference,  is  in  2  Saw 
vii.  16.  From  the  fime  of  Moses  to  S*. 
muel,  also,  it  is  probable  that  no  prophel 
arose.  God  was  consulted  by  Urim  and 
Tliummim  (Ex.  xxviii.  30.  Num.xxvii  21), 
and  consequently  no  extraordinary  mes- 
senger was  sent  to  instruct  the  nation 
%  As  many  «.«  have  sjmken.     Whosf)evoi 


T2 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


25  ife  •  aie  the  children  of  the 
prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which 
God  made  with  our  fathers,  saying 
unto  Abraham,  And  *  in  thy  seed 

aRo.9.4:15.8.  2i  Ge.83.1S. 


has  declared  the  will  of  God.  This  is  to 
I>e  taken  in  o.  general  sense.  The  mean- 
ing is!,  that  the  prophets  had  concurred  in 
foretelling  these  days.  They  not  merely 
concurred  in  Icretelling  a  happy  future 
period,  but  they  foretold  dislinclly  the 
very  things  which  had  actually  occurred 
respecting  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  and  the 
Jews,  therefore,  should  listen  to  the  voice 
of  their  own  prophets. 

25.  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  prophets. 
Greek,  "  Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  prophets." 
The  meaning  is,  not  that  they  were  lite- 
rally the  descendants  of  the  prophets,  but 
that  they  were  their  disciples,  pupils,  fol- 
lowers. Tliey  professed  to  follow  the  pro- 
pliets  as  their  teachers  and  guides.  Teach- 
ers among  the  Jews,  were  often  spoken 
of  under  the  appellation  of  fathers,  and 
disciples  as  sons.  Matt.  xii.  27.  Note, 
Malt.  i.  1.  As  they  were  the  professed 
disciples  of  the  prophet-s,  they  should  lis- 
ten to  them.  As  they  lived  among  the 
people  to  whom  the  prophets  were  sent, 
and  to  whom  the  promises  were  made, 
they  should  avail  themselves  of  the  offer 
of  mercy,  and  embrace  the  Messiah. 
V  And  of  the  covenant.  Ye  are  the  sons 
of  the  covenant ;  that  is,  you  are  of  tho 
posterity  of  Abraham,  with  whom  tho 
covenant  was  made.  The  word  "  sons' 
was  often  thus  used  to  denote  those  to 
whom  any  favour  appertained,  whether 
by  inheritance  or  in  any  other  way.  Thus 
Matt.  viii.  12,  "  the  children  (sons)  of  the 
kingdom."  John  xvii.  12,  "  The  son  of 
perdition."  The  word  covenant  denotes 
properly  a  compact  or  agreement  between 
equals,  or  those  who  have  a  right  to  make 
such  a  compact  and  to  choose  or  refuse 
«he  terms.  When  applied  to  God  and 
man,  it  denotes  ajirm  promise  on  the  part 
bfGod;  a  pledge  to  be  regarded  with  all 
the  sacredness  of  a  compact,  that  he  will 
do  certain  things  on  certain  conditions. 
It  IS  called  a  covenant  only  to  designate 
Its  sacredness  and  the  certainty  of  its  ful- 
filment, not  that  mnji  had  any  right  to  re- 
ject any  of  (ho  tonus  or  stipulations.  As 
man  has  no  such  right,  ns  he  is  bound  to 
receive  all  that  hm  Maker  proposes,  so, 
Btrictly  and  litPially,  there  has  been  no 
compact  or  cdvnant  between  God  and 
man.  The  premise  to  which  Peter  refers 
\xi  the  nassr.go  before  us,  ii  in  Gen.  xxii. 


shall  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earin 
be  blessed. 

26  Unto  "  you  first,  God,  having 
raised  up  his  Son  Jesus,  sent  him 

c  Matt.10.5.  Lu.24,47. 


]8;xii.  3.  *f,  In  thy  seed.  Thy  pofetenty 
See  ]{om.  iv.  13.  16.  This  promise  th(? 
apustle  Paul  affirms  had  express  relerence 
to  the  Messiah.  Gal.  iii.  16.  The  word 
seed  is  used  sometimes  to  denote  an  indi- 
vidual (Gen.  iv.  25) ;  and  the  apostle  (Gal. 
iii.  10)  affirms  that  there  was  special  re- 
ference to  Christ  in  the  promise  made  to 
Abraham.  IT  All  the  kindreds.  The  word 
translated  kindreds  (-^rf  <a.)  denotes  those 
who  have  a  common  father  or  ancestor 
and  is  applied  to  families.  It  is  also  re- 
ferred to  those  larger  communities  which 
descended  from  the  same  ancestor,  and 
thus  refers  to  nations.  Eph.  in.  15  Here 
it  evidenlly  refers  to  all  nations.  %  Be 
blessed.    Be  made  happy. 

26.  Unto  you  first.  To  you  who  are 
Jews.  This  was  the  direction,  that  the 
gospel  should  be  first  preached  to  the 
Jews,  beginning  at  Jerusalem.  Luke  xxiv. 
47.  Jesus  himself  also  confined  his  ministry 
entirely  to  the  Jews.  IT  Having  raised  up 
This  expression  does  not  refer  to  his  hav 
ing  raised  him  from  the  dead,  but  is  used 
in  the  same  sense  as  in  verse  22,  where 
God  promised  that  he  would  raise  up  a 
prophet,  and  send  him  to  teach  the  peo- 
ple. Peter  means  that  God  had  appointed 
his  Son  Jesus,  or  had  commissioned  b'm 
to  go  and  preach  to  the  people  to  tun/ 
them  away  from  their  sins.  'J  To  Uess 
you.  To  make  you  liapi)y,-  to  fulfil  the 
promise  made  to  Abraham.  IT  In  turning 
aioay.  That  is,  by  his  preaching,  exam- 
ple, death,  &c.  The  highest  blessing  thaf 
can  be  conferred  on  men  is  to  be  turnec' 
ft  Dm  sin.  It  is  the  source  of  all  woes,  anc 
if  men  are  turned  from  that,  they  will  bo 
happy.  Christ  blesses  no  one  in  sin,  or 
while  loving  sin,  but  by  turning  them 
from  v\n.  This  was  the  object  which  he 
had  '\i\  view  in  coming,  l.sa.  lix.  20.  Matt, 
i.  21.  Ihc  design  of  Peter  in  these  re- 
marks was  to  ehow  them  that  the  Messiah 
had  come,  and  that  now  they  might  look 
for  hapi>iness,  pardon,  and  mercy  through 
him.  As  tlio  Jews  might,  so  may  all ,  and 
as  Jesus  while  living  sought  to  turn  away 
men  from  their  sins,  so  he  does  still,  ana 
still  (b'siirns  to  bleat  all  nations  by  the 
pn."|)el  which  \ie  had  himself  preached, 
and  to  establish  whi  >h,  he  c.'.ed.  All  may 
therefore  come  anJ  'xj  t-Jevt.xl ;  and  afi 
may  rejoice  in  the  |rii>|x)ol  Uiat  *hfiM 


A..  D.  33. 1 


CHAPTER  IV. 


73 


BO  bless  you,  in  turning;  away  *  every 
one  of  you  from  his  iniquities. 
CHAPTER  IV. 

A  ND  as  they  spake  unto  the  peo- 
•^    pie,  the  priests,  and  the  '  cap- 


ft  Is.59.20.  Matt.1.21.  Tit.2.1l-U. 


blessings  shall  yet  be  bestowed  on  all  the 
Kindreds  of  the  earth.  May  the  happy 
day  soon  come ! 

CHAPTER  IV. 
1.  The  priests.  It  is  probable  that  these 
priests  were  a  part  of  the  sanhedrim,  or 
great  council  of  the  nation.  It  is  evident 
that  they  claimed  some  authorily  for  pre- 
venting the  preaching  of  the  apostles. 
And  the  whole  transaction  seems  to  show 
hat  they  did  not  come  upon  them  in  a 
tumultuous  manner,  but  as  keepers  of  the 
peace.  IT  The  captain  of  the  temple.  See 
Notes,  Matt.  xxvi.  47.  Luke  xxii.  4.  This 
was  tlie  commander  of  the  guard  station- 
ed chiefly  in  the  tower  Anionia,  espe- 
cially during  the  great  feasts ;  and  it  was 
their  duty  to  preserve  order,  and  prevent 
any  tumult.  The  captain  of  the  temple 
came  at  this  time  to  prevent  a  tumult  or 
suppress  a  riot,  as  it  was  supposed  that 
the  teaching  of  the  apostles  and  the  crowd 
collected  by  the  healing  of  the  lame  man 
would  lead  to  a  tumult.  IT  And  the  Sad- 
ducees.  See  Note,  Matt.  iii.  7.  One  of 
the  doctrines  which  the  Sadducees  main- 
tained was,  that  there  was  no  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  Hence  they  were  par- 
ticularly opposed  to  the  aposUes  for 
preaching  it,  and  because  they  gave  so 
clear  proof  that  Jesus  had  risen,  and  were 
thus  spreading  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection among  the  people.  IT  Came  upon 
them.  This  expresswn  implies  that  they 
came  in  a  sudden  and  violent  manner. 
See  Luke  xx.  1. 

2.  Being  grieved.  The  word  thus  trans- 
lated occurs  but  in  one  other  place  in  the 
New  Testament,  Acts  xvi.  18.  It  implies 
more  than  simple  sorrow ;  it  was  a  min- 
gled emotion  of  indignation  and  anger. 
They  did  not  grieve  because  they  thought 
it  a  public  caiajnity,  but  because  it  inter- 
■  fered  with  their  authority,  and  opposed 
their  doctrine.  It  means  triat  it  was  pain- 
fid  to  them,  or  they  could  not  hear  it.  It 
IS  often  the  case  that  bigots,  and  men  in 
authority,  have  this  kind  of  grief  at  the 
leaX  of  men  in  spreading  the  truth,  and 
thu3  undermining  their  influence  and  au- 
thority. IT  'That  they  taught  the  people. 
The  ground  of  their  grief  was  as  much 
the  fact  that  they  should  presume  to  in- 
struct the  people,  as  the  matter  which 
they  taugtit  them.    They  were  offended 


tain  of  the  temple,  and  the  Saddu- 
cees, ^  came  upon  them, 

2  Being  grieved  that  the}  taught 
the  people,  and  preached  through 
Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead, 

b  Matt.  22.23.  c.23.8, 

that  unlearned  Galileans,  in  no  way  con- 
nected with  the  priestly  oliice,  and  unau- 
thorized by  them,  should  presume  to  set 
themselves  up  as  religious  teachers.   They 
claimed  the  right  to  watch  over  the  in- 
terests of  the  people,  and  to  declare  who 
was  authorized  to  instruct  the  nation.     Il 
has  been  no  unusual  thing  for  men  in 
ecclesiastical  stations  to  take  exceptions 
to  the  minisliy  of  those  who  have  not 
been  commissioned  by  themselves.   Men 
easily  fancy  that  all  power  to  instruct 
others  is  lodged  in  their  hands ;  and  they 
oppose  others  simply  from  the  fact  that 
they  have  not  derived   their  authority 
from   them.     The   true   question  in   this 
case  was,  whether  these  Galileans  gave 
proof  that  they  were  sent  by  God.    The 
fact  of  the  miracle  in  this  case  should 
have  been  satisfactory.     We  have  here, 
also,  a  striking  instance  of  the  fact  that 
men  may  turn  away  frOm  evidence,  and 
from  most  important  points,  and  fix  on 
something  that  opposes  their  prejudices, 
and  which  may  be  a  matter  of  very  little 
moment.    No  inquiry  was  made  whether 
the  miracle  had  been  really  wrought ;  but 
the  only  inquiry  was  whether  they  had 
conformed  to  their  views  of  doctrine  and 
order,    "ir  And  preached  through  Jesus,  &c- 
The  Sadducees  would  be  particularly  op- 
posed to  this.     They  denied  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection,  and  they  were  trou- 
bled that  the  apostles  adduced  proof  of  it 
so  strong  as  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.    It 
was  perceived  that  this  doctrine  was  be- 
coming established   among  the   people; 
multitudes  believed  that  he  had  risen, 
and  xf  he  had  been  raised  up,  it  followed 
also  that  others  uould  rise.     The  Saddu- 
cees, therefore,  felt  that  their  cause  was 
in  danger-,    and   they  joined   w^ith  the 
priests    in    endeavouring    to    arrest    its 
spread  among  the  people.    This  is  the 
account  of  the  first  opposition  that  was 
made  to  the  gospel  as  it  was  preached  by 
the  apostles.    It  is  worthy  of  remark  that 
it  excited  so  much  and  so  speedily  tive 
enmity  of  those  in  power ;  and  that  the 
apostles  were  so  soon  called  to  test  the 
sincerity  of  their  attachment  to  their  Mas- 
ter.     They  who  but  a  few  days  before 
had  fied  at  tlie  approach  of  danger,  were 
called   to  n.eet   this   opposition,   and    to 
show   their  attachment  to  a  risen    Re 


•4 


nil:  Ad\s. 


[A.  I),  jn 


S  And  ihey  laid  hands  on  them, 
and  put  them  in  hold  unto  the  next 
day  :  for  it  was  now  even-tide. 

4  Ilowbeit  many  "  of  them  which 
heard  the  word  believed ;  and  the 
number  of  the  men  was  about  five 
thousand. 

o  C.2S.24. 


doemcr ;  and  they  did  it  without  shriiik- 
uig.  They  showed  now  liiat  they  were 
indeed  the  tiue  friends  of  the  crucified 
Saviour :  and  this  remarkable  change  in 
their  conduct  is  one  among  the  many 
proofs  that  they  were  influenced  from 
above. 

3.  Put  them  in  hold.  That  is,  they  took 
them  into  cusfodij,  or  into  safe  keeping. 
Probably  they  committed  them  to  the  care 
of  a  guard.  H  Even-lide.  Evening.  It 
was  not  convenient  to  assemble  the  coun- 
cil at  night  This  was  moreover  the  time 
for  the  evening  prayer  or  sacrifice,  and  it 
\\  as  not  usual  to  assemble  tiie  sanhedrim 
at  that  hour. 

4.  Howbeit.  But ;  notwithstanding. 
IT  Many  of  them,  &c.  This  was  one  of 
the  instances  which  has  since  been  so 
ollen  repeated,  in  which  jiersecution  has 
only  had  a  tendency  to  extend  and  esta- 
blish the  faith  which  it  was  designed  to 
destroy.  It  finally  came  to  be  a  proverb 
that  "  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the  seed 
of  the  church;"  and  there  is  no  lesson 
which  men  have  been  so  slow  to  learn 
as  that  U)  oppose  and  j/ersecutc  men  is  the 
very  way  to  confirm  them  in  their  opi- 
nions, ard  to  spread  their  doctrines.  It 
was  su|)[Oised  here  that  the  disciples 
were  few,  that  they  were  without  power, 
wealth,  and  infiuence,  and  that  it  was 
ea.sy  to  crush  them  at  once.  But  God 
made  their  persecution  the  means  of  ex- 
lending,  in  a  signal  manner,  the  truths  of 
tiio  gospel  and  the  triumphs  of  his  word. 
Anil  so  in  all  ages  it  has  l)€en,  and  so  it 
ever  will  be.  H  And  the  manber.  Ac.  It 
•eems  probable  thn.t  in  this  number  of 
five  thousand  ther  were  included  the 
one  hundred  and  twenty  who  are  men- 
tioned in  ch.  i.  15,  and  the  three  thousand 
who  were  converted  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, ch  ii.  41.  It  does  not  api)ear  proba- 
ble that  five  thousand  should  iiave  been 
a.ssembled  and  c<jnvertcd  in  Solomon's 
porch  (ch.  iii.  II),  on  occasion  of  the  cure 
of  the  lame  man.  Luke  doubtless  means 
to  say  that,  up  to  this  lime,  the  number  of 
persons  who  bad  joiiicd  themselves  to  the 
afJO«ll(!S  wasaix)ut  five  tliousan<l.  On  lliis 
supftOBiUon,  the   work  of  religion    must 


5  And  it  came  to  pass  on  th.' 
morrow,  that  their  rulers  and  elders, 
and  scribes, 

6  And  Annas  *  the  high-priest 
and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  anc  Alex- 
ander, and  as  many  as  were  ;  f  the 
kindred    of    the   hitrh-priest,    were 

I  Jno.18.13. 


have  made  a  very  rapid  advance.  How 
long  this  was  after  the  day  of  Pentecos! 
is  not  mentioned  ;  but  it  is  clear  that  it 
was  at  no  very  distant  period  ;  and  the 
accession  of  near  two  thousand  to  the 
number  of  believers  was  a  very  striking 
proof  of  the  power  and  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  IT  0/  the  men.  Of  the  per 
sons.  The  word  rneyi  is  often  used  wilh 
out  refereiicp  to  se.x.  Luke  xi.  31.  Rom. 
IV.  8;  XI.  4. 

5,  G.  Their  rulers.  The  rulers  of  the 
Jews;  doubdess  the  members  of  the  san- 
hedrim, or  great  conned  of  the  nation. 
L'omp.  V.  15.  Note,  Matt.  ii.  4 ;  v.  22.  The 
expression  their  rulers,  looks  as  if  this 
book  was  written  for  tlie  Gentiles,  or 
Luke  would  have  said  our  rulers.  IT  El- 
ders. Presbyters;  or  those  who  were 
chosen  from  among  the  people  to  sit  in 
the  sanhedrim.  It  is  probable  that  the 
rulers  were  those  who  held  also  some 
other  office,  but  were  also  authorized  to 
sit  in  the  great  council.  II  Scribes.  See 
JVote,  Malt.  ii.  4  f  And  Annas,  &c.. 
JVote,  John  xviii.  13.  It  is  by  no  meant 
certain  that^4/(?ias  was  at  that  time  the 
high-priest,  but  he  had  been,  and  doubt- 
less retained  the  title.  He  was  father-in- 
law  to  Caiaphas  the  high-priest;  and  from 
this  fact,  together  with  his  former  dignity 
he  is  mentioned  first.  H  Caiaphas.  Son- 
in-law  of  Annas,  and  now  exercising  the 
office  of  the  hiuh-priest.  John  xviii.  13 
H  John  and  Alexander,  &c.  Of  these  per- 
sons nothing  more  is  known.  It  is  clear 
that  they  were  members  of  the  great  coun- 
cil, and  the  mention  of  their  names  shows 
that  the  men  of  chief  authority  and  infiu- 
ence were  assembled  (o  silence  the  apos- 
tles. Annas  and  Caiaplias  had  been  con 
ccrned  in  the  condemnation  of  Jesus,  and 
they  would  now  feel  a  special  interest  in 
arresting  the  progress  of  the  gospel  among 
the  people.  All  the  success  of  the  pes- 
pel  reflected  back  light  iijion  the  wicked 
ncss  of  the  a(;t  of  condemning  the  Lon 
Jesus.  And  this  fad  may  serve,  in  pari, 
to  account  for  their  strong  desire  to  »ilcn  ^o 
the  apostles.  ^  At  Jn-utalem.  lU  l*liis 
was  tilt  usual  jilace  of  assembling  ihc 
sanhedrim.     But  the  Jewi.-^h  writers  'ihh 


\.  D.  33. J 


CHAPTER  IV. 


IS 


g-athered  together  at  Jerusalem. 

7  And  when  they  had  set  them 
m  the  midst,  they  asked,  By  "what 
power,  or  by  what  name,  have  ye 
•lone  this  ? 

o  Matt^l.23. 

Lightlbot  on  this  place)  say  that  forty 
years  before  the  destruction  of  the  city, 
an  account  of  the  great  uicrease  of  crime, 
&.C.  the  sanhedrim  was  removed  from 
place  to  place.  The  declaration  of  Luke 
that  they  were  now  assembled  in  Jerusa- 
lem, seems  to  imply  that  they  sometimes 
met  in  other  places.  It  is  probable  that 
the  members  of  the  sanhedrim  were  not 
in  the  city  at  the  time  mentioned  in  ver. 
3,  and  this  was  the  reason  why  the  trial 
was  deferred  to  the  next  day. 

7.  Ill  the  midst.  In  the  presence  of  the 
great  council.  ^  By  what  power,  &zc.  A 
similar  question  was  put  to  Christ  in 
the  temple  Matt.  xxi.  23.  ^  Ihj  what  name. 
That  is,  by  whose  authority.  It  is  verj' 
urobable  that  they  expected  to  intimidate 
the  apostles  by  this  question.  They  claim.- 
ed  th  1  right  of  regulating  the  religious 
affairs  of  the  nation.  They  had  vast 
power  with  the  people.  Tliey  assumed 
that  all  power  to  instruct  the  people 
should  originate  with  them :  and  they 
expected  that  the  apostles  would  be  con- 
founded, as  having  violated  the  establish- 
ed usage  of  the  nation.  It  did  not  seem 
to  occur  to  them  to  enter  into  an  investi- 
gation of  the  question,  whether  this  ac- 
knowledged miracle  did  r;ot  prOve  that 
they  were  sent  by  God  ,•  but  ihey  assumed 
that  they  were  impostor?,  r.nd  attempted 
to  silence  them  by  authority.  It  has 
been  usual  with  the  enemies  of  reli- 
gion to  attempt  to  inthnidate  its  friends, 
and  when  argument  fails,  to  attempt  to 
silence  Christians  by  appealing  to  their 
fears. 

8.  Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Note, 
ch.  ii.4.  ^  Ye  rulers,  &c.  Peter  addressed 
.lie  sanhedrim  with  perfect  respect.  He 
did  not  call  hi  question  their  authority  to 
^rL>pose  this  question.  He  seemed  to  re- 
gard this  as  a  favourable  opportunity  to 
declare  the  truth  and  state  the  evidence 
of  the  Christian  religion.  In  this  he  acted 
on  the  principle  of  the  injunction  which 
he  himself  afterwards  gave  (1  Pet.  iii  1.5), 
'  Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to 
every  man  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of 
the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness 
and  fear."  Innocence  is  willing  to  be 
questioned ;  and  a  believer  in  the  truth 
will  rejoice  in  any  opportunity  to  state 
fjjfi  evidence  of  wha".  is  believed.     It  is 


8  Then  Peter,  filled  ^  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them,  Ve 
rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders  o! 
Israel, 

9  If  v/e  this  day  be  examined  of 


remarkable,  also,  that  this  was  before  the 
great  council  of  the  nation;  the  body  thai 
was  clothed  with  the  highest  authority. 
And  Peter  could  not  have  forgotten  that 
before  this  very  council,  and  these  very 
men,  his  blaster  had  been  arraigned  anii 
condemned.  Nor  could  he  have  forgot- 
ten that  in  the  very  room  where  This 
same  council  was  convened  to  try  his 
Lord,  he  had  himself  shrunk  from  an 
honest  avowal  of  attachment  to  him,  an  I 
shamefully  and  profanely  denied  him 
That  he  was  now  able  to  stand  boldly 
before  this  same  tribunal,  evinced  a  re- 
markable change  in  his  feelings,  and  was 
a  most  clear  and  impressive  proof  of  the 
genuineness  of  his  repentance  when  he 
went  out  and  wept  bitterly.  Comp.  Luke 
xxii.  54 — 62.  And  we  may  remark  here, 
that  one  of  the  most  clear  evidences  of 
the  sincerity  of  repefttance  is  when  it 
leads  to  a  result  like  this.  So  deeply  was 
the  heart  of  Peter  affected  by  his  sin 
(Luke  xxii.  62),  and  so  genuine  was  his 
sorrow,  that  he  doubtless  remembered 
his  crime  on  this  occasion ;  and  the  me- 
mory of  it  inspired  him  with  boldness. 
It  may  be  further  remarked,  that  one  evi- 
dence of  the  genuineness  of  repentance 
is  a  desire  to  repair  the  evil  which  is  done 
by  crime.  Peter  had  done  dishonour  to 
his  Master  and  his  cause,  in  the  presence 
of  the  great  council  of  the  nation.  No 
thing,  on  such  an  occasion,  would  b 
more  likely  to  do  injury  to  the  cause, 
than  lor  one  of  the  discipies  of  the  Sa- 
viour to  deny  him — one  of  his  fbllowera 
to  be  guilty  of  profarieness  and  falsehood. 
But  hers  was  an  opportunity,  in  some 
degree,  at  least,  to  repair  the  evil.  Be- 
fore the  same  council  and  the  same  men, 
in  the  same  city,  and  in  the  presence  of 
the  same  people,  it  is  not  an  unnatural 
supposition  that  Peter  icjoiced  that  he 
might  have  opportunity  to  bear  kis  testi- 
mony to  the  divine  mission  of  the  Saviour 
whom  he  had  before  denied.  By  using 
the  customary  language  of  respect  ap- 
plied to  the  great  council,  Peter  also  has 
shown  us  that  it  is  proper  to  eviiice  re* 
spect  for  office,  and  for  those  in  powe 
Religion  requires  us  to  render  ffiis  ho- 
mage, and  lo  treat  men  iu  of^i '?  with 
deference.  Matt,  xxii  '^■}  Rom  %n''.  '? 
IPet.  ii.  ]?,—  \7. 


76 


the  g(/oJ  deed  done  to  the  impotent 
man,  by  what  means  he  is  made 
whole ; 

10  Bo  it  known  unto  you  al'.,  ant 
to  all  the  people  of  Israel,  that"  by 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Naza- 
reth, whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God 

a  c.3.6,16. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  O.  33 

raised  from  the  dead,  even  by  him 
doth  this  man  stand  hpre  before  you 
whole. 

1 1  This  is  the  stone  ''  which  was 
set  at  nought  of  you  builders, 
which  is  become  the  head  of  the 
corner. 

b  Ps.118.22.  Is.28.16.  MaU.21.42. 


10.  Ue  it  known,  &c.  Peter  might  have 
evaded  the  question,  or  he  miglit  have 
resorted  to  many  excuses  and  subterfuges 
Calvin),  if  he  had  been  desirous  of  avoid- 
big  this  inquiry.     But  it  was  a  noble  op- 
oortuuity  for  vindicating  the  honour  of 
nis  Lord  and  master.     Jt  was  a  noble  op- 
.lortunity  also  for  repairing  the  evil  which 
fie  had  done  by  his  guilty  denial  of  his 
Lord.     Although,   therefore,    this    frank 
and  open  avowal  was  attended  with  dan- 
ger, and  although  it  was  in  the  j)resence 
of  the  great  and  the  mighty,  yet  lie  chose 
to  state  fully  and  clearly  his  conviction 
of  the  truth.  Never  was  there  an  instance 
of  greater   boldness ;    and  never  could 
there  be  a  more  striking  illustration  of  the 
fitness  of  the  name  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
gave  him,  that  of  a  rock.  John  i.  42.  Matt. 
svi.  17,  18.     The  timid,  trembling,  yield- 
ing, and  vacillating  Simon    he  wiio  just 
before  was  terrified  by  a  servant  girl,  and 
who  on  the  lake  was  afraid  of  sinking,  is 
now  transformed  into  the  manly,  decided, 
and  firm  Cephas,  fearless  before  the  great 
council  of  the  nation,  and  in  an  unwaver- 
ing lone  a.sserting  the  authority  of  him 
whom  he  had  just   before  denied,  and 
whom  thejf  had  just  before  put  to  death. 
ft  is   not    possible    to   account  for  this 
change   except  on   the  supposition  that 
this  religion  is  true.   Peter  had  no  world- 
ly motive  to  actuate   him.     He  had  no 
prospect  of  wealth  or  fame  by  this.  Even 
the    hopes  of   honour    and    preferment 
which   they   had    cherished    before   the 
dealh  of  Jesus,  and  which  might  have 
been  supposed  to  influence  them  then, 
were   now  abandoned    by  the   apostles, 
rticir  Master  had  died  ;   and    all    their 
hopes  of  himian  honour  and  power  had 
bfren  buried  in  his  grave.     Nothing  ])ut 
the  conviction  of  the  truth   could   have 
wrought   this   change,   and    transformed 
this  timid  disciple  to  a  l)old  and  uncom- 
prorniiiing  aj^jstle.     IT  By  the  name.     By 
the  authority  or  ]x)wer.  ch.  iii.  G.     If  Of 
Jesus  Christ:    The  union  of  these  two 
names  would  bo  particularly  oiTensive  lo 
the  sanlirflrim.     TJicy  'Imird  that  Jesus 
was  the  (,'hrist,  or  the  Messiah;    Peter, 
by  the  use  of  the  word  ('hrist.  nfTirniPd 


that  he  was.  In  the  language  then  used, 
it  would  be,  "  By  the  name  of  Jesus,  the 
Messiah."  IT  Of  Nazareth.  Lest  there 
should  be  any  mistake  about  his  mean- 
ing, he  sfjecified  that  he  referred  to  the 
despised  Nazarene  ;  to  liim  who  had  just 
been  put  death,  as  they  supposed,  covered 
with  infamy.  Christians  little  regard  the 
epithets  of  opprobrium  which  may  be 
affixed  to  themselves  or  to  their  religion. 
IT  Whom  ye  crucified.  There  is  emphasis 
in  ah  the  expressions  that  Peter  uses.  He 
had  before  charged  the  people  with  the 
crime  of  having  })ut  him  to  death,  ch.  ii. 
23;  lii.  14,  15.  But  he  now  had  the  o\\- 
jjorlunity,  contrary  to  all  expectation,  of 
urging  the  charge  with  still  greater  force 
on  the  rulers  themselves,  on  the  very 
council  which  had  condemned  him  anii 
delivered  him  to  Pilate.  If  xvns  n  r(^. 
marKable  providence  that  an  opportunity 
was  thus  affordetl  of  urging  this  charge 
in  the  presence  of  the  sanhedrim,  and  of 
proclaiming  to  them  the  necessity  of  re- 
pentance. Little  did  they  imagine  when 
they  condemned  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  this 
charge  would  be  so  soon  urged.  This  is 
one  of  the  instances  in  which  God  takes 
the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness.  Job\. 
13.  They  had  arraigned  the  apostles, 
they  demanded  their  authority  for  what 
they  had  done ;  and  thus  they  liad  d^^-ectly 
opened  the  way,  and  invited  them  to  the 
serious  and  solemn  charge  which  Peter 
here  urges  against  them. 

11.  This  is  the  sto7ie.  This  passage  is 
found  in  Ps.  cxviii.  22.  It  is  quoted,  also, 
by  our  Saviour  as  applicable  to  himself 
See  Note  on  Matt,  xxi  42.  The  ancient 
Jews  applied  this  to  David.  In  the  Tar 
gum  on  Ps.  cxviii.  22,  this  passage  is  rei; 
dered,  "The  child  who  was  among  ihv. 
sons  of  Jesse,  and  was  worthy  to  be  con- 
stituted King,  the  builders  rejected." 
The  New  Testament  writers,  however, 
apply  it  without  any  doubt  to  the  Mes- 
siah. Comp.  Isa.  xx\iii.  K't.  Kom.  Lx.  33. 
Kjth.  ii.  20.  And  from  this  jiaj'sage  we 
may  learn,  that  Ciod  will  overrule  the 
devi<  PS  luid  plana  of  wicked  men.  to  ac 
c-onu>li»"h  his  own  purposes.  What  men 
defpisn  and  set  at  nought,  he  Ciiieems  of 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  IV 


77 


1'2  Neither  is  there  salvation  in 
any  other  :  for  "  there  is  none  other 

a  c. 10.43.  lTim.2.5,S. 


inestimable  value  in  his  kingdom.  What 
the  great  and  the  mighty  contemn,  he  re- 
gards as  the  very  foundation  and  corner- 
stone of  the  edifice  which  he  designs  to 
rear.  Nothing  has  been  more  remarkable 
than  this  in  the  history  of  man ;  and  in 
nothing  is  more  contempt  thrown  on  the 
proud  i)rojects  of  men,  than  that  what 
Uiey  have  rejected  he  has  made  the  very 
basis  of  his  schemes. 

12.  Neither  is  there  salvation.  The  word 
mlvation  properly  denotes  any  preserva- 
Uon,  or  keeping  any  thing  in  a  safe  state  ; 
a  preserving  it  from  harm.  It  signifies, 
also,  deliverance  from  any  evil  of  body 
or  mind  ;  from  pain,  sickness,  danger,  &c. 
Acts  vii.  25.  But  it  is  in  the  New  Testa- 
mpnt  applied  particularly  to  the  w'ork 
which  the  Messiah  came  to  do,  "to  seek 
and  to  save  those  which  were  lost."  This 
work  refers  primarily  to  a  deliverance  of 
the  soul  from  sin.  Matt.  i.  21.  Acts  v.  3i. 
Luke  iv.  18.  Rom.  viii.  21.  Gal.  v.  1.  It 
then  denotes,  as  a  consequence  of  freedom 
from  sin,  freedom  from  all  the  ills  to 
which  sin  exposes  man,  and  the  attain- 
ment of  that  perfect  peace  and  joy  which 
shall  be  bestowed  on  the  children  of  God 
m  the  heavens.  The  reasons  why  Peter 
introduces  this  subject  here  seem  to  be 
these  :  (1.)  He  was  discoursing  of  the  de- 
Umrance  of  the  man  that  was  healed,  his 
salvafion  from  a  long  and  painful  calami- 
ty. This  deliverance  had  been  accom- 
plished by  the  power  of  Jesus.  The  men- 
tion of  this  suggested  that  greater  and 
more  important  salvation  from  sin  and 
death  which  it  was  the  object  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  effect.  As  it  was  by  his 
power  that  this  man  had  been  healed,  so 
it  was  by  his  power  only  that  men  could 
bo  saved  from  death  and  hell.  Deliver- 
ince  from  any  temporal  calamity  should 
lead  the  thoughts  to  that  higher  redemption 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  contemplates  in  re- 
gard to  the  soul.  (2.)  This  was  a  favourable 
opportunity  to  introduce  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  to  the  notice  of  the  great  council 
of  the  nation.  The  occasion  invited  to  it; 
the  mention  of  a  part  of  the  work  of  Je- 
giis  invited  ^  a  contemplation  of  his  whole 
work.  Peter  would  not  have  done  jus- 
tice to  the  character  and  work  of  Christ, 
if  he  had  not  introduced  that  great  de- 
sign which  he  had  in  view  to  save  men 
from  death  and  hell.  It  is  probable,  also, 
that  he  advanced  a  sentiment  in  which 

expected  they  would  immediately  f07i 

A  Q 


''name  under  heaven  given  among 
men  whereby  we  must  be  saved. 


.45.17. 


ciir,  and  which  accorded  with  their  well 
known  opinions,  that  salvation  vvas  to  b« 
obtained  only  by  the  Messiah.  Thus  PaiV 
(Acts  xxvi.  22,  23)  says  that  he  taught  no 
thing  else  than  what  was  delivered  b) 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  &c.  Comp.  Acts 
xxiii.  6;  xxvi.  6.  The  apostles  did  noj 
pretend  to  proclaim  any  doclrine  which 
was  not  delivered  by  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets, and  which  did  not  in  fact  consti- 
tute a  part  of  the  creed  of  the  Jewish  na 
tion.  IT  In  any  other.  Any  other  person. 
He  does  not  mean  to  say  that  God  is  no 
able  to  save,  but  that  the  salvation  of  th€ 
human  family  is  intrusted  to  the  hands 
of  Jesus  the  Messiah.  "^  For  there  is  none 
other  name.  This  is  an  explanation  of 
what  he  had  said  in  the  previous  part 
of  the  vei-55.  The  woid  name  here  is 
used  to  denote  the  person  himself;  there 
is  no  other  being,  or  person.  As  we  should 
say,  there  is  no  one  who  can  save  but  Je- 
sus Christ.  The  word  7iame  is  often  used 
in  this  sense.  See  Note  on  iii.  6.  IG.  That 
there  is  no  other  Saviour,  or  mediator  be- 
tween God  and  man,  is  abundantly  taught 
in  the  New  Testament;  and  it  is  indeed 
the  main  design  of  revelation  to  prove 
this.  See  1  Tim.  ii.  5,  6.  Acts  x.  43.  IT  Un- 
der heaven.  This  expression  does  not  ma- 
terially differ  from  the  one  immediately 
following,  "  among  men."  They  are  de- 
signed to  express  with  emphasis  the  senti- 
ment that  salvation  is  to  be  obtained  in 
Christ  alone,  and  not  in  any  patriarch,  or 
prophet,  or  teacher,  or  king,  or  in  any  false 
Messiah.  *a  Given.  In  this  word  it  is  implied 
that  salvation  has  its  origin  in  God  ;  that 
a  Saviour  for  men  must  be  given  bv  him ; 
and  that  salvation  cannot  be  originated 
by  any  power  among  men.  The  Lord 
Jesus  is  thus  uniftjrmly  represented  as 
given,  or  appoiitted  by  God  for  this  great 
purpose  (John  iii.  16;  xvii.  4.  1  Cor,  iii.  5 
Gal.  i.  4 ;  ii.  20.  Eph.  i.  22 ;  v.  25.  1 1'im. 
ii.  6.  Rom.  v.  15—18.  23);  and  hence 
Christ  IS  called  the  "  unspeakable  gift' 
of  God.  2  Cor.  i.x.  15.  IT  Whereby  uje  musi 
be  saved.  By  v/hich  it  is  ft,  or  proper 
(?iV),  that  we  should  be  saved.  There  ia 
no  other  way  of  salvation  that  is  adapted 
to  the  great  object  contemplated ;  and 
flierefore,  if  saved,  it  must  be  in  this  way, 
and  by  this  plan.  All  other  schemes  by 
mei'.'s  own  devices  n'-'^'nol  adapted  to  the 
purpose,  and  therefore  cannot  save.  The 
doctrine  that  men  can  be  saved  only  by 
Jesus  Christ  is  abundantly  taiight  in  tha 


7H 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33. 


S<rij>turc?>.  To  snow  the  faiture  of  all 
other  schemes  of  religion  was  the  great 
design  of  the  first  part  of  the  epistle  to  the 
Komars.  Hy  a  lahourod  argument  Paul 
there  shows  (ch.  i.)  that  the  Ut/itilcs  had 
failed  in  their  attempt  to  justity  them- 
selves; and  in  ch.  ii.  iii.  that  the  same 
thing  was  true  also  of  the  Jews.  If  both 
these  schenu'b  (ailed,  then  there  was  need 
of  some  ol/ifr  plan ;  and  that  plan  was 
that  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  If  it  be 
asked,  tlien,  wiiether  this  aliirmation  of 
Peter  is  to  be  understood  as  having  re- 
spect to  infants  and  the  heathen,  we  may 
remark,  (1.)  That  his  design  was  primarily 
It)  address  the  Jews,  "  Whereby  we  must 
be  saved."  But  (2.)  The  same  thing  is 
doubtless  true  of  others.  If,  as  Christians 
generally  believe,infants  are  saved,  there 
is  no  absurdity  in  supposing  that  it  is  by 
the  meritsof  the  atonement,  i?;/^  for  that, 
there  would  have  been  no  premise  of  sal- 
vation. J\o  offer  has  been  made  except 
by  the  Mediator;  and  to  him  doubtless  is 
to  be  ascribed  all  the  glory  of  raising  up  I 
even  those  in  infancy  to  eternal  life.  W 
any  of  the  heathen  are  to  be  saved,  as  | 
most  Christians  suppose,  and  as  seems  in 
accordance  with  the  mercy  of  God,  it  is 
no  less  certain  that  it  will  be  in  conse- 
quence of  the  intervention  of  Christ. 
Those  who  will  be  brought  to  heaven 
will  sing  one  song  (Rev.  v.  9),  and  will  be 
prepared  for  eternal  union  in  the  service 
of  God  in  the  skies.  Still,  the  Scriptures 
have  not  declared  that  great  numbers  of 
the  heathen  will  be  saved,  who  have  not 
the  gospel.  The  contrary  is  more  than 
implied  in  the  New  Testament.  Kom.  ii. 
P2.  Neither  has  the  Scripture  affirmed 
that  all  the  heathen  shall  certainly  be 
cut  offi  It  has  been  discovered  by  mis- 
eionaries  among  the  heathen  that  indivi- 
duals have,  in  a  remarkable  way,  been 
convinced  of  the  folly  of  idolatry,  and 
were  seeking  a  better  religion  ;  that  their 
minds  were  in  a  serious,  thoughtful,  in- 
quiring stale,  and  that  they  at  (nice  em- 
braced the  gospel  when  it  wao  offered  to 
them,  as  exarthj  adapted  to  their  stale  of 
mind,  and  meeling  tlicir  iiu|uiries.  Such 
was  extensively  the  case  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands;  and  ilie  following  instance  re- 
cently occurred  in  this  country.  "The 
Flat-nead  Indians,  living  west  of  the 
Kof'ky  mountains,  recently  sent  a  dejju- 
tatlon  to  the  while  settlements  to  incjuire 
nflcr  the  Hible.  The  circnmstapce  that 
led  to  this  siiifrular  movement  i.s  as  f  »1- 
lows :  It  appears  that  a  white  man  (Mr. 
Callin)  had  peiiet'.»le(l  inlo  their  country, 
and  happened  to  be  a  sjier  talor  af  one  of 
"heir  rchgio  js  ceremonies.     Ho  inlijrmed 


them  that  their  mode  of  worshipping  the 
Supreme  Being  was  radically  wrong,  and 
that  the  jieople  away  towards  the  rising 
•  of  the  sun  had  been  put  in  po.ssession  of 
the  true  mode  of  worshipping  the  Great 
Spirit.  On  receiving  this  inibrmafion,  they 
called  a  national  council  to  take  this  sub- 
ject into  consideration.  Some  said,  if  ihia 
be  true,  it  is  certainly  high  lime  we  were 
put  in  possession  of  this  mode.  'I'hey  ac- 
cordingly dei>uted  four  £)f  the  chiels  to 
proceed  to  St.  Louis,  to  see  their  great 
lather,  general  Clark,  to  in<iuire  of  him 
the  truth  of  this  matter.  They  were  cor- 
dially received  by  the  general,  who  gave 
them  a  succinct  history  of  Revelation, 
and  the  necessary  instruction  relative  to 
their  important  mission.  Two  of  them 
sunk  under  the  severe  toils  attending  a 
journey  of  three  thousand  miles.  The 
remaining  two,  after  acquiring  what 
knowledge  tb.ey  could  of  the  Bible,  its 
institutions  and  'precepts,  returned,  tc 
carry  back  those  few  rays  of  divine  light 
to  their  benighted  countrymen."  In  what 
way  their  minds  were  led  to  this  state  we 
cannot  say;  or  how  this  jirejiaradon  lor 
the  gospel  was  connected  with  the  agency, 
and  merits  of  Christ,  we  perhaps  cannot 
understand.  But  we  know  that  the  affiiin^ 
of  this  entire  world  are  placed  under  the 
control  of  Christ  (John  xvii.  2.  Eph.  i.  21. 
22),  and  that  the  arrangements  of  events  by 
which  they  were  brought  to  this  state  of 
mind  are  in  his  hands.  Another  remark 
may  here  be  made  :  it  is,  that  it  often  oc- 
curs that  blessings  come  upon  us  fr^i\ 
btnefactms  v^hom  we  do  not  see,  and  J'r(i)/i 
sources  which  uc  cannot  trace.  On  this- 
principle  we  receive  ;«</«// of  the  nu'rcic.> 
of  life;  and  from  any  thing  that  appears 
in  Uiis  way  manv  blessings  of  salvation 
may  be  conferred  on  the  world,  and  pos 
sibly  many  of  the  heathen  be  saved 
Still,  this  view  does  not  interfere  with 
the  command  of  Christ  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel. Mark  xvi.  LO.  The  great  mass  of  tht 
heathen  are  not  in  this  slate :  and  this  liut 
80  far  as  it  goes,  is  an  encouragemenl  in 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  entire  world.  If 
Christ  riius  prepares  the  way  ;  if  he  ex- 
tensively fits  the  minds  of  the  heathen  for 
lli(!  reception  of  the  f;ospel ;  if  he  shows 
them  the  evil  and  folly  of  their  o  ah  sy.s- 
tein,  and  leads  them  to  desire  a  belter, 
then  this  should  operate  noUlo  produce 
indolence,  but  activity,  and  zeal,  and 
encouragement  to  enter  into  the  field 
white  lor  the  harvest,  and  to  toil  tha« 
all  who  seek  the  truth,  and  are  prrp<jre'i 
to  embrace  the  gospel,  may  bo  broug)ji 
to  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  righleou»- 
ness. 


\   D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


■  13  Now  when  they  »aw  the  bold- 
aess  of  Peter  and  John,  and  per- 
ceived that  they  were  unlearned  ° 

oMatt  U.25.  1  Cor.  1.27. 


13  Boldness.  This  word  properly  de- 
notes oj^nness  or  conjidejice  in  speaking. 
[t  stands  opposed  to  hesilancy,  and  to 
equivoca'.ion  m  declaring  our  sentiments. 
Here  it  means,  that  in  spite  of  danger  and 
opposition,  they  avowed  their  doctrines 
without  any  attempt  to  conceal  or  di=- 
puiie  them.  ^  yeter  and  JohK  It  was 
they  only  who  had  been  concerned  in  the 
healing  of  the  lamo  man.  ch.  iii.  1.  H  And 
perceived.  When  they  knew  that  they 
were  unlearned.  This  might  have  been 
ascertained  either  by  report,  or  by  the 
manner  of  their  speaking.  ^  Unlearned. 
This  w'»rd  properly  denotes  those  who 
were  not  acquainted  with  letters,  or  v.ho 
had  not  had  the  benefit  of  an  education. 
'\  Ignorant  men.  iJfira..  This  word  pro- 
perly denotes  those  who  live  in  private, 
in  contradistinction  from  those  who  are 
engaged  in  public  life,  or  in  office.  As 
this  class  of  persons  is  commonly  also 
supposed  to  be  less  learned,  talented,  and 
refined  than  those  in  office,  it  comes  to. 
denote  those  who  are  rude  and  illiterate. 
The  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  here 
is,  that  these  men  had  not  had  opportu- 
nities of  education  (comp.  Matt.  iv.  18 — 
2-1),  and  had  not-been  accustomc-a  to  pub- 
lic speaking,  arid  hence  rhey  were  sur- 
prised at  their  boldness.  This  same  cha- 
racter is  uniformly  attributed  to  the  early 
preachers  of  Christianity.  Comp.  1  Cor.  i. 
11.  Matt.  xi.  25.  The  Galileans  were  re- 
Ejarded  by  the  Jews  as  particularly  rude 
and  uncultivated.  Matt.  xxvi.  73.  Mark 
iciv.  17.  IT  They  marvelled.  They  won- 
dered that  men  who  had  not  been  edu- 
cated in  the  schoiils  of  ths  Rabbins,  and 
accustomed  to  speak,  should  declare  their 
sentiments  with  so  much  boldness.  ^  And 
they  took  knowledge.  This  expression 
means  simply  that  they  knew,  or  that  they 
obtained  evidence,  or  proof,  that  they  had 
Deen  with  Jesus.  It  is  not  said  in  ivhat 
way  they  obtained  this  evidence  ;  but  the 
ronnexion  leads  us  to  suppose  it  was  by 
the  miracle  which  they  had  wrought ;  by 
Iheir  firm  and  bold  declaration  of  the  doc- 
trines of  Jesus ;  and  perhaps  by  the  irre- 
sistible conviction  that  none  would  be  thus 
x)ld  who  had  not  been  personally  with 
lim,  and  who  had  not  the  firmest  convic- 
.lon  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  They  had 
lot  been  trained  in  their  schools,  and  their 
coldness  could  not  be  attributed  to  the  arts 
^f  rhetor/^  L'^-'^v  as  the  nat  fe,  ingenuous 


and  ignorant  men,  they  marvelled  ; 
and  they  took  knowledge  of  them, 
that  they  had  been  with  Jesus. 


and  manly  exhibition  of  deep  conviction 
of  the  truth  of  what  they  spoke  ;  and  that 
conviction  could  have  been  obtained  only 
by  their  having  been  with  him,  and  having 
been  satisfied  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 
Such  conviction  is  of  far  more  value  in 
preaching  than  all  the  mere  teachings  ot 
the  schools ;  and  without  such  a  convic 
tion,  all  preaching  will  be  frigid,  hypocri- 
tical, and  useless.  H  Had  been  with  Jesus. 
Had  been  his  followers,  and  had  attended 
personally  on  his  ministry.  They  gave 
evidence  that  they  had  seen  him,  been 
with  him,  heard  him,  and  were  convinced 
that  he  was  Vau  Messiah.  We  may  learn 
here,  (1.)  That  if  men  wish  to  be  success- 
ful in  preachin-j;,  it  must  be  based  on  deep 
and  thorougii  (onviction  of  the  truth  of 
that  which  fhey  deliver.  (2.)  They  wiio 
preach  should. give  evidence  that  they 
are  acquaiBted  with  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  that  they  have  imbibed  his  spirit, 
pondered  his  instructions,  studied  the 
evidences  of  his  divine  mission,  and  are 
thoroughly  convinced  that  he  was  from 
God.  (3.)  Boldness  and  success  in  the 
ministry',  as  well  as  in  every  thing  else, 
will  depend  far  more  on  honest,  genuine, 
thorough  conviction  of  the  truth,  than  on 
all  the  endowments  of  talent  and  learn- 
ing, and  all  the  arts  and  skill  of  eloquence 
No  man  should  attempt  to  preach  with- 
out such  a  thorough  conviction  of  truth, 
and  no  man  who  has  it  will  preach  in 
vain.  (4.)  God  often  employs  the  igno- 
rant and  unlearned  to  confound  the  wise 
1  Cor.  i.  27,  28.  But  it  is  not  by  their  ig 
norance.  It  W"as  not  the  ignorance  of 
Peter  and  John  that  convinced  the  san- 
hedrim. It  was  done  in  spite  of  their  ig- 
norance. It  was  their  boldness,  and  then 
honest  conviction  of  truth.  Besides,  though 
not  learned  in  the  schools  of  the  Jews, 
they  had  been  under  a  far  more  imjx)r- 
tant  training,  under  the  personal  direction 
o\'  Christ  himself  for  three  years;  and 
now  they  were  directly  endowed  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  with  the  power  of  speaking 
with  tongues.  Though  not  taught  in  tha 
schools,  yet  there  was  an  important  sense 
in  which  they  were  not  unlearned  and 
ignorant  men.  Their  example  should  not, 
therefore,  be  pleaded  in  favour  of  an  un- 
learned ministry.  Christ  himself  expressed 
his  opposition  to  an  unlearned  ministry 
by  teaching  ihem  himself,  and  then  by  be 
stowing  or  them  miraculous  endovvm^'nta 


THE  ACTS. 


[A,  D.  3i 


14  And  beholding  the  man  which 
vas  healed  standing  with  them, 
'hey  could  say  nothing  "  against  it. 

15  But  when  they  had  command- 
ed them  to  go  aside  out  of  the  coun- 
m1,  they  conferred  among  them- 
selves, 

16  Saying,  What  *  shall  we  do 
0  these   men  ■?    for   that  indeed  a 

ac.l9.3C,        fcJDo.11.47 

<A  hich  no  learning  at  present  can  furnish. 
[t  may  be  remarked,  furlher,  that  in  the 
suigle  selection  which  he  made  of  an 
apostle  after  his  ascension  to  heaven, 
when  he  came  to  choose  one  who  had 
nol  been  under  his  personal  teaching,  he 
chose  a  learned  man,  the  apostle  Paul, 
and  thus  evinced  his  purpose  that  there 
should  be  training,  or  education  m  those 
who  are  invested  with  the  sacred  office. 
(5.)  Yet  in  the  case  before  us,  there  is  a 
striking  proof  of  the  truth  and  power  of 
religion.  These  men  had  not  acquired 
their  boldness  in  the  schools;  they  were 
not  trained  for  argument  among  the 
Jews;  they  .did  not  meet  them  by  cun- 
ning sophistry;  but  they  came  with  the 
honest  conviction  that  what  they  were 
saying  was  true.  Were  they  deceived  ? 
Were  they  not  competent  to  bear  wit- 
ness ?  Had  they  any  motive  to  attempt 
to  palm  a  falsehood  on  men  ?  Infidelity 
must  answer  many  such  questions  as 
these  before  the  apostles  can  be  convict- 
ed of  imposture. 

11.  Tkey  could  say  nothing,  &c.  The 
presence  of  the  man  that  was  healed  was 
an  unanswerable  fact  in  proof  of  the  truth 
of  what  the  apostles  alleged.  The  mira- 
cle waa  so  public,  clear,  and  decisive ; 
the  man  that  was  healed  was  so  well 
known,  that  there  was  no  evasion  or  sub- 
terfuge by  which  they  could  escape  the 
conchision  to  which  the  apostles  were 
conducting  them.  It  evinced  no  little 
gratitude  in  the  man  that  was  healed 
that  he  was  present  on  this  occasion,  and 
showed  that  he  was  deeply  interested  in 
what  befell  his  benefactors.  The  miracles 
of  Jesus  and  his  aj)ostlcs  were  such  that 
they  could  not  be  denied ;  and  hence  the 
Jews  did  not  attempt  to  deny  that  they 
wrought  them.  Comp.  Matt  xii.  21.  John 
ii.  45,  4r..   Ar'is  xix.  36. 

15 — 18.  Whnt  shall  v)e  do  to  these  men  ? 
The  ol)iect  which  they  had  in  view  was 
evidently  to  j)revent  their  preaching. 
The  miracle  was  wrought ;  and  was  be- 
lieved by  the  people  to  have  been 
wrought.    This  Ihey  could  n«t  expect  to 


notable  miracle  hath  been  done  bj  . 
them  is  manifest  to  all  them  that 
dwell  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  we  canno^ 
deny  it. 

17  But  that  it  spread  nc  furthei 
among  the  people,  let  us  straitiy 
threaten  them,  that  *=  they  speak 
henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name- 

IS  And   they  called   them,  and 


be  able  succes.sfully  to  deny.  Their  only 
object,  therefore,  was  to  prevent  the  apos- 
tles from  making  the  use  which  they  saw 
they  would,  to  convince  the  people  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  The  question 
therefore,  was,  in  what  way  they  should 
prevent  this ;  whether  by  putting  them  to 
death,  by  imprisoning  them,  or  by  scourg- 
ing them ;  or  whether  by  simply  exerting 
their  authority  and  tbrbidding  them 
From  the  former  they  were  deterred, 
doubtless  by  fear  of  the  multitude.  And 
they  therefore  adopted  the  latter,  and 
seemed  to  suppose  that  the  mere  ex 
ertion  of  their  authority  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  deter  them  from  this  in  future 
T  The  cr-vcil.  Greek,  The  sanhedrim 
This  hoc! .  was  composed  of  seventy-one 
or  seveiiiy-two  persons,  and  was  intrusted 
with  the  principal  afihirs  of  the  nation. 
It  was  a  body  of  vast  influence  and  pow- 
er; and  hence  they  supposed  that  theii 
command  might  be  sufficient  to  restrain 
ignorant  Galileans  from  speaking.  Before 
this  same  body,  and  probably  the  same 
men,  our  Saviour  was  arraigned  ;  and  by 
them  condemned  before  he  was  delivered 
to  the  Roman  governor.  Matt.  xxvi.  59, 
'&c.  And  before  this  same  bod  v.  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  same  men,  l*eter  had 
just  before  denied  his  Lord.  Matt,  xxvi 
70,  &c.  The  fact  that  the  disciples  had 
fled  on  a  former  occasion,  and  that  Peter 
had  denied  his  Saviour,  may  have  ope- 
rated to  induce  them  to  believe  that  they 
would  be  terrified  by  their  threats,  and 
de'erred  from  preaching  publicly  in  the 
name  of  Jesus.  IT  A  notable  miracle.  A 
known,  undeniable  miracle.  IT  That  il 
spread.  That  the  hnowhdge  of  it  may 
not  spread  among  them  any  further 
IT  Let  vs  slraiili/  threaten  (hem.  Greek 
Let  ns  threaten  them  vith  a  threat.  Thi» 
is  a  Ihhraism,  cxjiressing  intensity,  ter 
tainty,  &c.  The  threat  was  a  command 
(ver.  18)  not  to  teach,  implying  their  tii* 
pleasure  if  they  did  do  it.  'J'hi«  ihrcut, 
however,  was  not  cilh  tual.  On  the  ^-exl 
occasion,  which  occurred  soon  after  (ch. 
V.  40)  they  added  heatinc  to  their  LhreaLs 


\.D.  33.]  CHAFFER  IV. 

commanded  them  not  to  speak  at 
all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
19  But  Peter  and  John  answered 
and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be 
•'ijcrht  in  the  sight  of  God  to  "  hearken 

a  c.5.23. 


81 


r  oirjer  to  deter  them  from  preaching  in 
ii:i  name  of  Jesus. 

19  Whether  it  be  right,  &c.  The  apos- 
-ies  abated  nothing  of  their  boldness  when 
threatened.  They  openly  appealed  to 
their  judges  whether  their  command 
could  be  right.  And  in  doing  this,  they 
expressed  their  full  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  what  they  had  said,  and  their 
deliberate  purpose  not  to  regard  their 
command,  but  still  to  proclaim  to  the 
people  the  truth  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah. IT  In  the  sight  of  God.  That  is, 
whether  God  will  judge  this  to  be  right. 
The  grand  question  was,  how  God  would 
regard  it.  If  he  disapproved  it,  it  was 
wrong.  It  was  not  merely  a  question 
pertaining  to  their  reputation,  safety,  or 
life  ,•  but  it  was  a  question  of  conscience 
before  God.  And  we  have  here  a  strik- 
ing instance  of  the  principle  on  which 
Ciiristians  act.  It  is,  to  lay  their  safety, 
reputation,  and  life  out  of'^  view,  and  to 
bring  every  thing  to  this  test,  whether 
IT  WILL  PLEASE  GoD.  If  it  will,  it  is 
right;  if  it  will  not,  it  is  wrong.  IF  To 
hearken.  To  hear  and  to  hearken  are 
often  used  to  denote  to  obey.  John  v.  2i; 
viii.  47,  &c.  IF  Judge  ye.  This  was  an 
appeal  to  them  directly  as  judges,  and  as 
men.  And  it  may  be  presumed  that  it 
was  an  appeal  which  they  could  not  re- 
sist. The  sanhedrim  acknow'ledged  itself 
to  have  been  appointed  by  God ;  and  to 
have  no  authority  which  was  not  derived 
from  his  appointment.  Of  course,  God 
could  modify,  supersede,  or  repeal  their 
authority;  and  the  abstract  principle,  that 
it  was  better  to  obey'God  than  man,  they 
could  not  call  in  question.  The  only  in- 
quiry was,  whether  they  had  evidence 
that  God  had  issued  any  command  in  the 
case.  Of  that,  the  apostles  were  satisfied ; 
2nd  that,  the  rulei-s  could  not  deny.  It 
may  be  remarked,  that  this  is  one  of  the 
first  and  most  bold  appeals  on  record,  in 
favour  of  the  right  of  private  judgment 
and  the  liberty  of  conscience.  That 
.  liberty  Vvas  supposed  in  all  the  Jewish 
religion.  It  was  admitted  that  the  autho- 
rity of  G^d  in  all  matters  was  superior  to 
that  of  man.  And  the  same  spirit  mani- 
fested itself  thus  early  in  the  Christian 
oimrch   against  all    dominion  over  the 


unto  you  ii.ore  than  unto  God.  judgo 

ye. 

20  For  ^  we  cannot  but  speck  the. 
things  which  *=  we  have  seen  and 
heard. 

iJe.20.9.        cc.22.15.  l.Jno.1.1,3. 


conscience,  and  in  favour  of  the  right  to 
follow  the  dictates  of  the  conscience  and 
the  will  of  God.  As  a  mere  historical 
fact,  therefore,  it  is  interesting  to  contem- 
plate this;  and  still  more  interesiug  in 
its  important  bearings  on  human  liberty 
and  human  happiness.  The  doctrine  is 
still  more  explicitly  staled  in  ch.  v.  29. 
"  We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than 
man." 

20.  For,  &c.  This  is  given  as  a  reason 
why  they  should  obey  God  rather  than 
man.  They  had  had  so  clear  evidence 
that  God  had  sent  the  Messiah;  and  tht^ 
had  received  so  direct  and  solemn  a  com- 
mand (Mark  xvi.  15)  to  preach  the  gospel 
that  they  could  not  be  restrained.  There 
was  a  necessity  laid  on  them  to  preach 
the  gospel.  See  1  Cor.  ix.  16,  comp  Jer. 
XX.  9.  Acts  xviii.  5.  Job  xxxii.  18,  19.  I^. 
xxxix.  1 — 3. 

It  has  already  been  remarked,  that 
these  two  verses  contain  an  important 
principle  in  favour  of  religious  liberty — 
the  liberty  of  conscience,  and  of  private 
judgment.  They  contain  the  great  prin- 
ciple of  the  Christian,  and  of  the  Prolest- 
ant  religion,  that  the  responsibility  of  men 
flir  their  religious  opinions  is  direct  to 
God,  and  that  other  men  have  no  power 
of  control.  The  opposite  of  this  is  tyranny 
and  oppression.  It  may  be  proper,  in  ad- 
dition, to  present  some  further  remarks, 
involved  in  the  principle  here  stated. 
(1.)  Religion,  from  the  commencement, 
has  been  favourable  to  liberty.  There 
vvas  no  principle  more  sacred  among  the 
Jews,  itian  that  they  were  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  other  nations.  Perhaps  no 
people  have  ever  been  so  restive  under  a 
foreign  yoke,  so  prone  to  rebel,  and  so 
difficult  to  be  broken  down  by  oppression 
and  by  arms,  as  were  the  Jews.  So  true 
was  this,  that  it  appeared  to  other  nahons 
to  be  mere  obstinacy.  They  were  often 
subdued,  but  they  rose  igainst  their  op- 
pressors, and  threw  off  the  yoke.  No 
people  has  been  found  who  vi'ere  so  iifli- 
cult  to  be  reduced  to  slavery.  It  is  vvei] 
known  that  the  Romans  were  accustomed 
to  subject  the  «aptives  taken  in  war  to ' 
perpetual  servitude;  and  commonly  the 
spirit  of  the  captive  was  broken,  and  he 
remained  quietly  lu  l<ondage    Rut  not  a 


S3 


i'HE  ACTS. 


LA.  1).  33. 


the  Je«v  Noihuig  ever  lanied  his  spirit. 
No  bribes,  or  fiireats,  or  cliains  could  in- 
duce him  lo  violate  the  laws  of  his  reli- 
*gion.  Even  in  captivity,  we  are  told,  that 
liie  Jewis.h  slaves  at  Rome  would  observe 
the  Sabbath,  would  keep  the  leasts  of 
the-r  ration,  and  never  would  conform 
lo  the  customs  of  an  idolatrous  people. 
I'o  ihe  Koinans  this  appeared  to  be  mere 
obstinacy.  But  it  was  the  genius  of  their 
religion.  The  right  of  liberty  of  thought 
"^^as  one  which  they  would  not  surrender. 
The  spirit  of  the  patriarchs  was  favour- 
able to  liberty,  and  implied  responsibility 
only  to  God.  Familiarity  with  the  sacred 
books  h  '  taught  them  these  lessons ;  and 
neiliier  time  nor  distance  could  obliterate 
them  In  the  time  of  Christ,  the  great 
ma.ssof  the  nation  were  evidently  op/jose/i 
to  the  tax  paid  to  the  Roman  nation,  and 
sighed  under  this  burden,  until  they  rose 
and  attempted  to  assert  their  rights;  and 
their  city,  and  temple,  and  land  were  sa- 
crificed rather  than  ijield  this  great  prin- 
ciple. (2.)  This  same  principle  was 
evinced  by  the  apostles  and  by  the  early 
Christians.  With  this  doctrine'fresh  upon 
tjjeir  hearts,  they  went  forth  to  other 
lands.  They  mauitained  it  at  the  expense 
of  their  blood  ;  and  thousands  fell  as  mar- 
tyrs in  the  cause  of  liberty  and  of  private 
jiidgment  in  religion,  fio  men  ever  more 
firmly  defended  liberty  than  the  early 
martyrs;  and  each  one  that  died,  died  in 
defence  of  a  principle  which  is  now  the 
acknowledged  right  of  all  men.  (3.)  The 
designs  of  tyranny  and  superstition  have 
been  to  destroy  this  principle.  This  was 
the  aim  of  the  sanhedrim;  and  yet,  when 
Peter  and  John  appealed  to  their  con- 
sciences, they  did  not  dare  to  avow  their 
purpjse.  Tliia  has  been  tho  aim  of  all 
tyrants;  and  this  the  elFect  of  all  super- 
stition, llenco  the  church  of  Rome  has 
taken  away  the  Scriptures  from  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  has  thus  furnished  incontestable 
evidence  that  in  its  view  the  Bible  is  fa- 
vourable to  liberty.  F(jr  centuries,  tyran- 
ny reigned  in  one  black  night  over  Ku- 
rrjpe ;  nor  was  the  darkness  dispelled 
until  the  Bible,  that  taught  men  the  prin- 
ciples of  freedom,  was  restored  to  them. 
(4 )  The  effect  of"  the  ])rinciple  avowed 
by  the  apostles  has  been  uniHjrm.  Luther 
ivegan  tlie  Reformation  by  finding  in  a 
nnonaBtery  a  copy  of  the  Bible,  when 
himnelf  more  than  twenty  years  of  age — 
a  l)ook  which  till  that  time  he  had  never 
s«.'cn.  'I'lie  eflecl  on  the  liberticfl  of  Kii- 
rope  was  immediately  seen.  Hume  ad- 
mitted, that  whatever  liboity  J-rigland 
poHsessed  was  to  bo  traced  to  the  Puri- 
uviR.    Our  avvn  land  iK  a  siriUina  instance 


of  the  efTectcf  this  gnat  principle,  and 
of  its  influence  on  the  rij^hls  of  man.  Ami 
just  in  proportion  as  the  j\ew  Testament 
is  spread  abroad,  will  men  seek  for  free- 
dom, and  break  the  chains  of  oppression 
The  best  way  to  promote  universal  liber- 
ty, is  to  spread  the  Bible  to  the  ends  oi 
the  earth.  There  is  not  a  precept  in  it 
that  is  not  favourable  to  freedom.  It  tendf 
to  enlarge  and  liberalize  tho  mind :  to 
teach  men  their  rights;  to  put  an  end  to 
ignorance,  the  universal  stronghold  of 
superstition  and  tyranny;  and  to  diffuse 
the  love  of  justice,  truth,  and  order.  It 
shows  man  that  he  is  responsible  to  God 
and  that  no  one  has  a  right  to  ordain  any 
thing  which  contravenes  the  liberty  of 
his  fellow. 

If  it  be  asked  here  what  the  principle 
is,  I  answer,  (1.)  That  men  have  a  right 
to  their  private  judgment  in  matters  of 
religion,  subjeo'  only  to  God.  The  only 
restraint  whici:.  it  is  i.ow  sett'ed,  can  be 
imposed  on  this,  is,  that  no  man  has  a 
right,  under  pretence  of  conscience,  to 
injure  or  molest  his  fellow-men,  or  to  dis- 
turb the  peace  and  harmony  of  society 
(2.)  No  magistrate,  church,  council,  cr 
parent  has  a  right  to  impose  a  creed  on 
others,  and  to  demand  subscription  to  it 
by  mere  authority.  (3.)  IVo  magistrate, 
church,  or  parent  has  a  right  to  conlrol 
the  free  exercise  of  private  judgment  in 
this  case.  The  jtower  of  a  parent  is  to 
teach,  advise,  and  entreat.  The  duty  of 
a  child  is  to  listen  with  respect,  lo  exa- 
mine with  cnndour,  to  pray  over  the  si;b- 
ject,  and  to  be  deliberate  and  calm,  not 
rash,  hasty,  impetuous,  and  self-willed. 
But  when  the  child  is  thus  convinced 
that  his  duty  to  God  requires  a  particular 
course,  then  here  is  a  higher  obligation 
than  any  earthly  law,  and  he  must  obey 
God  rather  than  man,  even  a  father  or  ii 
mother.  Matt.  x.  37,  38.  (4.)  Kvery  man 
is  responsfble  to  God  for  his  opinions  aiio 
his  conduct.  Man  may  not  control  him 
but  God  may  and  will.  The  great  que.s^ 
lion  before  every  man  is,  What  is  right  ir 
the  si^ht  (if  God?  It  is  not  what  is  expe 
dient,  or  safe,  or  pleasurable,  or  homuir- 
a-bfe  among  men  ;  but  what  is  right  ir. 
the  sight  of  God.  Neither  in  their  opi- 
nions  nor  their  conduct  are  men  free  fnim 
resjKmsibility. — From  this  whole  subject 
we  see  the  duty  of  spreading  the  Bible. 
If  we  love  liberty;  if'  we  hale  tyinnny 
and  superstition;  if  we  wish  to  extend  tno 
knowledge  of  the  rights  of  man.  and  brenk 
evcrv  anil  of  oppression,  let  ns  spread  fiit 
and  wide  the  Hook  of  (Jou,  and  pliire  ir 
every  palace  and  every  cottage  on  th« 
globe  a  cony  of  the  nacred  Scripture,-'. 


A..  D.  SS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


t<3 


21  So  wheh  they  had  further 
ihreatened  the.m,  they  let  them  go, 
'inding  nothing  how  they  migtit 
punish  them,  because  "  of  the  peo- 
ple:  for  all  men  glorified  God  for 
lltat  which  was  done. 

22  For  the  man  was  above  forty 

n  Matt.21.26.  c.5.26. 


21.  Finding  nothing,  &c.  That  is,  not 
being  able  to  devise  any  way  of  punisli- 
uig  them,  without  exciting  a  tumult 
among  the  people,  and  endangering  their 
own  authority.  The  sanhe<lrim  was  fre- 
quency inliiienced  by  this  fear ;  and  it 
sliowa  that  their  own  authority  was  much 
dependent  on  the  caprice  of  the  multi- 
tude. Comp.  Matt.  xxi.  26.  IF  A.U  men. 
riiat  is,  the  great  mass  or  body  of  the 
people.  If  Glorified  God.  Praised  God 
f()r  the  miracle.  This  innplies,  (1.)  That 
they  believed  tliat  the  miracle  was  genu- 
ine.   (2.)  That  diey  were  grateful  to  God 

for  so  signal  a  mercy  in  conferring  health 
and  comfort  on  a  man  who  had  been  long 
afflicted.  We  may  add  further,  that  here 
is  the  highest  evidence  of  the  reality  of 
the  miracle.  Even  the  sanhedrim,  with 
all  their  prejudice  and  opposition,  did  not 
call  it  in  question.  And  the  common  peo- 
ple, who  had  doubtless  been  acquainted 
with  this  man  for  years,  were  convinced 
that  it  was  real.  It  would  have  been  im- 
liossible  to  impose  on  keen-sighted  and 
jealous  adversaries  in  this  maimer,  if  this 
\m\  been  an  imposture. 

22.  For  the  man,  &c.  The  age  of  the 
man  is  mentioned  to  show  the  certaiiity 
and  greatness  of  the  miracle.  If  it  had 
been  a  man  who  had  been  lame  but  a 
few  years  ;  or  if  it  hsd  been  a  child  or  a 
very  young  man;  the  case  would  not 
have  been  so  remarkable.  But  after  a 
'continuance  of  forty  years,  all  hope  of 
tiealing  him  by  any  ordinary  means  must 
have  been  abandoned;  and  all  pretence 
that  this  was  jugg'ery  or  deception  must 
have  been  absurd. 

23.  Their  own  company.  Thev  jonied 
the  other  apostles  and  Christians,  ch.  li. 
44,  45.  IT  And  reported,  &c.  It  doubtless 
became  a  subject  of  hiteresting  inquiry, 
what  they  should  do  in  this  case.  They 
liad  been  threatened  by  the  highest  autho- 
rity of  the  nation,  and  commanded  not  to 
preach  again  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Whe- 
ther they  should  obey  them  and  be  silent ; 
or  whether  they  should  leave  Jerusalem 
and  preach  elsewhere,  could  not  but  he 
an  interesting  subject  of  inquiry ;  and 
ihov  very  prope    \    'ought  the  counsel  of 


years  old  on  v.hom  this  mirac'e  of 
healing  was  shewed. 

23  And  being  let  go,  they  went* 
to  their  own  company,  and  reporter 
all  that  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
had  said  unto  them. 

24  And   when  they  heard    tha  , 

b  c.2.4-t-46. 

their  brethren,  and  looked  to  God  for  di- 
rection  ;  an  example  which  all  should  fol- 
low who  are  exposed  to  persecution,  of 
who  are  in  any  perplexity  about  the  pafli 
of  d  uty. 

21.  They  lift  v.p  their  voice.  Tolifitp 
the  voice,  among  the  Hebrews,  was  a 
phrase  denoting  either  an  address  to  the 
people  (Judg.  ix.  7),  or  a  phrase  expressive 
of  iveeping  (Gen.  xxix.  11.  Judg.  ii.  4.  Ruth 
i.  9.  1  Sam.  xxiv.  IG),  or  was  expressive 
of  prayer.  To  lift  up  the  voice  to  God, 
means  sim.ply  they  prai/ed  to  him.  H  With 
one  accord.  Unitedly.  Properly  with  one 
mind,  or  purpose.  See  ]\ote,  ch.  i.  14. 
The  union  oi\hc  early  Christians  is  often 
noticed  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apo.^tles.  Thus 
lar  there  was  no  jar  or  dissension  in  their 
society,  and  every  thing  has  the  fippear- 
ance  of  the  most  entire  affection  and  con- 
fidence. IT  Lord.  Greek,  Aio-^rora.  FroiTi 
this  word  is  derived  the  word  despot. 
This  is  not  the  nsual  v\ord  employed  by 
which  to  address  God.  The  word  com 
monly  translated  Lord  is  Ku^.o,-.  The 
word  here  used  deiwtes  one  who  rules 
over  others,  and  was  applied  to  the  high 
est  magistrate  or  officer.  It  denotes  au- 
thority ;  power;  absoluteness  in  ruling 
It  is  a  word  denoting  more  authority  in 
ruling  than  the  other.  That  more  com- 
monly denotes  a.  property  in  a  thing;  tliis 
denotes  absolute  rule.  It  is  applied  tc 
God,  in  Luke  ii.  29.  Rev.  vi.  10.  Jude  4; 
to  Jesus  Christ,  2  Pet.  ii.  1 ;  to  masters 
1  Tim.  vi.  1.  Titus  ii.  9.  1  Pet.  ii.  18;  tc 
husbands,  1  Pet.  iii.  6  ;  and  to  a  possessor, 
or  owner,  2  Tim.  ii.  21.  11  Thou  art  God. 
This  ascription  of  praise  seeir.s  to  have 
been  designed  to  denote  their  sense  of 
his  power  to  dehver  them ;  and  his  righi 
to  dispose  of  them.  They  vvcre  employed 
in  his  service;  they  were  encompassed 
with  dangers;  and  diey  acknowledged 
him  as  tJieir  God,  who  had  made  all 
things,  and  who  had  an  entire  right  tc 
direct,  and  to  dispose  of  them  for  his  own 
glory.  In  times  of  danger  and  perplexity 
we  should  remember  that  God  has  a  rjgh» 
to  do  with  us  as  he  pleases ;  and  we  i.hould 
go  cheerfully  and  commit  ourselves  into 
his  li.'inds.  ^  Whir  h  hast  tride.^^o.  Gon.' 


e4 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


they  lift  up  their  voi-^e  to  God  with 
one  accord,  and  said,  Lord,  *  thou 
art  God,  which  hast  made  heaven 
and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  that 
•n  them  is  : 


riiis  passage  is  taken  directly  from  Ps. 
r  dvi  6.  Cornp.  Rev.  xiv.  7. 

'25.  Who  by  the  mouth,  &c.  Ps.  ii.  1  2. 
This  is  a  strong,  solemn  testimony  to  the 
inspiration  of  David.  It  is  a  declaration 
of  the  apostles  made  in  solemn  ])rayer, 
■.hat  God  epake  himself  by  the  mouth  of 
David.  This  is  the  second  part  of  their 
prayer.  In  the  first,  they  acknowledge 
the  right  of  God  to  rule;  in  this,  they  ap- 
peal to  a  prophecy ;  they  plead  that  this 
wf'-s  a  thing  foretold ;  and  as  God  had 
(oroseen  it  and  foretold  it,  they  appealed 
to  him  to  protect  them.  The  times  of  tu- 
mult and  opposition  which  had  been  fore- 
:^een,  as  about  to  attend  the  introduction 
of  the  gospel,  had  now  come.  They  in- 
terred, therefore,  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah; and  as  God  had  designed  to  esta- 
blish his  kingdom,  they  appealed  to  him 
to  aid  and  protect  them  in  this  great 
work.  This  passage  is  taken  from  Ps.  ii. 
1,  2,  and  is  an  exact  quotation  from  the 
Septuagmt.  This  proves  that  the  Psalm 
had  relerence  to  the  Messiah.  Thus  it 
was  manifestly  understood  by  the  Jews  ; 
and  the  authority  of  the  apostles  settles 
the  question.  The  Psalm  was  composed 
by  David  ;  on  what  occasion  is  not 
known;  nor  is  it  material  to  our  present 
purpose.  It  lias  been  a  matter  of  inquiry 
whether  it  referred  to  the  Messiah />;i/Ha- 
rily,  or  only  in  a  secondary  sense,  (iro- 
tius  supposes  that  it  was  composed  by 
David  when  exposed  to  the  hostility  of 
the  Assyrians,  tlie  Moabites,  Phihslines, 
Amalekites,  <tc. ;  and  that  in  the  midst 
of  his  dangers,  he  sought  consolation  in 
the  purjiose  of  God  to  establish  him  and 
his  kingdom.  But  the  more  probable  opi- 
nion is,  that  it  referred  directly  and  solely 
U)  the  Messiah.  IT  Why  did  the  heathen. 
I'he  nations  which  were  not  Jews.  This 
rofers,  doubtless,  to  the  opposition  which 
would  be  made  to  the  spread  of  Chris- 
lianity;  and  not  mereh/  to  the  op^msition 
made  to  the  Merasiah  himself,  and  to  the 
act  of  jiutting  him  to  death.  IT  liage. 
This  word  rotors  Ui  the  excitement  and 
tumuh  of  a  multitude;  not  a  setlk'd  plan, 
but  rather  the  heated  and  disorderly  con- 
durt  of  a  mofi.  Il  moans  tiiat  tho  progress 
oftho  gospel  would  onoountor  tiiiniilluous 
')p|)o.'^ition ;  and  that  the  exoiled  nations 
vuuM  rush  violently  to  put  it  down  and 


95  Who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  ser^ 
vant  David  hast  said,  Why  *  did 
the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things  ? 

2G  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood 

b  P8.2.1,2. 


destroy  it.  IT  And  the  people.  The  ex 
pression  "  the  people"  does  not  refer  to  o 
class  of  men  difierent  essentially  from 
the  heathen.  The  "heathen,"  Ileb.  and 
Greek,  "the  nalic-ns,^'  refer  to  men  as  or^ 
g^a?a2C(i  into  communities ;  the  expression 
the  people  is  used  to  deiwte  the  same  per- 
sons without  respect  to  their  being  so  or- 
ganized. The  Hebrews  were  in  the  habit, 
in  their  poetry,  Df  expressing  the  same 
idea  essentially  in  parallel  members  of  a 
sentence  ;  or  the  last  member  of  a  sen- 
tence or  verse  expressed  the  same  idea, 
with  some  slight  variation,  as  the  former. 
(See  Lowth  on  the  sacred  poetry  of  the 
Hebrews.)  IT  Imagine.  The  word  ima- 
gine does  not  express  quite  the  force  of# 
Ihe  original.  The  Hebrew  and  the  Greek 
both  convey  the  idea  o[ meditating,  think- 
ing, purposing.  It  means  that  they  em- 
ployed thought,  plan,  purpose,  in  opposing 
the  Messiah.  11  Vain  things.  The  word 
here  used  {^sv«.)  is  a  literal  translation  of 
the  Hebrew  (pn),  and  means  usuallj 
empty,  as  a  vessel  which  is  not  filled, 
then  useless,  or  that  which  amounts  to 
nothing,  «S:c.  Here  it  means  that  they 
devised  a  plan  which  turned  out  to  be 
vain,  or  ineffectual.  They  attempted  ar. 
opposition  to  the  Messiah  which  could 
not  succeed.  God  would  establish  his 
kingdom  in  spite  of  their  plans  to  oppose 
it.  Their  efforts  were  vain,  because  they 
were  not  strong  enough  to  oppose  God , 
because  he  had  purposed  to  establish  the 
kingdom  of  his  Son  ;  and  he  could  over- 
rule even  their  opposition  to  advance  his 
cause. 

26.  The  Jdngs  of  the  earth.  The  Psalm- 
ist specifics  more  particularly  that  hings 
and  rulers  would  be  opposed  to  the  Mes 
siah.  This  had  occurred  already  by  the 
opposition  made  to  the  Messiah  by  the 
rulers  of  the  Jewish  people ;  and  it  would 
be  still  more  evinced  by  princes  and 
kings,  as  the  gospel  should  spread  among 
the  nation-s.  1^  Stood  up.  The  word  here 
used  (^xf  .o-Tjjjui)  commonly  means  to  pre- 
sent  one's  self,  or  to  stand  forth,  liir  the 
purpose  of  aiding,  connseHing,  S:c.  FJnl 
bore  il  moans  that  ihoy  rose,  or  presented 
themselves,  to  evince  thoir  opposition 
Tlioy  stood  opposed  to  the  Mossiah,  and 
otli'Tod  ro>istanoe  ti>  him.  II  The  rul'vs 
'j'liis  is  another  instance  of  the  flaliraw 


A    I)    33 


CHAPTKR  IV. 


C5 


ap,  and  the  ni.ers  were  gathered 
together,  against  the  Lord,  and 
against  his  Christ. 

•J7  For  of  a  truth  against  thy 
fioly  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast 
anointed,  both  Herod  "  and  Pontius 

a  Lu.23.1-8,&c. 


TKjraUelisin.  The  \Aord  does  not  denote 
ii.«3iher  class  of  men  from  kngs,  but  ex- 
presses the  same  idea  in  another  form, 
jr  in  a  more  general  manner,  meaning 
that  all  classes  of  persons  in  authority 
would  be  opposed  to  the  gospel.  IF  Were 
gathered  together.  Hebrew,  consulted  to- 
gether ;  were  united  in  a  consultation. 
The  Greek  implies  that  they  wert;  as- 
sembled for  the  purpose  of  consultation. 
M  Against  the  Lord.  In  the  Hebrew, 
•  against  Jehovah."  This  is  the  peculiar 
name  which  is  given  in  the  Scriptures  to 
God.  They  rose  against  his  plan  of  ap- 
pointing a  Messiah,  and  against  the  Mes- 
siah whom  he  had  chosen.  'J  Against 
his  Christ.  Hebrew,  against  his  Messiah, 
oralis  Anointed.  Note,  Matt.  i.  1.  This 
is  one  of  the  places  where  the  word 
Messiah  is  used  in  the  Old  Testament. 
The  word  occurs  in  about  forty  places, 
and  is  commonly  translated  his  anointed, 
and  is  applied  to  kings.  The  direct  refer- 
ence of  the  word  to  the  Messiah  in  the 
Old  Testament  is  not  frequent.  This  pas- 
sage implies  that  opposition  to  the  Mes- 
siah is  opposition  to  Jehovah.  And  this  is 
uniformly  supposed  in  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. He  that  is  opposed  to  Christ  is 
opposed  to  God.  He  that  neglects  him 
neglects  God.  He  that  despises  him  de- 
apises  God.  Matt.  X.  40 ;  xviii.  5.  John  xii. 
44,  45.  Luke  x.  16.  "  He  that  despiseth 
me,  despiseth  him  that  sent  me."  The 
reasons  of  this  are,  (1.)  That  the  Messiah 
13  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  subsistence." 
Heb.  i.  3.  (2.)  He  is  equal  with  the  Fa- 
ther, possessing  the  same  attributes,  and 
the  same  power.  John  i.  1.  Phil.  ii.  6,  &c. 
To  despise  him,  therefore,  is  to  despise 
God.  (3.)  He  is  appointed  by  God  to  this 
great  work  of  saving  men.  To  despise 
him,  or  to  oppose  him,  is  to  despise  and 
oppose  him  who  appointed  him  to  this 
work,  to  contemn  his  counsels,  and  to  set 
him  at  nought.  (4.)  His  work  is  dear  to 
God  It  has  engaged  his  thoughts.  It  has 
been  approved  by  him.  His  mission  has 
been  confirmed  by  the  miraculous  power 
of  the  Father,  and  by  every  possibie  ma- 
nifestation of  his  approbation  and  love.  To 
appose  the  Messiah,  is,  there  lore,  to  oppose 


Pilate  with  the  Gentiles  and  the 
people  of  Israel  were  gathered  to- 
gether, 

28  For  ''  to  do  whatsoever  th^ 
Land  and  thv '•/^^)nsel  determined' 
before  to  be  don 

i  C.3.1S.  c  Pr.21.30.  I3.46.10;53.10. 


that  which  is  dear  to  the  heart  of  God, 
and  which  lias  long  been  the  object  of 
his  tender  .solicitude.  It  follows  from  this, 
that  they  who  neglect  the  Christian  reli- 
gion are  exposing  themselves  to  the  sore 
displeasure  of  God,  and  endangering  their 
everlasting  interests.  No  man  is  safe 
who  opposes  God ;  and  no  man  can  have 
evidence  that  God  will  approve  him, 
who  does  not  embrace  tne  Messiah 
whom  He  has  appyointed  to  redeem  the 
world. 

27.  For  of  a  truth.  Truly  ;reahty 
IT  Thy  holy  child  Jesus.  The  word  child 
is  commonly  applied  to  infants,  or  to  sons 
and  daughters  in  very  early  life.  The 
word  which  is  used  here  (-»V;)  is  differ- 
ent from  that  which  is  commonly  applied 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  (id,-).  The  latter  ex- 
presses sonship  without  respect  to  age. 
The  word  which  is  here  used  also  some- 
times expresses  sonship  without  any  re- 
gard to  age ;  and  the  word  son  would 
have  been  a  more  happy  translation. 
Thus  the  same  word  is  translated  in 
Acts  iii.  13. 26.  In  Acts  xx.  12,  it  is  trans- 
lated "  young  man."  ^  Both  Herod,  &.c 
Luke  xxiii.  1 — 12.  IT  With  the  Gentiles 
The  Romans,  to  whom  he  was  delivered 
to  be  crucified  IF  The  people  of  Israel, 
The  Jews,  who  were  excited  to  this  by 
the  rulers.  Matt,  xxvii.  20. 

23.  For  to  do,  &c.  See  Notes,  ch.  ii 
23;  iii.  18.  The  facts  which  are  brought 
to  view  in  these  verses  are  among  the 
most  remarkable  on  record.  They  are 
briefly  these  :  (1.)  That  the  Jewish  rulers 
were  opposed  to  the  Messiah,  and  slew 
him.  (2.)  That  the  very  people  to  v.-honi 
he  came,  and  for  whose  benefit  he  la- 
boured, joined  in  the  opposition,  so  that 
it  became  the  act  of  a  united  people 
(3.)  That  the  Romans  who  were  there,  as 
a  sort  of  representation  of  all  pagan  na 
tions,  were  easily  prevailed  on  to  join  in 
the  persecution,  and  to  become  the  exe 
cutioners.  (4.)  That  thus  opposite  fac- 
tions, and  dissimilar  and  prejudiced  peo 
pie  became  united  in  oppo.sing  the  Mes- 
s;an.  ^5.)  That  the  ruiers  o|  the  Roman 
people,  tho  emperors,  and  statesmen  and 
philosophers,  and  the  rulers  of  olhoi  na- 
tions   un'ted  to  oppose  the  gospel,  and* 


8h 


THE  ACTS. 


I  A.  1)   ,U 


Drought  'il;  ihe  po  Af?r  of  perhecution  to 
Btav  Its  progress  (6.)  That  ihe  people  of 
liie  empire,  the  mass  of  men,  were  erisily 
prevailed  upon  to  join  in  llie  persecution, 
and  endeavour  to  arrest  its  progress. 
And  (7.)'i'hal  the  gos]iel  has  encountered 
tJirailar  dilHcuhies  and  opi^sition  wher- 
ever it  has  been  faithfully  presented  to 
Ihe  attention  of  men.  It  has  become  a 
very  serious  question  v;hy  this  has  been  ; 
or  on  what  pretence  this  opposition  has 
been  vindicated  ;  or  how  it  can  be  ac- 
jounted  for.  A  question  which  it  is  of  as 
t.uch  importance  for  the  infidel  as  for  the 
Christian  to  settle.  We  know  that  accu- 
«ations  of  the  corrupt  lives  of  the  early 
Christians  were  freely  circulated,  and  the 
snost  gross  accounts  given  of  their  scan- 
dalous conduct  were  propagated  by  those 
who  chose  to  persecute  them.  (See  Lard- 
ner's  Credibility.)  But  such  accounts  are 
not  nowjjelieved  ;  and  it  is  not  certain 
that  they  were  ever  seriously  believed  by 
the  rulers  of  the  pagan  people.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  it  was  not  on  this  account  that 
the  first  opposition  arose  to  Christ  and  his 
religion. 

It  is  not  proper  here  to  enter  into  an 
examination  of  the  causes  of  this  opposi- 
tion. We  may  stale  the  outlines,  how- 
ever, in  few  words.  (I.)  The  Jewish 
rulers  were  mortified,  humbled,  and 
moved  with  envy,  that  one  so  poor  and 
despised  should  claim  to  be  the  Messiah. 
They  had  expected  a  different  monarch  ; 
and  all  their  prejudices  rose  at  once 
against  his  claims  to  this  high  ofllce. 
Matt.  xxYii.  18  Mark  xv.  10.  (2.)  The 
common  people,  disposed  extensively  to 
iicknowledge  his  claims,  were  urged  on 
by  the  enraged  and  vindictive  priests  to 
demand  his  death.  Malt,  xxvii.  20.  (3.)  Pi- 
late was  j)rossed  on  against  his  will  by 
the  impetuous  and  enraged  multitude  to 
deliver  one  vvhom  he  regarded  as  inno- 
ccrit.  (4.)  'J  ho  (Jhrislian  religion  in  its 
advances  siru*  k  at  once  at  the  whole 
'abric  of  superstition  in  the  Roman  em- 
pire, and  throughout  the  world.  It  did 
not,  like  other  religions,  ask  a  place 
faiiii'Jst  the  religions  already  existing.  It 
was  exclusive  in  its  clamas.  It  denounced 
ail  other  systems  as  i  lolafry  or  supersti- 
Mon,  and  sought  to  overthrow  them, 
'i'^ioee  religions  were  interwoven  with 
bU  the  habits  of  the  people;  they  we.'e 
connected  with  all  the  depanments  of 
the  slate;  they  gave  occii|>ation  to  a  vast 
numl)er  ofprins'.s  and  other  officers,  who 
obtained  ilioir  livoliliood  by  the  existing 
•iipersfitions,  and  who  brouglit,  of  course, 
ill  the  s'lnpospil  sr/cn^  lacss  of  their  clia- 
*oclor  I')  K>iii;M)ri  ihciu      \  n-li^ion  which  I 


attempted  to  (^iverthrow  the  whole  fabrif; 
therefore,  at  once  excited  all  their  malice 
The  monarchs,  whose  thronee  were  b.oscd 
on  the  existing  state  of  diings ;  and  il^io 
people,  who  venerated  the  religion  of 
their  ancestors,  would  be  opposed  to  the 
new  system.  (5.)  Christianity  was  de- 
s{)ised.  It  was  regarded  as  one  form  of 
the  superstition  of  the  Jews.  And  lliere 
was  no  peojile  who  were  regarded  with 
so  much  contempt  by  all  other  n-itioas  as 
the  Jews.  The  wriiings  of  the  Romans, 
on  this  point,  are  full  proof  (6.)  The 
new  religion  was  opposed  to  all  the  crimen 
of  the  world.  It  began  its  career  in  a 
time  of  eminent  wickedness.  It  plunged 
at  once  into  the  midst  of  this  wickcdne:>s ; 
sought  the  great  cities  where  crimes  and 
pollutions  were  condensed  ;  and  boldly 
reproved  every  fijrm  of  prevailing  im- 
piety. At  Athens,  at  Corinth,  at  Ephe- 
sus,  at  Rome  itself,  it  denounced  the  judg- 
ment of  God  against  every  form  of  guilt 
Whatever  may  be  charged  on  the  apos- 
tles, it  will  not  be  alleged  tiiat  they  were 
timid  in  denouncing  the  sins  of  the  world. 
From  all  these  causes  it  is  not  wonder 
ful  that  the  early  ChrisUans  were  per 
secuted.  If  it  l>e  asked,  (7.)  Why  the 
same  religion  meets  with  oppo.sition  now 
in  lands  that  are  nominally  Christian,  it 
may  be  remarked,  (a)  that  the  human 
heart  is  the  same  that  it  always  was,  op- 
posed to  truth  and  righteousness ;  {h)  that 
religion  encounters  still  a  host  of  sins  thai 
are  opixjsed  to  it — pride,  envy,  malice, 
passion,  the  love  of  the  world,  and  shame 
of  acknowledging  God  ;  (c)  that  there  has 
always  been  a  peculiar  opposition  in  the 
human  heart  to  receiving  salvation  as  the 
gift  of  God  through  a  crucified  Redeemer  ; 
and  {(I)  that  all  the  forms  of  vice,  and  hisf, 
and  profanene.ss  that  exist  in  the  world, 
are  opposed,  and  ever  will  be,  to  a  reli- 
gion of  ])uritv,  and  selfdenial,  and  love. 
On  the  whole,  we  may  remark  here, 
(1.)  That  the  fact  that  Ch.nstianity  has 
been  thus  opposed,  and  has  triumphed,  is 
no  small  proof  of  its  divine  origin.  It  has 
been  fairly  tried,  and  still  survives  and 
fiourishes.  It  was  well  to  put  it  to  the 
test,  and  to  bring  to  bear  on  it  every  tiling 
which  had  a  tendency  to  crush  it,  and 
thus  to  furnish  the  highest  proof  that  it  is 
from  God.  (2.)  This  religion  cannot  he 
destroyed;  it  w-ill  triumph;  opiK)«iition  to 
it  is  vain  ;  it  will  make  its  way  throughout 
the  world  ;  and  the  ]>alh  of  safely  is  not 
tr)  o;)|)ose  ihaf  which  (J(»d  is  iiiloiidinp  to 
estaolish  in  the  earth.  Sinuf-rs  whoslund 
op|)Osed  l<»  the  gospel,  should  Iremble  a:^d 
be  afraid;  for  sooner  or  later  they  must 
fail  before  its  friiiiiinhant  advances      If  i» 


\.  I)    13.  j 


CHAPTER  IV 


SV 


29  And  now,  Lord,  behold  their 
threatenings  :  and  grant  unto  thy 
geivants,  that  with  all  "  boldness 
they  may  speak  thy  word, 

30  By  stretching  forth  thine  hand 
to  heal :  and  that  signs  ''  and  won- 
ders may  be  done  by  the  name  of 

h/  holy  child  Jesus. 

c  v«r.l3,31.  c.!4.3;28.31.  Ep.6.19.        i  c.2.43;3.12 


not  SAFE  to  oppose  that  which  has  already 
been  opf-osed  by  kings  and  rulers  in  every 
fbrni,  and  yet  has  triumphed.  It  is  not 
WISE  to  risli  one's  eternal  welfare  on  the 
question  of  successful  opposition  to  that 
which  God  has,  in  so  many  ages  and 
ways,  pledged  himself  to  protect;  and 
when  God  has  solemnly  declared  that 
the  Son,  the  Messiah,  whom  ne  would  set 
on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion,  should  "  break" 
his  enemies  "  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and 
dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  ves- 
sel." Ps.  ii.  9. 

29.  Behold  their  threatening s.  So  look 
iifx)n  them  as  to  grant  us  deliverance. 
They  did  not  purpose  to  abandon  their 
undertaking;  they  resolved  to  persevere  ; 
end  they  expected  that  this  purpose  would 
involve  them  in  danger.  With  this  pur- 
pose they  implored  the  protection  of  God  ; 
they  asked  that  he  would  not  suffer  them 
to  be  deterred  from  speaking  boldly  ;  and 
they  sought  that  constant  additional  proof 
might  be  granted  of  the  presence  and 
power  of  God  to  confirm  the  truth  of 
their  message.  IT  And  grant,  &c.  This 
is  an  instance  of  heroic  boldness,  and  a 
determination  to  persevere  in  doing  their, 
duty  to  God.  VVlien  we  are  aseaifed  by 
ihose  in  power,  when  we  are  persecuted 
and  in  danger,  we  should  commit  our 
way  unto  God,  and  seek  his  aid,  that  we 
may  not  be  deterred  from  the  path  of 
duty, 

30.  By  stretching  forth  thine  hand,  &c. 
The  apostles  not  only  desired  boldness  to 
speak,  but  they  asked  that  God  would 
continue  to  work  miracles,  and  thus  fur- 
nish to  them,  and  to  the  people,  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  what  they  delivered.  They 
did  not  even  ask  that  he  would  preserve 
tlieir  lives,  or  keep  them  from  danger. 
They  were  intent  on  their  work,  and 
they  confidently  committed  their  way  to 
God,  making  it  their  gfeat  object  to  pro- 
mote the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and 
seeking  that  God  would  glorify  himself 
by  establishing  his  kingdom  among  men. 
T  Signs  a-^d  vlowWs.  Miracles  Notes, 
ch  ii.  42 


31  And  when  they  bad  y  rayed, 
the  place  was  shaken  where  they 
were  assembled  together;  and  they 
were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  they  "  spake  the  word  of  God 
with  boldness. 

32  And    the  multitude  of  them 
that   believed   w^ere   of  one  '  heart 


c  c.2.2,4;  16.26.  d  ver.S 

13.11.  Phil.2.2.  lPet.3.8. 


eRo.  15.5,5.  2C.« 


31.  And  when  they  had  prayed.  Th* 
event  which  followed  was  regarded  by 
them  as  an  evidence  that  God  heard 
their  prayer.  IT  The  place  was  shaken 
The  word  which  is  translated  "was 
shaken,"  commonly  denotes  violent  agi- 
tation, as  the  raging  of  the  sea,  the  con 
vulsion  of  an  earlhcjuake,  or  trees  shakei 
by  the  wind.  Matt.  xi.  7.  Acts  xvi.  26 
Heb.  xii.  2G.  The  language  here  is  fitted 
lo  express  the  idea  of  an  earthquake 
Whether  the  motion  was  confined  to  the 
liou^e  where  they  were,  is  not  said.  They 
probably  regarded  this  as  an  answer  to 
their  prayer,  or  as  an  evidence  that  God 
would  be  with  them,  (1.)  Because  it  was 
sudden  and  violent,  and  was  not  produced 
by  any  natural  causes ;  (2.)  Because  it 
occurred  immediately,  while  they  were 
seeking  divine  direction;  (3.)  Because  i; 
was  an  exhibition  of  great  power,- and 
was  an  evidence  that  God  could  protect 
them ;  and  (4.)  Because  a  convulsion  so 
great,  sudden,  and  mighty,  was  fitted  at 
that  time  to  awe  them  with  a  proof  of  the 
presence  and  power  of  God.  A  similai 
instance  of  an  answer  to  prayer  by  ar. 
earthquake  is  recorded  in  Acts  xvi.  25 
26.  Comp.  ch.  ii.  1,  2.  It  may  be  added 
that  among  the  Jews  an  earlhqualce  was 
very  properly  regarded  as  a  striking  and 
impressive  proof  of  the  presence  of  Jeho- 
vah. Isa.  xxix.  6.  Ps.  Ixviii.  8.  "  The  earth 
shook,  the  heavens  also  dropped  at  the 
presence  of  God ;  even  Sinai  itself  was 
moved  at  the  presence  of  God,  the  God 
of  Israel."  See  also  the  sublime  descrip- 
tion in  Habakkuk  iii.  particularly  ver.  6 — 
11.  •Com.p.  Matt,  xxvii.  54.  Among  the 
heathen,  an  earthquake  was  regarded  iia 
proof  of  the  presence  and  favour  of  the 
Deity.  (See  Virgil,  /Eniad  iii.  89.)  TT  They 
mere  all  filled,  &c.  Notes,  ch.  ii.  4.  Thoir 
being  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  here 
rather  denotes  their  being  inspired  with 
confidence  or  boldness,  than  being  endowiKl 
with  new  powers,  as  m  Acts  ii.  4. 

32.  And  the  multitude.  The  numbci 
of  believers  at  this  time  had  become 
'ar«e.     In  ch.  iv.  4.  it  is  said  tl\dt  it  waa 


88 


rati  ACTS. 


1  A.  D.  33 


and  of  one  soul :  neitker  said  any 
of  them  that  aught  of  the  things 
which  he  possessed  was  his  own ; 
but  °  they  had  all  things  common. 
33  And  with  great  power  *  gave 


fi\e  thousand ;  and  the  number  was  con- 
stantly increasing.  H  One  heart.  This  ex- 
pression denotes  tender  union.  They  fell 
tiike,  or  were  attached  to  the  same  things, 
ind  this  preserved  them  from  jars  and 
iissensions.  IT  One  soul.  This  phra.se 
alse  denotes  close  and  tender  union.  JNo 
expression  could  denote  it  more  strikingly 
than  to  say  of  iViends  they  have  one  soul. 
Fiutarch  cites  an  ancient  verse  in  his  life 
of  Cato  of  Utica,  with  this  very  expres- 
sion— "  Two  friends,  one  soul."  {Grolius.) 
Thus  Diogenes  Laertius  also  (5.  i.  11.) 
says  respecting  Aristotle,  that  "  being 
asked  what  was  a  friend  ;  answered,  that 
it  was  one  soul  dwelling  in  two  bodies." 
(Kui7wel.)  The  Hebrews  spake  of  two 
friends  as  being  "one  man."  There  can 
be  no  more  striking  demonstration  of 
union  and  love  than  to  say  of  more  than 
five  thousand  suddenly  drawn  together, 
that  ttiey  had  one  soul !  And  this  union 
fiey  evinced  in  every  way  possible ;  in 
'heir  conduct,  in  their  prayers,  and  in 
their  property.  How  different  would 
have  been  the  aspect  of  the  church,  if 
the  union  had  continued  to  the  present 
time.  IT  Neither  said,  &c.  That  is,  they 
did  not  regard  it  as  their  own,  but  to  be 
used  for  tlie  benefit  of  the  whole  society. 
See  Notes,  ch.  ii.  44. 

33.  A7id  with  great  power.  See  ch.  i.  8. 
The  word  power  here  denotes  effimcy, 
and  means  ihat  they  had  ahility  given 
them  to  bear  witne.ss  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  Saviour.  It  refers  therefore  rather 
to  their  preaching,  than  to  their  miracles. 
IT  Gave  the  apostles  zvitness.  The  apostles 
bore  testimony  to,  IT  the  resurrection  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  This  was  the  main  }X)int  to 
he  established.  If  it  was  proved  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  came  to  life  again  after  having 
been  put  to  death,  it  established  all  that 
ho  taught,  and  was  a  demoiiatraiiomthat 
he  was  sent  from  God.  They  exerted, 
(herefijre,  all  their  |)Owers  to  prove  this; 
and  their  success  was  such  as  might  have 
been  expected.  Multitudes  were  convert- 
ed to  tlieChristian  faith.  %  An.l great  grace, 
Si/1.  Thn  \\on\  grace  mcana  favour.  Note, 
John  i.  ]C\  Atirl  the  expression  here  may 
mean  oiiher  that  the  favour  <f  doil  was 
remarkably  shown  to  them;  or  that  they 
had  great  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  people. 
It  does  not  rt  fer  as  the  exnre.ssion  now 


the  apostles  witness  *  of  the  resur 
rection  of  the  Lord  Jesus  •  and  greai 
grace  ^  was  upon  them  all 

34  Neither  was  there  any  amorvg 
them  that  lacked  :  for  as  many  as 

c  Lu.l. 48,49.  c.1.22.  d  inc  1  16. 


does  commonly,  to  the  internal  blessing! 
of  religion  on  a  man's  own  soul  to  theii 
personal  advancement  in  the  Christian 
graces  of  humility,  &c. ;  but  to  Xhe  favour 
or  success  that  attended  their  i)reaching 
The  meaning  probably  is,  that  x\\e  favour 
of  the  people  towards  them  was  great ;  or 
that  great  success  attended  their  ministry 
among  them.  Thus  the  same  word  grace 
(Greek)  is  used  in  ch.  ii.  47.  If  this  is  its 
meaning,  then  here  is  an  instance  of  the 
power  of  the  testimony  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  impress  the  minds  of 
men.  But  this  is  not  all,  nor  probably  is 
it  the  main  idea.  It  is  that  their  union 
their  benevolence,  their  liberality  in  sup- 
1  lying  the  wants  of  the  needy,  was  a 
means  of  opening  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
j)le,  and  of  winning  them  to  the  Saviour 
If  we  wish  to  incline  others  to  our  opi- 
nions, or  to  bring  them  to  be  Christians, 
nothing  is  belter  adapted  to  it,  than  to 
show  them  kindness,  and  even  to  minis- 
ter to  their  temporal  wants.  Benevolence 
towards  them  softens  the  heart,  and  in- 
clines them  to  listen  to  us.  It  disarms 
their  prejudices,  and  disposes  them  to  the 
exercise  of  the  mild  and  amiable  feelings 
of  religion.  Hence  our  Saviour  was  en- 
gaged in  healing  the  diseases,  and  supply- 
ing the  wants  of  the  j:)eople.  He  drew 
around  him  the  poor,  the  needy,  and  the 
diseased,  and  supjuied  their  necessities, 
and  thus  prepared  them  to  receive  his 
message  of  truth.  Thus  God  is  love,  and 
is  constantly  doing  good,  that  his  goab:esn 
may  lead  men  to  repentance.  Rom.  ii  4. 
And  henre  no  persons  have  better  or;.or- 
tunities  to  sj)read  the  true  sentiments  of 
religion,or  are  clothed  with  higher  res|)on- 
sibilities,  than  those  who  have  it  in  their 
power  to  do  good  ;  or  than  those  who  are 
habitually  engaged  in  bes1o"'ing  favours. 
Thus  physiriaus  have  access,  to.the  hearts 
of  men  whirh  other  jjcrsons  have  not. 
Thus  parents  have  an  easy  access  to  the 
minds  of  children,  lor  they  are  constantly 
doing  them  good.  And  thus  Sunday- 
school  teachers,  whose  whole  work  is  a 
work  of  i)enevol^n<e,  have  dire:'t  and 
most  etncicnt  access  to  the  hearts  of  the 
childreu  committed  to  iheir  <  are. 

31.  Thai  lacked.  That  was  in  want, 
or  whoso  wauls  were  not  su|iiilie(l  hy  thf 
others.     ^  As  tnani/  as,  ikv.     Tho   wortl 


A    i).  33.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


85 


were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses, 
sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices 
cf  the  things  that  were  sold, 

?5  And  **  laid  them  down  at  the 
apostles'    feet,    and   '  distribution 

a  Ter.37.  c.5.2.  h  c.2.45;6.1. 


Wi2d  here  is  employed  in  a  large,  indefi- 
aaie  sense  ;  but  it  would  be  improper  to 
^ross  it  so  as  to  suppijse,  that  every  indi- 
ridual  that  became  a  Christian  sold  at 
jnee  all  his  property.  The  sense  doubt- 
.f  3s  is,  that  this  was  done  when  it  was  ne- 
cessary-; they  parted  with  whatever  pro- 
perty Was  needful  to  supply  the  wants  of 
their  poor  brethren.  That  it  was  by  no 
means  considered  a  matter  of  obligation, 
or  enjoined  by  the  apostles,  is  apparent 
from  the  case  of  Ananias,  eh.  v.  4.  The 
fact  that  Joses  is  particularly  mentioned 
(ver.  3G),  shows  that  it  was  by  no  means 
a  universal  practice  thus  to  part  with  all 
their  possessions.  He  v/as  one  instance 
in  vviaich  it  was  done.  Perhaps  there 
were  many  other  similar  instances ;  but 
all  that  the  passage  requires  us  to  believe 
IS,  that  they  parted  with  whatever  was 
needfid  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  poor. 
'  This  was  an  eminent  and  instructive  in- 
stance of  Christian  liberality,  and  of  the 
power  of  the  gospel  in  overcoming  one 
of  the  strongest  passions  that  ever  exist  in 
the  human  bosom — the  love  of  money. 
Many  of  the  early  Christians  were  poor. 
They  were  collected  from  the  lower  or- 
ders of  the  people.  But  all  were  not  so. 
Some  of  them,  it  seems,  were  men  of  af- 
fluence. The  effect  of  religion  was  to 
bring  them  all,  in  regard  to  feeling  at 
least,  on  a  level.  They  felt  that  they 
were  members  of  one  family ;  belonging 
to  the  same  Redeemer ;  and  they  there- 
fore imparted  their  property  cheerfully  to 
their  brethren.  Besides  this,  they  were 
about  to  go  to  other  lands  to  preach  the 
gospel.  They  were  to  leave  their  native 
country;  and  they  cheerfully  parted  with 
their  lands,  that  they  might  go  and  pro- 
claim the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
See  Notes,  ch.  ii.  44. 

35.  And  laid  them  down,  &c  That  is, 
they  committed  the  money  received  for 
their  property  to  the  disposal  of  the  apos- 
tles, to  distribute  it  as  was  necessai^y 
among  the  poor.  This  soon  became  a  bur- 
densome and  inconvenient  ofKce,and  they 
therefore  appointed  men  who  had  espe- 
cial charge  of  it.  ch.  vi.  1,  2,  &c. 

36.  Atid  Joses.  Many  manuscripts  in- 
stead of  Joses  here  read  Joseph.  The 
reasons  why  this  individual  is  selected 
•nd  specified  particularlj'   were,  dcutt- 

n2 


was  made  untc   every  man  accord 
ing  as  he  had  reed. 

36  And  Joses,  wiao  by  the  apos- 
tles was  surhamed  Barnabas,  (which 
is,  being  interpreted.  The  son  of 


Jess,  because  he  was  a  foreigner ;  because 
It  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  libeiality ; 
and  because  he  subsequently  distinguish- 
j  ed  himself  in  the  work  of  the  ministry 
He  gave  himself,  his  property,  his  all,  to 
!  the  service  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  went 
{  forth  to  the  self-denying  labours  of  the 
j  gospel.    He  is  elsewhere  mentioned  with 
j  honour  in  the  New  Testament  (Acts  xi, 
I  24.  30) ,  and  usually  as  the  companion  of 
[  the  apostle  Paul.   The  occasion  on  which 
he  became  connected  with  Paul  in  the 
ministry  was,  when  he  him.self  was  seal 
!  forth  by  the  church  at  Jerusalem  to  Anti- 
och.     There,  it  seems,  he  heard  of  the 
I  fame  of  Paul,  and  went  to  Tarsus  to  seek 
j  him,  and  brought  him  with  him  to  Anti- 
'  och.  Acts  xi.  22 — 26.   Before  this,  he  had 
:  been  acquainted  with  him,  and  had  intro- 
i  duced  him  to  the  other  apostles  at  a  time 
i  when  they  were  afraid  of  Paul,  and  un- 
j  willing  to  acknowledge  him  as  an  apostle. 
!  Acts  ix.  26, 27.    At  Antioch,  Barnabas  was 
led  into  dissimulation  by  Peter  in  regard 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  was  reproved  by  his 
friend  and  companion,  Paul.    Gal.  ii.  13. 
He  and  Paul  continued  to  travel  in  fel- 
lo^vship  until  a  dispute  arose  at  Antioch 
about  Mark,   and   they  separated,  Pau'J 
going  with  Silas  through  Syria  and  Ciii 
cia,  and  Barnabas  with  Mark  sailing  for 
his  native  place,  Cyprus.  Acts  xv.  35 — 41 
See  the  following  places  for  particulara 
of  his  history :  Acts  xi.  22.  25.  30 ;  xii.  25 , 
xiii.  1,  2.  50;  xiv.  12;  xv.12.  1  Cor.  ix.  6 
Gal.  ii.  1.  9.     IT  Who  by  the  apostles  v:a 
surnamed,  &c.   This  name  was  doubtless 
given  by  the  apostles.     The  practice  of 
giving  surnames,  as  expressive  of  charac- 
ter,  was   not  uncommon.    Thus  Simon 
was  called  Peter,  or  Cephas,  John  i.  44 ; 
and  thus  James  and  John  were  surname(5 
Boanerges,   Mark   iii.    17.      ^  Barnabas 
which  is,  &:c.   .  This   word   properly  de 
notes   the  son   of  prophecy.     It    is   com 
pounded  of  two  Syriac  words,  the  one 
meaning  son,   and    the   other  prophecy 
The  Greek  word  which  is  used  to  inter 
pret  this  (n-ajax^-vic-is),  translated  consola- 
tion, means    properly   also.   exhortatioUj 
entreaty,  petition,  or  advocacy.     It  also 
means  consolation,  or  solace ;   and  from 
this  meaning  the  inter[)retation  has  been 
given  to  the  word  Bar/h;has,   but  v.it.h 
evident  impi  jpriety.      I  daos  not  a^«Deai 


JO 


THE  ACTS. 

wd  of  the 


consolaiioa,)  a  l.evite. 
country  of  Cjprus, 

37  Having  land,  soli  it,  and 
brought  the  money,  and  laid  it  at 
the  apostles'  feet. 


tixat  the  name  was  bestowed  on  account 
ol"  this,  though  it  is  probable  that  he  pos- 
sessed it  in  an  eminent  degree,  but  on 
account  of  his  talent  fur  speaking,  or  ex- 
hoTting  the  people  to  holiness,  and  his 
success  in  preaching.  Comp.  Acts  xi.  23. 
^  A  Levite.  One  of  the  descendants  of 
liCvi  employed  in  the  lower  services  of 
the  temple."  The  whole  tribe  oi Levi  was 
set  apart  to  the  service  of  religion.  It  was 
divided  into  Priests  and  Levites.  The 
three  sons  of  Levi  were  Gershon,  Kohath, 
and  Merari.  Of  the  famUy  of  Kohath 
Aarc?i  was  descended,  who  was  the  first 
high-priest.  His  eldest  son  succeeded 
him,  and  the  remainder  of  his  sons  were 
priests.  All  the  others  of  the  tribe  of 
Levi  were  called  Levites,  and  were  em- 
ployed in  the  work  of  the  temple,  in  as- 
sisting the  priests  in  performing  sacred 
music,  &c.  Num.  iii.  Deut.  xii.  18,  19; 
xviii.  6—8.  1  Chron.  xxiii.  21.  IT  Of  the 
country  of  Cyprus.  Cyprus  is  the  largest 
island  in  the  Mediterranean;  an  island 
extremely  fertile,  abounding  in  wine, 
honey,  oil,  wool,  &c.  It  is  mentioned  in 
Acts  xiii.  4 ;  xv.  39.  The  island  is  near  to 
Cilicia,  and  is  not  far  from  the  Jewish 
coast.  It  is  mentioned  by  Dion  Cassius 
(lib.  68,  69)  that  the  Jews  were  very  nu- 
merous in  that  island.  {Clark.) 

Barnabas  afterwards  became,  with 
Paul,  a  distinguished  preacher  to  the 
Gentiles.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
both  were  born  in  heathen  countries, 
though  by  descent  Jews;  and  as  they 
were  trained  in  heathen  lands,  they  were 
better  titled  for  their  jieculiar  work.  The 
case  of  Barnabas  is  that  of  a  man  who 
had  properly,  who  entered  the  ministry, 
and  gave  up  all  for  the  Lord  Jesus. 
The  great  mass  of  ministers,  like  very 
many  who  have  been  distinguished  in 
Dtller  professions,  nave  tjeen  taken  from 
the  f)<M>r,  and  from  humble  ranks  in  life. 
But  all  have  not  been.  Many  have  been 
wealthy,  and  have  devoted  all  to  Christ; 
nnd  in  regard  to  others,  it  is  to  be  remark- 
ed, that  a  very  considerable  proportion  of 
them  could  have  gained  more  wealth  in 
wme  other  profession  than  they  do  in  the 
ministry,  'i'iie  minisiry  is  a  work  of  self 
denial ;  and  none  sliould  enter  it  who  are 
not  prepared  to  devote  all  lo  the  service 
tif  the  lyj'-d  Jcsufi  Christ 


[A. 
CHAPTER  V. 


D.  33 


B 


UT  a  certain  man  named  Ana 
nias,  with  Sapphira  his  wife 
sold  a  possession, 

2  And  kept  back  jsar^  of  the  price 


CHAPTER  V. 

1.  Jhit  a  certain  man.  in  the  previoia 
chapter,  the  historian  had  given  an  a«> 
count  of  the  eminent  liberality  and  since 
rity  of  the  mass  of  early  Cliristians,  in 
being  willing  to  give  up  their  property  to 
provide  for  the  poor,  and  had  mentioned 
the  case  of  Barnabas  as  worthy  of  spe- 
cial attention.  In  this  chapter  he  pro- 
ceeds to  mention  a  case,  quite  as  striking 
of  insincerity  and  hypocrisy,  and  of  the 
just  judgment  of  God  on  those  who  were 
guilty  ol'  it.  The  case  is  a  remarkable 
instance  of  tlie  nature  of  hypocrisy,  and 
goes  to  illustrate  the  art  and  cunning  of 
the  enemy  of  souls  in  attempting  to  cor- 
rupt the  church,  and  to  pervert  the  reli- 
gion of  the  gospel.  Hypocrisy  consists  in 
an  attempt  to  imitate  the  people  of  God, 
or  to  assume  the  appearance  of  religion,  in 
whatever  form  it  may  be  manifested.  In 
this  case  religion  had  been  manifested  by' 
great  self-denial  and  benevolence.  The 
hypocrisy  of  Ananias  consisted  in  attempt- 
ing to  imitate  this  appearance,  and  to  im- 
pose in  this  way  on  the  early  Christians 
and  on  God.  If  With  Sapphira  his  wife. 
With  lier  concurrence,  or  consent.  It  was 
a  matter  of  cr^?f6'77ie//i  between  them.  ver. 
2.  9.  ^  !^old  a  possession.  The  word  here 
used  (xTJ/ua)  does  not  indicate  whelhei 
this  was  lajul  or  some  other  property.  In 
ver.  3,  however,  we  loam  that  it  was 
land  that  was  sold ;  and  the  word  here 
translated  possession  is  translated,  in  the 
Syriac,  Arabic,  and  the  Latin  Vulgate, 
land.  The  pretence  f(M  which  this  was 
sold  was  doubtless  to  have  the  appear- 
ance of  religion.  That  it  was  sold  could 
be  easily  known  by  the  Christian  society, 
but  it  might  not  be  so  easily  known  for 
how  much  it  was  sold.  Hence  the  attempt 
to  impo.se  on  the  a}X)stles.  It  is  clear  thtfl 
they  were  not  under  obligation  to  sell 
their  property.  But  having  sold  it  for  the 
purpo.ses  of  religion,  it  became  tlieir  duty, 
if  they  profcs.sed  to  devote  the  avails  of  il 
to  God,  to  do  it  entirely,  and  without  any 
reservation. 

2.  And  kept  hack.  The  word  here  asea 
means  properly  to  s(parale,  to  jmrt ;  nnd 
then  it  means' to  sipnrate  surreptitiously 
or  rlandestineh/  for  our  own  use  a  j)art  o? 
public  property,  as  taxes,  &c.  It  la  used 
but  three  times  m  the  New  Testament. 


1.  D   33 


CH  APT  Eli   V 


91 


lis  wife  als.)  oeing  privy  to  it,  and 
Drought"  a  certain  part,  and  laid  it 
at  the  apostles'  feet. 

a  c.  1,34,37. 


ver.  3,  and  in  Titus  ii.  10,  where  it  is  ren- 
dered purloining.  Here  it  means  that 
they  secretly  kept  back  a  part,  while  prO' 
fessedly  devoting  ail  to  God.  IT  His  wife 
being  privy  to  it.  His  wife  knowing  it, 
and  evidently  concurring  in  it.  IT  And 
laid  it  at  (he  apostles'  feet.  This  was  evi- 
dently an  act  professedly  of  devoting  all 
to  God.  Comp.  ch.  iv.  37,  also  ver.  8,  9. 
That  this  was  his  profession,  or  pretence, 
is  further  implied  in  the  fact  that  Peter 
changes  him  with  having  lied  unto  God. 
ver.  3,  4. 

3.  But  Peter  said,  &c.  Peter  could  have 
known  this  only  by  revelation.  It  was  the 
manifest  design  of  Ananias  to  deceive  ; 
nor  was  there  any  way  of  detecting  him 
but  by  its  being  revealed  to  him  by  the 
Spii-ii  of  God.  As  it  was  an  instance  of 
enormous  wickedness,  and  as  it  was  very 
important  to  detect  and  punish  the  crime, 
it  was  made  known  to  Peter  directly  by 
God.  IT  Why  bath  Satan.  Great  deeds 
of  wickedness  in  the  Scripture  are  traced 
to  the  influence  and  temptation  of  Satan. 
Comp.  Luke  w'li.  3.  John  xiii.  27.  Espe- 
cially is  Satan  called  the  father  of  lies. 
John  viii.  44.  55.  Comp.  Gen.  iii.  1 — 5. 
As  this  was  an  act  oC  falsehood,  or  an  at- 
tempt to  deceive,  it  is  with  great  propriety 
traced  to  the  influence  ol  Satan.  The 
sin  of  Ananias  consisted  in  his  yielding  to 
the  temptation.  Nowhere  in  the  Bible 
are  men  supposed  to  be  free  from  guilt, 
from  the  fact  that  they  have  been  tempted 
10  commit  it.  God  requires  them  to  resist 
temptation ;  and  if  they  yield  to  it,  they 
must  be  punished.  If  Filled  thine  heart. 
A  man's  heart  or  mind  is  full  of  a  thing 
when  he  is  intejit  on  it ;  when  he  is 
strongly  impelled  to  it;  or  when  he  is 
fully  occupied  with  it.  The  expression 
here  means  that  he  was  strongly  impelled 
or  excited  by  Satan  to  this  crime.  ^  To 
lie  to.  To  attempt  to  deceive.  The  de- 
ception which  he  meant  to  practise  was 
to  keep  back  apart  of  the  price,  while  he 
pretended  to  bring  the  whole  of  it;  thus 
iempting  God,  and  supposing  that  he  could 
not  detect  the  fraud.  ^  The  Holy  Ghost. 
Tfi  -vi^jux  TO  'iytov.  The  main  inquiry  here 
is.  whether  the  apostle  Peter  intended  to 
designate  in  this  place  the  third  person  of 
the  Trinity;  or  whether  he  meant  to  speak 
»f  God  as  God,  without  any  reference  to 
the  distinction  of  persona;  or  to  the  di- 
vine influence  which  inspired  the  apostles, 


3  But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  wny 
hath  Satan  *  filled  thine  heart  '  to 
lie    to  "  the   Holy    Ghost,   and   t« 

b  Lu.22.3.  1  or,  to  deceive.  c  ver.9. 

without  reference  to  the  peculiar  office* 
which  are  commonly  ascribed  to  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Or,  in  other  words,  is  there  a  dis- 
tinction here  recognised  between  the 
Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  That  there 
is,  will  be  apparent  from  the  following 
considerations:  (1.)  If  no  such  distinction 
is  intended,  it  is  remarkable  that  Peter  did 
not  use  the  usual  and  customary  name  of 
God.  It  does  not  appear  why  he  guarded 
it  so  carefully  as  to  denote  that  this  of- 
fence was  committed  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  ver.  9. 
(2.)  The  name  here  used  is  the  one  em- 
ployed in  the  Scriptures  to  designate  the 
third  person  of  the  Trinity,  as  implying  a 

I  distinction  from  the  Father.  See  Matt 
iii.  10  ;  i.  IS.  20;  iii.  11 ;  xii.32;  xxviii.  19. 
Mark  i.  8;  iii.  29;  xii.  3G.    Luke  xii.  10. 

'  Johnxiv.  2G;  vii.  39;  xx.  22.  Acts  iv.  8, 
v.  32,  &c.  (3.)  Peter  intended,  doubtless, 
to  designate  an  oflfence  as  committed  par- 
ticularly against  the  person,  or  influence, 
by  which  he  and  the  other  apostles  were 
inspired.  Ananias  sunposed  that  he  could 
escape  detection:  and  the  oflence  W£S 
one,  therefore,  against  the  Inspirer  of 
the    apostles.     Yet    that  w^as   the  Holy 

I  Ghost  as  distinct  from  the  Father.     See 

I  John  xiv.  16,  17.  26;  xv.  2G;  xvi.  7—11  . 

i  XX.  22.  Comp.  Acts  v.  32.  The  oflenct;, 
therefore,  being  against  him  who  was 
seid  by  the  Father,  who  was  appointed  t) 
a  particular  work,  clearly  supposes  thai 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  distinct  from  the  F'ather. 
(4.)  A  farther  incidental  proof  of  this  may 
be  found  in  the  fact  that  the  sin  here 
committed  was  one  of  peculiar  magni 
tude ;  so  great  as  to  bo  deemed  worthy 
of  the  immediate  and  signal  vengeance 
of  God.  Yet  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  uniformly  represented  to  be  of 
this  description  Comp.  INIatt.  xii.  31,  33 
Mark  iii.  28,  29  As  these  sins  evidently 
coincide  in  enormity,  it  is  clear  that  the 
same  class  of  sins  is  referred  to  in  both 
places ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  sin  of  Ana 
nias  was  against  the  third  person  of  the 
Trinity. — Two  remarks  maybe  made  here. 
(1.)  The  Holy  Ghost  is  a  distinct  person 
from  the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  or,  in  other 
words,  there  is  a  distinction  of  some  kino 
in  the  Divine  nature  that  may  be  denomi 
nated  by  the  word  person.  This  is  clear 
from  the  fact  that  sin  is  said  to  have  lieen 
committed  against  him ;  a  sin  which  it 
was  supposed  could  not  be  detected.   Sin 


92 


Ifccp  "  back  part  of  the  pno3  of  the 
land? 

4  Whiles  it  remained,  was  it  not 
thine  own  ]  and  after  it  was  sold, 
was  it  not  in  thine  own  power  1 
Why  hast  ihou  conceived  this  thing 

a  Nu.30.2-  De.23.21.  Ec.r..4. 


IME   ACTS.  [A,  D.  33 

in  thine  heait  I     Thou  hast  not  lied 
unto  men,  but  ^  unto  God. 

5  And  Ananias,  hearing  thestf 
words,'  fell  down,  and  gave  up  the 
ghost :  and  great  '^  fear  came  on  aU 
them  that  heard  these  things. 

iP8.139.4.  cver.lO'l.  ci  Ps.Si.9. 


cannot  be  committed  against  an  atlrihute 
Tif  God,  or  an  injluence  from  God.  We 
*annot  Lie  unto  an  attribute,  or  against 
wisdom,  or  power,  or  goodness  ;  nor  can 
we  lie  unto  an  injlnence,  merely,  of  the 
Most  High.  Sin  is  committed  against  a 
fieing,  not  against  an  attribute ;  and  as  a 
sin  is  here  charged  on  Ananias  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  it  follows  tiiat  the  Holy 
Ghost  has  a  personal  existence ;  or  there 
is  such  a  distinction  in  the  Divine  essence 
aS  that  it  may  be  proper  to  specify  a  sin  as 
committed  peculiarly  against  him.  In  the 
-  same  way  sin  may  be  represented  as  com- 
mitted peculiarly  against  the  Father,  wheji 
his7ia?ne  is  blasphemed;  when  his f/o/«i/u'o7t 
is  denied ;  when  his  mercy  in  sending  his 
Son  is  called  in  question.  Sin  may  be 
represented  as  committed  against  the  Son, 
when  his  atonement  is  denied,  his  divi- 
nny  assailed,  his  character  derided,  or  his 
invitations  slighted.  And  thus  sin  may 
be  represented  as  committed  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  when  his  office  of  renewing 
the  heart,  or  sanctifying  the  soul,  is  called 
m  question,  o'-  when  his  work  is  ascribed 
to  some  malign  ir  other  influence.  See 
Mark  iii.  22—30.  And  as  sin  against  the 
Son  proves  that  he  is  in  some  sense  dis- 
tinct from  the  Father,  so  does  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  prove  that  in  some  sense 
he  is  distinct  from  the  Faitiier  and  tlie  Son. 
'2.)  The  Holy  Ghost  is  divine.  This  is 
[iroved,  because  he  is  represented  here 
as  being  able  to  search  the  heart,  and  to 
delect  insincerity  and  hypocrisy.  Comp. 
Jer.  xvii.  10.  1  C'lron.  xxviii.  9.  1  Cor.  ii. 
10.  "The  Spirit  .^oarchelh  all  things,  yea, 
ihe  deep  things  of  God."  Rev.  ii.  2.3. 
And  he  is  expressly  called  God.  See 
Note  on  ver.  4. 

4.  Whiles  il  remained.  As  long  as  it 
p»«ma'ined  uasold.  This  place  proves  that 
there  was  no  ohliiration  imposed  on  the 
(Unci pies  to  sell  their  property.  They  who 
did  i(,  did  it  vohnitarily  ;  and  it  does  not 
nppear  that  it  was  done  by  all,  or  expected 
lo  be  (lone  by  all.  H  And  after  it  v>as  sold, 
Ac.  ICven  after  the  property  was  sold 
und  Anania.s  had  tlie  money,  still  there 
was  no  o!)ligati()n  on  him  to  devote  it  in 
Ihi?  way.  He  had  the  rlispo.sal  of  il  still. 
ITio  apostle  mentiorw  this  lo  show  him 


that  his  offence  was  peculiarly  aggra- 
vated. He  was  not  compelled  to  sell  hii 
property  5  and  he  had  not  even  the  poor 
pretence  that  he  was  obliged  to  dispose  of 
it,  and  was  templed  to  vvillihold  it  for  his 
own  use.  It  was  all  his,  and  might  have 
been  retained  if  he  had  chosen.  Il  Thou 
hast  not  lied  unto  men.  Unto  men  only, 
or,  it  is  not  your  7)iai7i  and  chitf  o^nce 
that  you  have  attempted  to  deceivb  men. 
It  is  true  that  Ananias  had  attempted  to 
deceive  the  apostles,  and  it  is  true  also 
that  this  was  a  crime;  but  still,  the  prin 
cipal  magnitude  of  the  offence  was  that 
he  had  attemjUed  to  deceive  GoiJ.  So 
small  was  his  crime  as  committed  against 
men,  that  it  was  lost  sight  of  by  the  apos- 
tles ;  and  the  great,  crowning  sin  of  at- 
tempting to  deceive  Gwl  was  brought 
fully  into  view.  Thus  David  also  saw 
his  sin  as  committed  against  God  to  be  so 
enormous,  that  he  lost  sight  of  il  as  an 
offence  to  man,  and  said,  "  Against  thee, 
thee  ONLY,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this 
evil  in  thy  sight."  Ps.  Ii.  4.  H  BiUuntc 
God.  It  has  been  particularly  aim  emi- 
nently against  God.  This  is  true,  because, 
(1.)  He  had  professedly  devoted  it  to  God. 
The  act,  therefore,  hatl  express  and  direct 
reference  to  him.  (2.)  It  was  an  attempt 
to  deceive  him.  It  implied  the  beUef  of 
Ananias  that  God  would  not  detect  the 
crime,  or  see  the  motives  of  the  hearL 
(3.)  It  is  the  prerogative  of  God  to  judge 
of  sincerity  and  hypocrisy ;  and  this  was 
a  case,  therefore,  which  came  under  his 
special  notice.  Comp.  Ps.  cxxxix.  1 — 4. — 
The  word  God  here  is  evidently  used  in 
its  plain  and  obvious  sense,  as  denoting 
the  supreme  divinity ;  and  the  use  of  the 
word  here  shows  that  the  Holy  Ghost  i> 
divine ;  and  the  whole  passiige  demon- 
strates, therefore,  one  of  the  imp"rtanl 
doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion,  thai 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  distinct  from  the  I  ather 
and  the  Si»n,  and  yet  is  divine. 

6.  And  Anrinias,  hearing  these  wordn 
A'c.  Seeing  that  his  guilt  was  known, 
and  being  (.'harged  with  the  enonnous 
crime  of  attempting  to  deceive  God.  He 
hail  nr)t  exjiccted  tij  be  thus  exjinsed  ;  and 
it  is  clear  that  the  e\i)osureand  the  ch.'^rgfl 
came  upo-i  birr  unexpecto<lly  and  tern- 


\.  D.  33. J 


CHAPTER  V. 


S3 


6  And  the  young  men  arose, 
wound  "liim  up,  and  carried  him 
-jut,  and  buried  him. 

7  And  it  was  about  the  space  of 

a  Jno.  19.40. 


bly,  like  a  bolt  of  thunder.  IT  Fell  down. 
Greek,  Having  fallen  down.  IT  Gave  up 
ke  ghost.  This  is  an  unhappy  translation. 
The  original  means  simply,  he  expired,  or 
he  died.  Comp.  Note,  Matt,  xxvii.  50. 
This  reoiarkable  fact  may  be. accounted 
for  in  this  way :  (1.)  It  is  evidently  to  be  re- 
garded as  Q.  j udgment  oi  GQi}i  for  the  sin  of 
Anaalas  and  his  wife.  It  was  not  the  act  of 
Peter.butofGod;  and  was  clearly  designed 
to  show  his  abhorrence  of  this  sin.  (See 
remarks  on  ver.  11.  (2.)  Though  it  was  the 
actof  God,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  it  was 
not  in  connexion  with  the  usual  laws  by 
which  he  governs  men,  or  that  he  did  not 
make  use  of  natural  means  to  do  it.  The 
sin  was  one  of  great  aggravation.  It  was 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  detected.  The 
fact  that  it  was  known ;  the  solemn  charge 
that  he  had  lied  unto  God;  struck  him 
with  horror.  His  conscience  would  re- 
prove him  for  the  enormity  of  his  crime, 
and  overwhelm  him  at  the  memory  of  his 
act  of  wickedness.  These  circumstc„.v.ca 
may  be  sufficient  to  account  for  this  re- 
markable event.  It  has  occurred  in  other 
cases  that  the  consciousness  of  crime,  or 
the  fact  of  being  suddeidy  detected,  has 
given  such  a  shock  to  the  frame  that  it 
has  never  recovered  from  it.  The  effect 
commonly  is  that  the  memory  of  guilt 
preys  secredy  and  silently  upon  the  frame, 
until,  worn  out  with  the  want  of  rest  and 
peace,  it  sinks  exhaustea  into  the  grave. 
But  there  have  not  been  A'anting  in- 
stances where  the  shock  ,ias  been  so 
great  as  to  destroy  the  vUal  powers  at 
once,  and  plunge  the  wretched  man,  like 
Ananias,  into  eternity.  It  is  not  at  all 
improbable  that  the  shock  in  the  case  of 
A.naniJP^vas  so  great  as  at  once  to  take 
f.is  life.  IT  Great  fear  came,  &c.  Such  a 
striking  and  awful  judgment  on  insilice- 
.•ity  and  hypocrisy  was  fitted  to  excite 
awful  emotions  among  the  people.  Sud- 
len  death  always  does  it;  but  sudden 
ieath  in  immediate  connexion  with 
^riine,'  is  fitted  much  more  deeply  to 
s.h1rct  the  mind. 

6.  Ann  the  young  men.  The  youth  of 
dn  congregation ;  very  probably  young 
msn  who  were  in  attendance  as  servants, 
or  those  whose  business  it  was  to  attend 
»n  the  congregation,  and  perform  various 
nTir-es  when  Christians  celebrated  their 
vvf  ^\'i\  [  Mosheim )  The  word  used  here 


three  hours  after,  when  his  wife,  not 
knowing  what  was  done,  came  in. 
8  And  Peter  answered  unto  her, 
Tell  me  whether  ye  sold  the  land 


sometimes  denotes  a  servant.  It  la  used 
also,  ver.  10,  to  denote  soldiers,  as  they 
were  commonly  enlisted  of  the  yigrz^:-js 
and  young.  The  fact  that  they  took  up 
Ananias  voluntarily,  implies  that  they 
were  accustomed  lo  perform  offices  of 
servitude  to  the  congregation.  IF  Wouna 
him  up.  It  was  the  usual  custom  with 
the  Jews  to  wind  the  body  up  in  many 
folds  of  linen  before  it  was  buried,  com 
monly  also  with  spices,  to  preserve  it 
from  putrefaction.  See  Notes  on  John  xi. 
44.  It  may  be  asked  why  he  was  so  soon 
buried  ,•  and  especially  why  he  was  hur- 
ried away  without  giving  information  to 
his  wife.  In  reply  to  this,  it  may  be  re- 
marked, 1.  That  it  does  not  appear  from 
the  narrative  that  it  was  known  that  Sap- 
phira  was  privy  to  the  transaction,  or  was 
near  at  hand,  or  Pven  that  he  had  a  wife 
Ananias  came  himself  and  offered  the 
money;  and  the  judgment  fell  at  once  on 
him.  2.  It  was  customary  among  the  an- 
cient Persians  to  bury  the  body  almost 
immediately  after  death  (John);  and  il 
seems  probable  that  the  Jews,  when  the 
body  was  not  embalmed,  imitated  the 
custom.  It  would  also  appear  that  this 
was  an  ancient  custom  among  the  Jews. 
See  Gen.  xxiii.  19;  xxv.  9;  xxxv.  29; 
xlviu.  7.  1  Kings  xiii.  30.  Different  na- 
tions differ  in  dieir  customs  in  burying 
the  dead;  and  there  is  no  impropriety  ir 
committing  a  body  soon  after  death  to'the 
tomb.  3.  There  might  have  been  some 
danger  of  an  excitemeat  and  tumult  in 
regard  to  ttiis  scene,  if  the  corpse  had  not 
soon  been  removed  ;  and  as  no  valuable 
purpose  could  be  answered  by  delaying 
the  burial,  the  body  was  decently  com- 
mitted to  the  dust. 

7.  And  it  was  about  the  space,  &c.  As 
Sapphira  had  been  no  le.ss  guilty  than 
her  husband,  so  it  was  ordered  in  the 
providence  of  God,  that  the  same  judg- 
ment should  come  upon  both. 

8,  For  so  much.  That  is,  for  the  gum 
which  Ananias  had  presented.  This  wa» 
true,  that  this  sum  had  been  received  fiir 
it;  but  it  was  also  true  that  a  larger  sun} 
had  been  received.  It  is  a?  really  a  false- 
hood to  deceive  in  this  manner,  as  if 
would  have  been  to  have  affirmed  that 
they  received  much  more  than  they  actu 
ally  did  for  the  land.  Falsehood  consists 
in  making  an  erroneous  representation  of 


9i 


THE  ACTS. 

And  she  said,  Yea, 


[A.  U.  3: 


foi  ftc  much  ? 
101  so  much. 

9  Then  Peter  said  unto  her,  How 
Js  it  that  ye  have  agreed  "  together 

a  Pf.50.18.  verJ. 

a  thing  in  any  way  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
ceiving. And  this  species  is  much  more 
common  than  an  open  and  bold  lie,  de- 
t^laring  what  is  in  no  sense  true. 

9.  Agreed  together.  Conspired,  or  laid 
a  plan.  From  this  it  seems  that  Sapphira 
was  as  guilty  as  her  husband.  H  To  tempt. 
To  try ;  to  endeavour  lo  impose  on,  or  to 
deceive  ;  that  is,  to  act  as  if  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  could  not  detect  the  crime, 
fhcy  did  this  by  trying  to  see  whether 
the  Spirit  of  God  could  detect  hypocrisy. 
IF  At  the  door.  Are  noir  at  hand.  They 
tiad  not  yet  returned  The  dead  were 
buried  without  the  v/alls  of  cities ;  and 
this  space  of  three  hours,  it  seems,  had 
elapsed  before  they  returned  from  the 
burial.  1[  i<hall  carry  thee  out.  This  pas- 
sage shows  that  it  was  by  divine  interpo- 
Bition  or  judgment  that  their  lives  were 
taken.  The  judgment  whs  in  immediate 
connexion  with  their  crime,  and  was  de- 
signed as  an  expression  of  the  divine  dis- 
pleasure. 

Lf  it  be  asked  here.  zi:hy  Ananias  and 
Sai)phira  were  punished  in  this  severe 
and  awful  manner,  an  answer  may  be 
found  in  the  following  considerations: 
(1.)  This  was  an  atrocious  crime;  a  deep 
and  dreadful  act  of  iniquity.  It  was  com- 
mitted knowingly,  and  without  excuse. 
ver.  4.  It  was  impKjrtant  that  sudden  and 
exemplary  punishment  should  follow  it, 
because  the  society  of  Christians  was  just 
then  organized,  and  it  was  designed  that  it 
should  be  a  pure  society,  and  be  regarded 
ns  a  body  of  holy  men.  Much  was  gained 
by  making  this  impression  on  the  people, 
that  sin  could  not  be  allowed  in  this  new 
community,  but  would  be  detected  and 
punished.  (2.)  God  has  often  in  a  most 
solemn  manner  showed  his  abhorrence  of 
hypocrisy  and  insincerity.  By  awful  de- 
clarations and  fearful  judgments  he  has 
declared  his  dis})leasure  at  it.  In  a  par- 
ticular manner  no  small  part  of  the 
preaching  of  the  Saviour  was  employed 
in  detecting  the  hypocrisy  of  the  scribes 
(ind  riiariseoH,  and  denouncing  heavy 
judgments  on  them.  See  the  xxiiid  chap- 
ter of  Matthew  throughout,  for  the  most 
Bublime  and  awful  (lenunciation  of  hy- 
pocrisy any  where  to  be  found,  ('omp. 
Mark  xii.  15.  Luke  xii.  1.  1  Tim.  iv.  2. 
Job  viii.  13;  xiii.  10  ;  xv.  31 ;  xx.f) ;  xxxvi 
3.  Matf.  \ii  5.  Luke  xi.  44.   In  the  ver^ 


to  trmpt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
Behold,   the    feet   of   them    which 
have  buried  thy  husband  are  at  the 
door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out. 


beginning  of  the  Christian  church,  there 
fore,  it  was  important,  by  a  decided  anfl 
awful  act,  to  impress  upon  the  church 
and  the  world  the  danger  and  guilt  oi 
hypocrisy.  Well  did  the  Saviour  know 
that  it  would  be  one  of  the  most  insidious 
and  deadly  foes  to  the  purity  of  the 
church;  and  at  its  very  threshold,  there 
fore,  he  set  up  this  solemn  warning  to 
guard  it;  and  laid  the  bodies  of  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  in  the  path  of  every  hypo 
crite  that  would  enter  the  church,  if  they 
enter  and  are  destroyed,  they  cannot  plead 
that  they  were  not  fully  warned.  If  they 
practise  iniquity  ?n  the  church,  they  can- 
not plead  ignorance  of  the  fact  that  God 
intends  to  detect  and  punish  them.  (3.) 
The  apostles  were  just  then  establishing 
their  authority.  They  claimed  to  be  un 
der  the  inlluence  of  inspiration.  To  esta- 
blish that,  it  was  necessary  to  show  tha 
they  could  know  the  views  and  motives 
of  those  who  became  connected  with  the 
church.  If  easily  imposed  on,  it  would 
go  far  to  destroy  their  authority  and  their 
claim  to  infallibility.  If  they  showed  that 
they  could  detect  hypocrisy,  even  where 
most  artfully  concealed,  it  would  establish 
the  divine  authority  of  their  message.  At 
the  commei\cemcnl  of  their  work,  there 
fore,  they  gave  this  decisive  and  most 
awful  proof  that  they  were  under  the 
guidance  of  an  infallible  Teacher.  (4.) 
This  case  does  not  stand  alone  in  the 
New  Testament.  It  is  clear  from  other 
nistances  that  the  apostles  had  the  povvei 
of  punishing  sinners,  and  that  a  violation 
of  the  commands  of  Christ  was  attentled 
by  sudden  and  fearful  judgments.  See 
I  Cor.  xi.  30.  See  the  case  of  Elwmas  the 
sorcerer,  in  Acts  xiii.  8 — 11.  (S.fWfither 
does  this  event  stand  alone  in  the  historv 
of  the  world.  Acts  of  judgment  some- 
times occur  as  sudden  and  decided,  iti 
the  providence  of  God,  as  in  this  case. 
The  profane  man,  the  drunkard,  the  pro- 
fligate is  sometimes  as  suildenly  stricken 
down  as  in  this  instance.  Cases  ha've  noi 
been  uncommon  where  the  lilasphemei 
has  l)een  smitten  in  (k-aili  with  the  curse 
on  his  lips;  and  CJod  often  thus  comes 
forth  in  judgment  to  slay  the  wicked,  and 
to  show  that  tiiere  is  a  God  that  reigns  in 
the  eartli.  This  niirmtive  camiol  be  o!v 
jected  to  as  nuprol)a')lo  tuilii  all  surb 
cases  are  disjioaed  of;  nor  can  this  [nflio 


A.D.  33.J 


CHAPTER   V. 


95 


10  Then  "fell  she  down  straig-ht- 
way  at  his  feet,  and  yielded  up  the 
ghost :  and  the  young  men  came  in 
and  found  her  dead,  and,  carrying 
fivr  forth,  buried  her  by  her  hus- 
band. 


ii  )ii  be  regarded  as  unjust,  until  all  the 
instances  where  men  die  by  remorse  of 
conscience,  or  by  the  direct  judgment  of 
heaven,  are  proved  to  be  unjust  also. 

In  view  of  this  narrative,  we  may  re- 
mark, (1.)  That  God  searches  the  heart, 
and  knows  the  purposes  of  the  soul. 
Comp.  Ps.  cxxxix.  (2.)  God  judges  the 
motives  of  men.  It  is  not  so  much  the 
external  acX,  as  it  is  the  views  and  feelings 
by  which  it  is  prompted,  that  determines 
the  character  of  the  act.  (.3.)  God  will 
bring  forth  sin  that  man  may"  not  be  able 
to  detect;  or  that  may  elude  human  jus- 
tice. The  day  is  coming  when  the  secrets 
of  all  hearts  shall  be  revealed,  and  God 
will  reward  every  man  according  as  his 
works  shall  be.  (4.)  Fraud  and  hypo- 
crisy will  be  detected.  They  are  often 
revealed  in  this  life.  The  providence  of 
God  often  lays  them  open  to  human 
view,  and  overwhelms  the  soul  in  shame 
at  the  guilt  which  was  long  concealed. 
But  if  not  in  this  life,  yet  the  day  is  com^- 
mg  when  they  will  be  disclosed,  and  the 
sinner  shall  stand  revealed  to  an  assem- 
bled universe.  (5.)  We  have  here  an 
illustiation  of  the  powers  of  conscience. 
I  f^ Such  was  its  overwhelming  effect  here, 
what  will  it  be  when  all  the  crimes  of 
the  life  shall  be  disclosed  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  when  the  soul  shall  sink 
to  the  woes  of  hell.  Through  eternity  the 
conscience  shall  do  its  office  ;  and  tliese 
/errible  inflictions  shall  go  on  from  age  to 
^^e,  for  ever  and  ever,  in  the  dark  world 
of  hell.  (6.)  We  see  here  the  guilt  of  at- 
tempting to  impose  on  God  in  regard  to 
property.  There  is  no  subject  in  which 
men  are  more  liable  to  hypocrisy ;  none 
in  which  they  are  more  apt  to  keep  back 
a  part.  Christians  professedly  devote  all 
that  they  have,  to  God.  They  profess  to 
believe  that  God  has  a  right  to  the  silver 
and  the  gold,  and  the  cattle  on  a  thousand 
liills  Ps.  I.  10.  Their  property,  as  well  as 
heir  bodies  and  their  spirits,  they  have 
•ievoted  to  him;  and  profess  to  desire  to 
employ  it  as  he  shall  direct  and  please. 
And  yet,  is  it  not  clear,  that  the  sin  of 
Ananias  has  not  ceased  in  the  church  I 
How  many  professing  Christians  there 
are,  who  give  nothing  really  to  God  ;  who 
contiibute  nothing  for  the  v>oor  and  needy ; 


11  And^great  ftar  came  upon  all 
the  church,  and  upon  as  many  aa 
heard  these  things. 

12  And  by  the  hands  of  the  apos- 
tles were  *=  many  signs  and  wonders 
wrought  among  the  people  ;   (and 

I  c.2.43.  c  c.4.30.  Ro.15.19.  He.2.4. 

vvh"!  give  nothing,  or  next  to  nothing,  ip 
any  purposes  of  benevolence ;  who  would 
devote  "  millions"  for  their  own  gratifica- 
tion, and  their  families,  "  but  not  a  cent 
for  tribute"  to  God.  The  case  of  Ananias 
is,  to  all  such,  a  case  of  most  fearful  warn- 
ing. And  on  no  point  should  Christians 
more  faithfully  exanune  themselves  than 
in  regard  to  the  professed  devotion  oi 
their  property  to  God.  If  God  punished 
this  sin  in  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
church,  he  will  do  it  still  in  its  progress, 
and  in  nothing  have  professed  Chris!!r.,ig 
more  to  fear  the  wrath  of  God,  than  on 
this  very  subject.  (7.)  Sinners  should 
fear  and  tremble  before  God.  He  holds 
their  breath  in  his  hands.  He  can  cut 
them  down  in  an  instant.  The  bold  Mas- 
phemer,  the  unjust,  the  liar,  the  scofloi, 
he  can  destroy  in  a  moment,  and  sink 
them  in  all  the  woes  of  hell.  Nor  have 
they  security  that  he  will  not  do  it,  The 
profane  man  has  no  evidence  that  he  will 
live  to  finish  the  curse  which  he  hai- 
begun;  nor  the  drunkard,  that  he  will 
again  become  sober;  nor  the  seduce- 
that  God  will  not  arrest  him  in  his  act  of 
wickedness,  and  send  him  down  to  hell 
The  sinner  walks  over  his  grave,  anc' 
over  hell !  In  an  instant  he  may  die,  and 
be  summoned  to  the  judgment-scat  of 
God  1  How  awful  it  is  to  sin  in  a  worW 
like  this ;  and  how  feai  tul  the  doom  which 
jn.'/st,  soon  overtake  the  ungodly. 

12.  And  by  the  haiuh,  &c.  By  the  apos 
ties.  This  verse  should  be  read  in  con 
nexion  with  the  15th,  to  which  it  belongs. 
IF  SigJis  and  wonders.  Miracles.  See  Note, 
Acts  ii.  43.  IT  With  one  accord.  With  one 
mind,  or  intention.  Note,  ch.  i.  14.  IT  In 
Solomon's  porch..  See  Notes,  Matt,  xx? 
12.  John  X.  23.  They  were  doubtless 
there  for  the  purpose  of  worship.  It  doea 
not  mean  that  they  were  there  constantly 
but  at  the  regular  periods  of  worship 
Probably  they  had  two  designs  in  this 
one  was.  to  jcin  in  the  pubhc  worship  ol 
God  in  the  v.sual  manner  with  the  peo 
pie,  for  they  did  not  desjgn  to  leave  tut 
t-^mple-service ;  the  other  was,  that  they 
might  have  opportunity  to  preach  to  th« 
people  assembled  there.  In  the  presence 
of  the  grea  multitudes  who  came  up  )c 
worship,  they  haf*  an  opjwrturiit  /  of  mak 


9fi 


THE  ACTS. 


i'A.  D.  33 


the}'  were  all  witfi  one  accord  in 
Solomon's  porch. 

13  And  "of  the  rest  durst  iio  man 
oin  himself  to  them,  but  *  the  peo- 
ple niaguified  them. 

14  Af.J  believers  were  the  .nore 

aJno.12.42.  i  c.4.21. 

ng  known  the  doctrines  of  Jesus,  and  of 
conlirining  them  by  miracles,  the  reality 
of  which  could  not  be  denied,  and  which 
could  not  be  resisted,  as  proofs  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah. 

13.  And  of  the  rest.  Different  interpre- 
tations have  been  given  of  this  expres- 
eion.  Light  foot  supposes  that  by  t/ie  rest 
are  meant  the  remainder  of  the  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  disciples  of  whom  Ana- 
nias had  been  one ;  and  that  they  feared 
(0  put  themselves  on  an  equality  with  the 
apostles.  But  this  interpretation  seems  to 
be  far-fetched.  Kuinoel  supposes  that  by 
the  rest  are  meant  those  who  had  not 
already  joined  with  the  apostles,  whether 
Chrisuans  or  Jews,  and  that  they  were 
deterred  by  the  fate  of  Ananias.  Pricaeus, 
^Iorus,  Rosenmueller,Schleusner,  &c.  sup- 
pose that  by  the  rest  are  meant  the  rich 
tnen,  or  the  men  of  authority  and  influ- 
ence among  the  Jews,  of  \vhom  Ananias 
was  one,  and  that  they  were  deterred 
from  it  by  the  fate  of  Ananias.  This  is 
by  fir  the  most  proljable  opinion,  because, 
,1.)  There  is  an  evident  contrast  between 
ihem  and  the  j)eople ;  the  rest,  i.  e.  the 
others  of  the  rich  and  great,  feared  to  join 
with  them;  but  the  people,  the  common 
people,  magnified  them.  (2.)  I'he  fite  of 
Ananias  was  fitted  to  have  this  effect  on 
the  rich  and  great.  (3.)  Similar  instances 
had  occurred  before,  that  the  great, 
though  they  believed  on  Jesus,  yet  were 
afraid  to  ',ome  forth  publicly  and  profess 
hirn  before  men.  See  John  xii.  42,  43  ; 
V.  44.  C4.)  The  phrase  the  rest  denotes 
sometimes  that  which  is  more  excellent, 
or  which  is  superior  in  value  or  import- 
ance to  somelhmg  else.  See  Luke  xii. 
2G.  H  Join  himself.  Become  united  to, 
or  a.s80ciated  with.  The  rich  and  the 
great  then,  as  now,  stood  aloof  from  them, 
and  were  deterred  by  fear  or  sfiame  from 
professing  attachment  to  the  I^ird  Jesus. 
h  Ihil  the  peojde.  The  ma.ss  of  the  peo- 
p'o;  the  body  of  the  nation.  IT  Magnified 
them  Honoured  them;  regarded  them 
with  reverc-nce  and  fear 

\\  And  firlirvers.  This  is  the  name  by 
vliich  Christians  were  designated,  be- 
•^iiae  one  of  the  main  thingn  that  dislin- 

fiiiwiied  them  was  that  they  hdirvrd  that 
raiis  was  the  Olirist.     It  ':h  also  an  inci- 


added  to  the  Lord,  mu.titudes'botii 
of  men  and  women  ;) 

15  Insomuch  that  they  brought 
ffjrth  the  sick  '  into  the  streets,  and 
laid  tliem  on  beds  and  couches,  thai 
at  the  least  the  shadow  of  Peter 

c  c.2.47.  I  C-,  !>  every  :trett. 


dental  proof  that  none  should  join  them- 
selves to  the  church  who  are  not  bilievem. 
i.  e.  who  do  not  profe.ss  to  be  Christians  jri 
heart  and  in  life.  IT  Were  the  more  added- 
The  effect  of  all  things  was  to  increase 
the  number  of  converts.  Their  persecu- 
tions, their  preaching,  and  the  judgment 
of  God,  alt  tended  to  impress  the  minds 
of  the  people,  and  to  lead  them  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Comp.  ch  iv.  4. 
Though  the  judgment  of  God  had  the 
effect  of  deterring  hypocrites  from  enter- 
ing the  church  \  though  it  produced  awe 
and  caution  ;  yet  still,  the  number  of  true 
converts  was  increased.  An  effort  to  keep 
the  church  pure  by  wholesome  discipline, 
by  cutting  off  unworthy  members,  how- 
ever rich  or  honoured,  so  far  from  weak- 
ening its  true  strength,  has  a  tendency 
greatly  to  increase  its  numbers  as  well  as 
its  purity.  Men  will  not  seek  to  eiUer  a 
corrupt  church  ;  or  regard  it  as  worth  any 
thought  to  be  coimecled  with  a  society 
that  does  not  endeavour  to  be  pure. 
IF  Multitudes.    Comp.  ch.  iv.  4. 

15.  Insomuch.  So  that.  This  should 
be  connected  with  ver.  12.  Many  mira- 
cles were  wrought  by  the  apo.«-tles,  /?/.«<> 
much,  &c.  '^  Theij  broufrht  fi»lh.  The 
people,  or  the  friends  of  tlie  .suk,  brought 
them  forth.  IT  Beds.  kKiv^v.  This  word 
denotes  usually  the  srft  and  valuable 
beds  on  which  the  rich  commonly  lay. 
And  it  means  that  the  rich,  as  well  as  llle 
poor,  were  laid  in  the  path  of  Peter  tmd 
the  other  apf)stles.  ^.Couches.  y(xi.axrwv. 
The  coarse  and  hard  couches  on  which 
the  poor  used  to  lie.  Mark  ii.  4.  9.  11,  12; 
vi.  5.0.  John  v.  8—12.  A(-Is  ix.  33.  IT  T9ie 
shadow  of  Peter.  That  is,  they  were  laid 
in  the  path  so  that  the  shadow  of  Peter, 
as  he  walked,  might  pa.ss  over  them. 
Perhaps  the  sun  was  near  setting,  and  the 
lengthened  shadow  of  Peter  mignt  bt 
I  thrown  afar  across  the  way.  They  were 
:  not  able  to  approach  him  on  account  Df 
the  crowd  ;  and  they  imaeinrd  that  if 
:  they  could  any  hoiv  come  inider  his  influ- 
ence, tliey  might  be  healed.  The  sacred 
i'  writer  does  not  say,  however,  that  any 
vere  healed  in  this  way;  nor  that  thoy 
were  comniandrd  to  do  this.  lie  simjily 
states  the  impression  which  was  on  iho 
mind«  of  the   people  that   it  miefil  f^t- 


A  D.  33. J 


CHAPTER  V. 


97 


passing  by  might  overshadow  some 
of  them. 

IG  There  came  also  a  multitude 
out  of  the  cities  round  about  unto 
Jerusalem,  bringing  <»i^sick  folks, 
and  them  which  were  vexed  with 

a  Mar.l6.17,ld.  Jno.U.12. 


UTiether  they  were  healed  by  this,  it  is 
left  for  us  merely  to  conjecture.  An  in- 
stance somewhat  similar  is  recorded  in 
ActB  xix.  12,  where  it  is  expressly  said 
that  the  sick  were  healed  by  contact 
with  handkerchiefs  and  aprons  that  were 
brought  from  the  body  of  Paul.  Comp. 
also  iMatt,  ix.  21,  22,  where  the  woman 
said  respecting  Jesus, "  If  I  may  but  touch 
his  garment,  I  shall  be  whole."  IT  Might 
overshadow.  That  his  shadow  might  pass 
over  them.  Though  there  is  no  evidence 
that  any  were  healed  in  this  way,  yet  it 
ehows  the  full  belief  of  the  people  that 
Peter  had  the  power  of  working  miracles. 
Peter  was  supposed  by  them  to  be  emi- 
nently endowed  with  this  power,  because 
it  was  by  him  that  the  lame  man  in  the 
temple  had  been  healed  (ch.  iii.  4 — 6), 
and  because  he  had  been  most  prominent 
ui  his  addresses  to  the  people.  The  per- 
sons who  are  specified  in  this  verse  were 
those  who  dwelt  at  Jerusalem. 

16.  There  came  also,  &c.  Attracted  by 
the  fame  of  Peter's  miracles,  as  the  peo- 
ple formerly  had  been  by  the  miracles 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  IT  Vexed.  Troubled, 
afflicted,  or  tormented.  IT  Unclean  spirit.^. 
Possessed  with  devils ;  called  unclean  be- 
cause they  prompted  to  sin  and  impurity 
of  life.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  23,  24. 
IT  And  they  were  healed.  Of  these  persons 
it  is  expressly  affirmed  that  they  were 
healed.  Of  those  who  were  so  laid  as 
that  the  shadow  of  Peter  might  pass  over 
them,  there  is  no  such  afRmiation. 

17.  Then  the  high-priest.  Probably  Cai- 
aphas  Comp.  John  xi,  49.  It  seems  from 
this  place  that  he  belonged  to  the  sect  of 
the  Sadducees.  It  is  certain  that  he  had 
eignalized  himself  by  opposition  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  to  his  cause,  constantly. 
fl"  Rose  up.  This  expression  is  sometimes 
redundant,  and  at  others  it  means  simply 
to  besin  to  do  a  thing,  or  to  resolve  to  do 
it.  Comp.  Luke  xv.  18.  IT  And  all  they 
tJiat  were  with  him.  That  is,  all  they  that 
coincided  with  him  in  doctrine  or  opinion ; 
*r  in  other  words,  that  portion  of  the  san- 
hedrim that  was  composed  of  Sadducees. 
Tiiere  was  a  strong  party  of  Sadducees 
.n  the  sanhedrim;  and  perhaps  at  this 
time  it  was  so  strong  a  majority  as  to  be 


unclean   spirits  :    and  ^  they   were 
healed  every  one. 

17  Then  the  high-priest  rose  up, 
and  all  they  that  were  with  him, 
(which  is  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees,) 
"  and  were  filled  with  '  indignation . 

b  Ja.5.'6.  c  c.4.1,2.  i  or,  entt,. 


able  to  ccntrol  its  decisions.  Comp.  Acts 
xxiii.  6.  IT  Which  is  the  sect.  The  word 
translated  sect  here  is  that  from  which  we 
have  derived  our  word  heresy.  It  means 
simply  sect,  or  party,  and  is  not  used  m  a 
bad  sense  as  implying  reproach,  or  even 
error.  The  idea  which  we  attach  to  it  of 
error,  and  of  denying  fundamental  doc- 
trines in  religion,  is  one  that  does  not  oc 
cur  in  the  New  Testament.  IT  Sadducees 
See  Notes,  Matt.  iii.  7.  The  main  doc- 
trine of  this  sect  was  the  denial  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead.  The  reason 
vvhy  they  were  particularly  opposed  to 
the  apostles,  rather  than  the  Pharisees, 
was  that  the  apostles  dwelt  much  on  the 
resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which,  if 
true,  completely  overthrew  their  doc- 
trine. All  the  converts,  therefore,  that 
were  made  to  Christianity,  tended  to  di 
minish  their  numbers  and  influence ;  and 
also  to  establish  the  belief  of  the  Pkari 
sees  in  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
So  long,  therefore,  as  the  effect  of  the 
labours  of  the  apostles  was  to  establish 
one  of  the  main  doctrines  of  the  Phari- 
sees, and  to  confute  the  Sadducees,  so 
long  we  may  suppose  that  the  Pharisees 
would  either  favour  them  or  be  silent; 
and  so  long  the  Sadducees  would  be  op- 
posed to  them,  and  enraged  against  them 
One  sect  will  often  see  v.ith  composure 
the  progress  of  another  that  it  really 
hates,  if  it  will  humble  a  rival.  Even 
opposition  to  the  gospel  will  sometimes 
be  silent,  provided  the  spread  of  religion 
will  tend  to  humble  and  mortify  those 
against  whom  we  may  be  opposed. 
IT  Were  filled  with  indignation.  Greek, 
Zeal.  The  word  denotes  any  kind  of 
fervour  or  warmth,  and  may  be  applied  to 
any  warm  or  violent  cffection  of  the 
mind,  either  envy,  wrath,  zeal,  or  love. 
Acts  xiii.  45.  John  ii.  17.  Rom.  x.  2.  2  Cor. 
vii.  7;  xi.  2.  Here  it  probably  includes 
envy  and  wrath.  Thoy  were  envious  at 
die  success  of  the  apostles ;  at  the  num 
ber  of  converts  that  were  made  to  a  doc- 
trine that  they  hated  ;  they  were  envious 
that  the  Pharisees  were  deriving  sucn  an 
accession  of  strength  to  their  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection;  and  (hey  were  indig 
nait  that  they  regarded  so  liLlie   their 


39 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33. 


IS  And  lai(  iheir  hands  on  the 
apostles,  and  put  them  in  the  com- 
mon prison." 

i9  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  by 
night  opened  the  prison  doors,  and 
Drought  them  forth,  and  said, 

20  Go,  stand  and  speak  in  the 
temple  to  the  people  all  *  the  words 
*  of  this  life. 

21  And  when  they  heard  that^ 
they  entered  into  the  temple  early 
in  the  morning,  and  taught.  But 
•*  the  high-priest  came,  and  they 
that  were  with  him,  and  called  the 
council  together,  and  all  the  senate 

a  c.l2.5-7;16.23-27.     fc  Ex.24.3.     c  Jno.6.63,68;17.S. 


authority,  and  disobeyed  the  solemn  in- 
junction of  the  sanhedrim.  Comp.  ch.  iv. 
18—21. 

18.  Th".  common  prison.  The  public 
prison;  or  *he  prison  for  the  keeping  of 
common  and  notorious  offenders. 

19.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord.  This 
does  not  denote  any  particular  angel,  but 
simply  an  angel.  The  article  is  not  used 
in  the  original.  The  word  angel  denotes 
properly  a  messenger,  and  parUcuiarly  it 
IS  appHed  to  the  pure  spirits  that  are  sent 
to  this  world  on  errands  of  mercy.  See 
Note,  Matt.  i.  20.  The  case  here  was 
evidently  a  miracle.  An  angel  was  em- 
ployed for  this  special  purpose ;  and  the 
design  might  have  been,  (1.)  To  reprove 
the  Jewish  rulers,  and  to  convince  them 
of  their  guilt  in  resisting  the  gospel  of 
G'od  ;  (2.)  To  convinr-e  the  apostles  more 
firmly  of  the  protection  and  approbation 
of  God;  (3.)  To  encourage  them  more  and 
more  in  their  work,  and  in  the  faithful 
discharge  cf  their  high  duty;  and  (4.)  To 
give  the  people  a  new  and  impressive 
proof  of  the  truth  of  the  message  which 
they  bore.  That  they  were  imprisoned 
would  be  known  to  the  people.  That 
they  were  made  as  secure  as  possible, 
was  also  known.  When,  therefore,  the 
next  morning,  before  they  could  have 
been  tried  or  acquitted,  they  were  found 
again  in  the  temple,  delivering  (he  same 
message  still,  it  was  a  new  and  striking 
proof  that  they  were  sent  by  God. 

20.  In  the.  temple.  In  a  public  and  con- 
itpicuons  ]ilace.  In  this  way  there  would 
bo  a  most  striking  exhil)itiop  of  their 
joldness;  a  proof  that  (Sttd  had  delivered 
tliem  ;  and  a  manilesfalion  of  their  pnr- 
ptwc  to  obey  G(t(l  rather  than  man.  IT  All 
the  vwrds.  AW  t\i& doctrines.  Comj).  John 
VI  08.  "  Thou  ba.st  (he  mards  of  «;ternal 


of  the  children  jf  Israel,  and  seni 
to  the  prison  to  have  them  brought. 

22  But  when  the  officers  cam&j 
and  found  them  not  in  the  prison, 
they  returfled  and  told, 

23  Saying,  The  prison  truly 
found  we  shut  with  all  safety,  and 
the  keepers  standing  without  before 
the  doors :  but  when  we  had  opened 
we  found  no  man  within. 

24  Now  when  the  high-priest 
and  •  the  captain  of  the  temple  and 
the  chief  priests  heard  these  things, 
they  doubted  of  them  whereunto 
this  would  grow. 


life."  IT  Of  this  life.  Pertaining  to  Ufe, 
to  the  eternal  life  which  they  taught 
through  the  resurrection  and  life  of  Jfe- 
sus.  The  word  life  is  used  sometimes  to 
express  the  whole  of  religion,  as  opposed 
to  the  spiritual  death  of  sin.  See  John  i 
4 ;  iii.  36.  Their  deliverance  from  prison 
was  not  that  they  might  be  idle,  and  es 
cape  to  a  place  of  safety.  Again  they 
were  to  engage  at  once  in  the  toils,  and 
perils,  which  they  had  just  before  encoun- 
tered. God  delivers  us  from  danger 
sometimes  that  we  may  plunge  into  7iew 
dangers ;  he  preserves  us  from  calamitj^ 
that  we  may  be  tried  in  some  new  fur 
nace  of  affliction  ;  and  he  calls  us  to  en 
counter  trials  simply  because  he  demands 
it,  and  as  an  expression  of  gratitude  to 
him  for  his  gracious  interposition. 

21.  Earli/  in  the  morning.  Greek,  At 
the  break  of  day.  Comp.  Luko  xxiv.  1. 
John  viii.  2.  H  Called  the  council  toge 
ther.  The  sanhedrim,  or  the  great  coun 
cil  of  the  nation  This  was  clearly  for 
the  purpose  oftrijiTig  the  apostles  for  dis- 
regarding their  commandments.  IT  And 
all  the  senate.  Greek,  Eldership.  Proba- 
bly these  were  not  a  part  of  the  sanhe- 
drim, but  were  men  of  age  and  experi- 
ence, who  in  ch.  iv.  8,  xxv.  1.5,  are  called 
elders  of  the  Jews,  and  who  were  present 
for  the  sake  of  counsel  and  advice  in  & 
case  of  emergency. 

23.  Found  we  shut.  It  had  not  btien 
broken  open;  and  there  was  therefore 
clear  proof  that  they  had  been  delivered 
by  the  interposition  of  God.  Nor  could 
they  have  been  released  by  the  guard, 
lor  ihey  were  keeping  watch,  as  if  un 
conscious  that  any  thing  had  happened 
and  the  ofbcers  had  the  only  means  o. 
entering  tlio  pri.son. 

24.  'ihe    captain   of  the   temple.      Syf 


4..  D.  33.| 


CHAPTER  V 


99 


25  Then  carne  one  and  told  them, 
saying,  Behold,  the  men  whom  ye 
put  in  prison  are  standing  in  the 
temple,  and  teaching  the  people. 

26  Then  went  the  captain  with 
the  officers,  and  brought  them  with- 
out violence  :  for  »  they  feared  the 
people,  lest  they  should  have  been 
stoned. 

27  And  when  they  had  brought 
them,  they  set  them  before  the  coun- 

a  Matt,21.26.  b  c.4.18. 


Notes,  ch.  iv.  1.  IF  Doubted  of  them. 
They  were  in  perplexity  about  these 
things.  The  word  rendered  doubted  de- 
notes that  state  of  anxiety  which  arises 
when  a  man  has  lost  his  way,  or  when  he 
does  not  know  what  to  do  to  escape  from 
a  difficuhy.  See  Luke  ix.  7.  IT  Where- 
unto  this  would  grow.  What  this  would 
be ;  or  what  would  be  the  result  or  end 
of  these  events.  For  (1.)  Their  authority 
was  disregarded ;  (2.)  God  had  opposed 
them  by  a  miracle  ;  (3.)  The  doctrines  of 
the  apostles  were  gaining  ground;  (4.) 
Their  efforts  to  oppose  them  had  been  in 
vain.  They  need  not  have  doubted ;  but 
Binners  are  not  disposed  to  be  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  religion. 

26.  Without  violence.  Not  by  force  ; 
not  by  binding  them.  Comp.  Matt,  xxvii. 
2.  The  command  of  the  sanhedrim  was 
sufficient  to  secure  their  presence,  as  they 
did  not  intend  to  refuse  to  answer  for 
any  alleged  violation  of  the  laws.  Be- 
sides, their  going  before  the  council  would 
^ive  them  another  noble  opportunity  to 
bear  witness  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 
Christians,  when  charged  with  a  viola- 
tion of  the  laws  of  the  land,  should  not 
refuse  to  answer.  Acts  xxv.  11,  "If  1  be 
an  offender,  or  have  committed  any  thing 
worthy  of  death,  I  refuse  not  to  die."  It 
is  a  part  of  our  religion  to  yield  obedience 
to  all  the  just  laws  of  the  land,  and  to 
evince  respect  for  all  that  are  in  autho- 
rity. Rom.  xiii.  1 — 7.  IT  For  they  feared 
the  people.  The  people  were  favourable 
to  the  apostles.  If  violence  had  been  at- 
tempted, or  they  had  been  taken  in  a 
cruel  and  forcible  manner,  the  conse- 
quence would  have  been  a  tumult,  and 
bloodshed,  ^n  this  way,  also,  the  apostles 
showed  that  they  were  not  disposed  to 
excite  uimult.  Opposition  by  them  would 
have  excited  commotion  ;  and  though  they 
wou'd  have  been  rescued,  yet  they  re- 
solved to  show  that  they  were  not  obsti 
aai«.  contumacious,    or    rebellious,   bu 


cil :  and  the  high-priest  asked  them, 

28  Sayirg,  Did  not  we  ^  straitly 
command  you,  that  ye  should  not 
teach  in  this  namel  and,  behold, 
ye  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  youi 
doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring  this 
man''s  blood  <=  upon  us. 

29  Then  Peter  and  the  other  apos- 
tles answered  and  said.  We  '^  oughl 
to  obey  God  rather  than  men. 

30  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised 

c  Matt.27.25.  c.2.23,36;  3.15;  7.52.  d  e.4.19. 


were  disposed,  as  far  as  it  could  be  don>8 
with  a  clear  conscience,  to  yield  obedi- 
ence to  the  laws  of  the  land. 

23.  Straitly  command  you.  Did  we  not 
command  you  with  a  threat  ?  ch.  iv.  17 
18.  21.  IT  In  this  name.  In  the  name  ol 
Jesus.  IT  I'e  have  filed  Jerusalem.  This 
though  not  so  designed,  was  an  honour, 
able  tribute  to  the  zeal  and  fidelity  of  the 
apostles.  When  Christians  are  arraigned 
or  persecuted,  it  is  well  if  the  only  charge 
which  their  enemies  can  bring  against 
them  is  that  they  have  been  distinguished 
for  zeal  and  success  in  propagating  their 
religion.  See  1  Pet.  iv.  16,  "If  any  man 
suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him  not  be 
ashamed,  but  let  him  glorify  God  on  this 
behalf"  Also  ver.  13—15.  IT  Inte7id  to 
bring  this  ma/i's  blood  upon  us.  To  bring 
one's  blood  upon  another  is  a  phrase  de- 
noting  to  hold  or  to  prove  him  guilty  of 
murdering  the  innocent.  The  expressioi 
here  charges  them  with  designing  to 
prove  that  they  had  put  Jesus  to  death 
when  he  was  innocent ;  to  convince  the 
people  of  this,  and  thus  to  enrage  them 
against  the  sanhedrim  ;  and  also  to  provb 
that  they  were  guilty,  and  were  exposed 
to  the  divine  vengeance  for  having  put 
the  Messiah  to  death.  Comp.  ch.  ii.  23  36 
iii.  15;  vii.  52.  That  the  apostles  did  h 
tend  to  charge  them  with  being  guilty  of 
murder,  is  clear;  but  it  is  observable  that 
on  this  occasio7i  they  had  said  nothing  of 
this;  and  it  is  further  observable  thai 
they  did  not  charge  it  on  them  except  in 
their  presence.  See  the  places  just  refer- 
red to.  They  took  no  pains  to  spread  thia 
among  the  people,  except  as  the  peoplt 
were  accessaryto  the  crime  of  the  rulers'. 
ch.  ii.  23.  36.  Their  consciences  were  noi 
at  ease,  and  the  remembrance  of  thn 
death  of  Jesus  would  occur  to  them  ai 
once  at  the  sight  of  the  apostles. 

29.   We  ought  to  obey,  &c.     See  Note, 
ch.  iv.  19.      ' 

30   Raised  \!tp  Jesus   This  refers  to  h)» 


lOO 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  \).  36 


up  Jesus,  whom  ye  slew  and  hang- 
ed *  on  a  tree. 

31   Him  hath  God  exalted  *  with 

a  GaJ  13.  lPeU2.24.         i  P1lJ.9. 


his  right  hand  to  de  d*  Prince  and  a 
"^  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins 

cle.9.6.  (<Mattl.21. 


resurrection.  IT  Hanged  on  a  tree.  That 
18,  on  the  cross.  Gal.  iii.  13.  1  Pet.  ii.  24. 
A.3ts  X.  39;  xiii.  29.  This  is  the  amount 
of  Peter's  defence.  He  begins  with 
the  great  principle  (ver.  29),  which  they 
could  not  gainsay,  that  God  ought  to  be 
obeyed  rather  than  man.  He  then  pro- 
ceeds to  state  that  they  were  convinced 
that  God  had  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead.  And  a.s  they  had  such  decisive 
evidence  of  that,  and  were  commanded 
by  the  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  be 
wilnesses  of  that,  and  had  constant  evi- 
dence that  God  had  done  it,  they  were 
not  at  liberty  to  be  silent.  They  were 
bound  to  obey  God  rather  than  the  san- 
hedrim, and  to  make  known  every  where 
the  fact  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  risen. 
The  remark  that  God  had  raised  up  Je- 
8us  whom  they  had  slain,  does  not  seem  j 
to  have  been  made  to  irritate  or  to  re- 
proach them,  but  mainly  to  identify  the 
person  that  had  been  raised.  It  was  also 
a  confirmation  of  the  truth  and  reality  of 
the  miracle.  Of  his  death  they  had  no 
doubt,  for  they  had  been  at  pains  to  cer- 
tify it.  John  xix.  31 — 34.  It  is  certain, 
however,  that  Peter  did  not  shrink  from 
charging  on  them  their  gui't;  nor  was  he 
at  any  pains  to  soften  or  mitigate  the  se- 
vere charge  that  they  had  murdered  their 
own  Messiah. 

31.  Him  hath  God  exalted.  See  Note, 
ch.  ii.  33.  If  To  he  a  Prince.  i--ex'',ydv. 
See  Note,  Acts  iii.  15.  In  that  place  he  is 
called  the  Prince  of  life.  Here  it  means 
tiiat  he  is  actually  in  the  exercise  of  the 
office  of  a  prince  or  a  king,  at  the  right 
hand  of  his  Father.  The  title  Prince,  or 
King,  was  one  which  was  well  known 
as  applied  to  the  Messiah.  It  denotes 
that  lie  has  dominion  and  power,  espe- 
cially the  power  which  is  needful  to  give 
repentance  and  the  pardon  of  sins.  H  A 
Saviour.  See  Note,  Matt.  i.  21.  IT  To 
aive  repentance.  The  word  repentance 
here  is  equivalent  to  reformation,  and  a 
change  of  life.  The  expression  here  does 
tot  differ  from  what  is  said  in  ch.  iii.  2G. 
V  To  Isritel.  This  word  |)roperly  denotes 
the  Jews;  bi.t  his  office  was  not  to  be 
confined  to  the  Jew  a.  OUier  })a.s.sages 
show  that  it  would  bo  also  extended  to 
the  (ienlilrs.  The  reasons  why  the  Jews 
are  yiarlicuiarly  spenlied  hr««e  are,  pro- 
bahlv,  (1.)  ficcausf  the  Mes.siah  W!is  long 
pri'wiiHjd  to  tlie  Jewish   jn'oplc,  nud  his 


first  work  was  there;  and  (2.)  Because 
Peter  was  addressing  Jews,  and  uas  par- 
ticularly desirous  of  leading  them  to  re- 
pentance. IF  Forgiveness  of  sins.  Pardon 
of  sin ;  the  act  which  can  be  performed 
by  God  only.     Mark  ii.  7. 

If  it  be  asked,  in  what  sense  the  Lord 
Jesus  gives  repentance,  or  how  his  exalta- 
tion is  connected  with  it,  we  may  answer, 
(1.)  His  exaltation  is  evidence  that  hii 
work  was  accepted,  and  thus  a  foundation 
is  laid  by  which  repentance  is  available 
and  may  be  connected  with  pardon.  Un  • 
less  there  was  some  way  oi'  forgive7iess, 
sorrow  for  sin  would  be  of  no  value,  even 
if  exercised.  The  relentings  of  a  culprit 
condemned  for  murder,  would  be  of  no 
avail  unless  the  executive  can  consistently 
pardon  him ;  nor  would  relentings  in  hell 
be  of  avail,  for  there  is  no  promise  of  for- 
giveness. But  Jesus  Christ  by  his  death 
has  laid  a  foundation  by  which  repentance 
may  be  accepted.  (2.)  He  is  intrusted  with 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  with  refer- 
ence to  this,  to  apply  his  work  to  men ; 
or  in  other  words,  to  bring  them  to  repent- 
ance. See  John  xvii.  2.  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
(3.)  His  exaltation  is  immediately  con- 
nected with  the  bestowment  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  whose  influence  men  are 
brought  to  repentance.  John  xvi.  7 — 11. 
The  Spirit  is  represented  as  being  sent. 
by  him  as  well  as  by  the  Father.  John  xv 
26 ;  xvi.  7.  (4.)  Jesus  has  power  in  this 
state  of  exaltation  over  all  tilings  that  c*n 
affect  the  mind.  He  sends  his  ministers; 
he  directs  the  events  of  sickness  or  disa]> 
pointment ;  of  health  or  prosperity  ;  that 
will  influence  the  heart.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  he  can  so  recall  the  sins  of  the 
past  life,  and  refresh  the  memory,  as  to 
overwhelm  the  soul  in  the  consciousness 
of  guilt.  Thus  also  he  can  appeal  to  man 
by  his  goodness,  and  by  a  sense  of  hia 
mercies;  and  especially  he  can  so  pre- 
sent a  view  of  his  life  and  death  as  to 
affect  the  heart,  and  show  the  evil  of  the 
nast  life  of  the  sinner.  Knowing  the 
iieart,  he  knows  all  the  avenues  by  which 
it  can  be  apiiroached ;  and  in  an  instant 
he  can  overwhelm  the  soul  with  the  re- 
membrance of  crime. 

It  was  proper  that  the  power  of  pardon 
should  bo  lodged  with  the  same  being 
that  has  (he  power  of  producing  rejient 
ance.  Because,  1.  The  one  appropriately 
liillovvs  the  other     2.  Ttiey  are  i^arla  of 


A.  D.  33.]  CHAPTER  V 

32  And  we  are  his  witnesses  **  of 
these  things ;  and  so  is  also  the 
Holy  Ghost,  ^  whom  God  hath 
given  to  them  that  obey  him. 

33  When  they  heard  tkat^  they  ' 


the  same  great  work,  the  work  which  the 
Saviour  came  to  do,  to  remove  sin  with  ait 
Its  effects  from  the  human  soul.  This 
power  of  pardon  Jesus  exercised  when 
he  was  on  the  earth ;  and  this  he  can 
now  dispense  in  the  heavens.  Mark  ii. 
9—11. 

And  from  this  we  may  learn,  (1.)  That 
Jesus  Christ  is  divine.  It  is  a  dictate  of 
natural  rehgion  that  none  can  forgive  sins 
against  God,  but  God  himself  None  can 
pardon  but  the  being  who  has  been  of- 
fended. And  this  is  also  the  dictate  of 
the  Bible.  The  power  of  pardoning  sin 
is  one  that  God  claims  as  his  prerogative  ; 
and  it  is  clear  that  it  can  appertain  to  no 
other.  See  Isa.  xliii.  25.  Dan.  ix.  9.  Ps. 
cxxx.  4.  Yet  Jesus  Christ  exercised  this 
[K)wer  when  on  earth ;  gave  evidence  that 
the  exercise  of  that  power  was  one  that 
was  acceptable  to  God  by  working  a  mi- 
racle, and  removing  the  consequences  of 
sin  with  which  God  had  visited  the  sin- 
ner (Matt.  ix.  6);  and  exercises  it  still  in 
heaven.  He  must,  therefore,  be  divine. 
(2.)  The  shi.ier  is  dependent  on  him  for 
the  exercise  of  repentance,  and  forgive- 
ness. (3.)  The  proud  sinner  must  be 
humbled  at  his  feet.  He  must  be  willing 
to  come  and  receive  eternal  life  at  his 
hands.  No  step  is  more  humiliating  than 
this  for  proud  and  hardened  men;  and 
there  is  none  which  they  are  more  reluc- 
tant to  do.  We  always  shrink  from  com- 
ing into  the  presence  of  one  whom  we 
have  offended  ;  we  are  extremely  reluc- 
tant to  confess  a  fault;  but  it  must  be 
done,  or  the  soul  must  be  lost  for  ever. 
(4.)  Christ  has  power  to  pardon  the  great- 
est offender.  He  is  exalted  for  this  pur- 
pose ;  and  he  is  fitted  to  his  work.  Even 
his  murderers  he  could  pardon;  and  no 
sinner  need  fear  that  he  who  is  a  Prince 
and  a  Saviour  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
is  unable  to  pardon  every  sin.  To  him 
we  may  come  with  confidence ;  and 
when  pressed  with  the  consciousness  of 
'the  blackest  crimes,  and  when  we  must 
feel  that  we  deserve  eternal  death,  we 
may  confidently  roll  all  on  his  arm. 

32.  And  we  are  witnesses.  For  this  pur- 
pose they  had  been  appointed,  ch.  i.  8. 
21, 22 ;  ii.  32 ;  iii.  15.  Luke  xxiv.  48.  IT  Of 
these  things.  Particularly  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Loitl  Jesus,  and  of  the  events 
l2 


lUl 

were  cut  to  the  heigft  and  took  ^'oun- 
sel  to  slay  them. 

34  Then  stood  there  up  one  in 
the  council,  a  Pharisee,  named  Ga- 
maliel, ^  a  doctor  of  the  law,  had  in 


which  had  followed  it.  Perhaps,  how 
ever,  he  meant  to  include  every  thing 
pertaining  to  the  life,  teachings,  and  death 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  V  And  so  is  also,  &c 
The  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  endow 
tnem.  with  remarkable  gifts  (ch.  ii.  1 — 4) 
to  awaken  and  convert  such  a  multitude 
ch.  ii.  41 ;  iv.  4;  v.  14),  was  an  unanswer- 
able attestation  of  the  truth  of  these  doc- 
trines, and  of  the  Christian  religion.  So 
manifest  and  decided  was  the  presence 
of  God  attending  them,  that  they  could 
have  no  doubt  that  what  they  said  was 
true ;  and  so  open  and  public  was  this 
attestation,  that  it  was  an  evidence  to  all 
the  people  of  the  truth  of  their  doctrine. 

33.  When  they  heard  that.  That  which 
the  apostle  Peter  had  said,  to  wit,  that 
they  were  guilty  of  murder;  that  Jesus 
was  raised  up ;  and  that  he  still  lived  as 
the  Messiah.  IT  They  were  cut  to  the  heart 
The  word  used  here  properly  denotes  to 
cut  with  a  saw;  and  as  applied  to  the 
mind,  it  means  to  be  agitated  with  rage 
and  indignation,  as  if  wrath  should  seize 
upon  the  mind  as  a  saw  does  upon  wood, 
and  tear  it  violently,  or  agitate  it  severely. 
It  is  commonly  used  in  connexion  with 
the  heart,  and  means  that  the  heart  is  vio- 
lently agitated,  and  rent  with  rage.  See 
ch.  vii.  54.  It  is  not  used  elsewhere  in 
the  New  Testament.  The  reasons  why 
they  were  thus  indignant  were,  doubt- 
less, (].)  Because  the  apostles  had  dis- 
regarded  their  command ;  (2.)  Because 
they  charged  them  with  murder;  (3.)  Be 
cause  they  affirmed  the  doctrine  of  th* 
resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  thus  tended  to 
overthrow  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees. 
The  effect  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospe*. 
is,  often,  to  make  men  enraged.  ^  Took 
counsel.  The  word  rendered  took  coun- 
sel denotes  commonly  to  will ;  then,  to  de- 
liberate ;  and  sometimes,  to  decree,  or  to 
determine.  It  doubtless  implies  herte  that 
their  minds  were  made  up  to  do  it;  bul 
probably  the  formal  decree  was  not  pas» 
ed  to  put  them  to  death. 

34.  There  stood  up  one.  He  rose,  as  « 
usual  in  deliberative  assemblies  to  speai 
IT  In  the  council.  In  the  sanhedrim,  ch 
iv.  15.  ^  A  Pharisee.  The  high-pries 
and  those  who  had  been  most  active  ii 
opposing  the  apc^tles  were  Sadducees 
The  Pharisees  wwe  opposed  to  them. 


103 


reput'ltion  among  all  the  people, 
and  commanded  to  put  the  apostles 
forth  a  little  space  : 

35  And  said  unto  them,  Ye  men 
jf  Israel,  take  heed  to  yourselves 
what  ye  intend  to  do  as  touching 
these  men. 

»  M   A«  3d  year  before  the  account  called  A.  D. 

particularly  on  the  doctrine  in  regard  to 
which  the  aix)slles  were  so  strenuous, 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  See  Note, 
Matt.  iii.  7.  Comp.  Acts  xxiii.  6.  IT  Ga- 
malicl.  This  name  was  very  common 
among  the  Jews.  Dr.  Lightfbot  says  that 
this  man  was  the  teacher  of  Paul  (Acts 
xxii.  3),  the  .son  of  the  Simon  who  took  the 
Saviour  in  hi.s  arms  (Luke  ii.),  and  the 
grandson  of  the  famous  Hillel,  and  was 
known  among  the  Jews  by  the  lille  of 
Unhhan  Gamaliel  llie  elder.  There  were 
other  men  of  this  name,  who  were  also 
eminent  among  the  Jews.  This  man  is 
Baid  to  have  died  eighteen  years  before 
the  destructionof  Jerusalem,  and  he  died 
as  he  had  lived,  a  Pharisee.  There  is 
not  the  least  evidence  that  he  was  a 
friend  of  the  Christian  religion ;  but  he 
was  evidently  a  man  of  far  more  liberal 
views  tiian  the  other  members  of  the 
eanhedrim.  "^  A  doctor  of  the  lav).  That 
IS,  a  teacher  of  the  Jew'sh  law ;  one  whose 
province  it  was  to  interpret  the  laws  of 
Klo^es,  and  pro!)ably  to  preserve  and 
transmit  the  traditional  laws  of  the  Jews. 
See  Note,  Matt.  xv.  3.  So  celebrated 
was  he,  that  Saul  of  Tarsus  went  to  Jeru- 
salem 'o  receive  the  benefit  of  his  in- 
Urnclions.  Acts  xxii.  3.  IT  Hod  in  repn- 
lalion  anion p  all  the  people.  Honoured  by 
all  the  y)cople.  Ilis  advice  was  likely, 
thercfitre,  tr)  bo  respected.  H  To  put  the 
apostles  forth.  This  wn3  done  doubtless, 
because,  if  the  apostles  had  been  suffered 
to  remain,  it  was  appreliendcd  that  they 
would  take  fresh  courage,  aiid  be  con- 
firmed in  their  [lurjKisos.  It  was  cus- 
tomary, besides,  when  they  deliberated, 
to  command  those  accused  to  retire,  ch. 
iv.  15.  U  A  little  space.  A  little  time. 
liuk*^  xxii.  .OS. 

3(j.  h(,r  before  those  da  i/s.  The  advice 
3f  Gamaliel  was  to  suffer  these  men  to  go 
:hi.  The  aravmrnts  by  which  he  enforced 
kifi  advice  wore,  (].)  That  there  were 
oases  or  prrc(i/(  nis  in  point  (ver.  30,  37) ; 
and  (2.)  1'hal  if  it  should  tuni  out  to  he 
of  God,  it  woidd  be  a  soleinn  atliiir  to  be 
involved  in  the  consff|uence8of  «)pp()sing 
hira  How  long  bff()re  //j^.sfi  d/n/s  this 
tnuwiacUoii  occurred,  cannot  now  be  de- 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  33 

36  For  before  these  days  '  rose 
up  Theudas  l)oasting  himself  to  he 
somebody  ;  to  whom  a  number  of 
men,  about  four  hundred,  joined 
themselves :  "vho  was  slain ;  and 
all,  as  many  as  ^  obeyed  him,  were 
scattered,  and  brought  to  nought. 

^  or,  leHevsd. 


termined,  as  it  is  not  certain  to  what  cose 
Gamaliel  refers.  H  Rose  up.  That  is, 
commenced  or  excited  an  insurrection, 
11  Theudas.  This  was  a  name  quite  com- 
mon among  the  Jews.  Of  this  man  no- 
thing more  is  Imovvn  than  is  here  re- 
corded. Josephus  (Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch.  v.) 
mentions  one  Theudas,  in  the  time  oi'  Fa- 
dus  the  procurator  of  Judea,  in  the  reign 
of  the  emperor  Claudius  (A.  D.  45  or  4(5), 
who  persuaded  a  great  part  of  the  people 
to  take  their  effects  with  him  and  follow 
him  to  the  river  Jordan.  He  told  them 
he  was  a  prophet,  and  that  he  would  di- 
vide the  river,  and  lead  ihem  over.  Fa- 
dus,  liowever,  came  suddenly  upon  them, 
and  slew  many  of  them.  Theudas  was 
taken  alive  and  conveyed  to  Jerusalem, 
and  there  beheaded.  But  this  occurred 
at  least  ten  or  fifteen  years  after  this  dis- 
course of  Gamaliel.  Many  efforts  have 
been  made  to  reconcile  Luke  and  Jose- 
plius,  on  the  supposition  that  they  refer  to 
the  same  man.  Lightfoot  supposed  that 
Josephus  had  made  an  error  in  chronology 
But  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  tliat 
there  is  reference  to  the  same  event ;  and 
the  fact  that  Josephus  has  not  recorded 
the  insurrection  refeired  to  by  Gaijialiel, 
does  not  rniliiale  at  all  against  the  ac- 
count in  the  Acts.  For,  (1.)  Luke,  f()rany 
thing  that  appears  to  the  contrary,  is  quite 
as  credible  an  historian  as  Jo.sephus.  (2.) 
The  name  Theudas  was  a  common  name 
among  the  Jews ;  and  there  is  no  impro- 
bability that  there  were  two  leaders  of  an 
insurrection  of  this  name.  If  it  is  impro- 
bable, the  improbability  would  affect  Jo- 
sephus's  credit  as  much  as  that  of  LuRe. 
(3.)  It  is  altogether  imjirobable  that  Ga- 
mallei  should  refi^r  to  a  case  wnich  wa<» 
not  well  autlicnticated ;  and  that  Luke 
should  record  a  speech  of  this  kind  unless 
it  was  delivered,  when  it  would  be  bo 
easy  to  delect  the  error.  (4.)  Josephus 
has  recorded  manv  instances  of  insurrec- 
tion and  revolt.     He  has  represented  the 


1 
ol 


no  means  professes  to  give  an  account 
all  that  occurred.  Thus  ho  says  (Antiq 
xvii.  X.  V'  4)  that  there  were  "  at  this  lima 
ten  thousand  other  disorders  in  Judea;' 


4.  D.  33. 


CHAPTER  V. 


lUJ 


37  After  this  man,  rose  up  Judas 
of  Galilee,  iii  the  days  of  the  tax- 
ing, and  drew  away  much  people 
after  him  •  ho  *  also  periihed ;  and 

a  Lu.13.1  2, 


and  ($  8/  that  "Judea  was  full  of  rol>- 
beries."  When  this  Theudas  lived,  can- 
not be  ascertainea ,  but  as  Gamaliel  men- 
tions him  before  Judas  of  Galilee,  it  is 
probable  that  he  lived  not  far  from  the 
time  that  our  Saviour  was  born;  at  a 
time  when  many  false  prophets  appeared, 
claiming  to  be  the  Messiah.  IF  Boasting 
hirm^elf  to  be  somebody.  Claiming  to  be 
an  eminent  prophet  probably,  or  the  Mes- 
siah. IT  Obeyed  him.  The  word  used 
here  is  the  one  commonly  used  to  denote 
helief.  As  many  as  believed  on  him,  or 
gave  credit  to  his  pretensions. 

37.  Judas  of  Galilee.  Josephus  has 
given  an  account  of  this  man  (Anliq.  b. 
xvii.  ch.  X.  $  5),  and  calls  him  a  Galilean. 
He  afterwards  calls  him  a  Gaulonite,  and 
says  he  was  of  the  city  of  Gamala  (Antiq. 
xviii.  i.  1).  In  this  place,  he  says  that 
the  revolt  took  place  under  Cyrt'^'^us,  a 
Roman  senator,  who  came  into  •'  Syria  to 
be  judg«e  of  that  nation,  and  to  take  ac- 
count of  their  subGtance."  "  Moreover," 
says  he,  "Cyrenius  came  himself  into  Ju- 
dea, which  was  now  added  to  the  pro- 
vince of  Syria,  to  take  an  account  of  their 
eubstance,  and  to  dispose  of  Archelaus's 
mox^gy."  "Yet  Judas,  taking  with  him 
Saddouk,  a  Pharisee,  became  zealous  to 
draw  them  to  a  revolt,  who  both  said  that 
Ihis  taxation  was  no  better  than  an  intro- 
Juction  to  slavery, and  exhorted  the  nation 
\o  assert  their  liberty,"  &c.  2'his  revolt, 
he  says,  was  the  commencement  of  the 
series  of  revolts  and  calamities  that  ter- 


ity, 
the 


iempHp.  and  nation  ^  In  the  days  of 
faxing.  Or  rather,  the  enrolling,  or  the 
census.  Josephus  says  it  was  designed  to 
take  an  accountof  their  substance.  Comp. 
Luke  ii.  1,  2. 

38.  Refrain  from  these  men.  Cease  to 
oppose  them,  or  to  threaten  them.  The 
reason  why  he  advised  this  he  immedi- 
ately adds,  that  if  it  were  of  men,  it  would 
come  to  nought ;  if  of  God,  they  could  not 
overthrow  it.  ^  This  counsel.  This  plan, 
or  purpose.  If  the  apostles  had  originated 
It  for  the  purposes  of  imposture.  ^  It  will 
come  to  nought.  Gamahel  hiferred  that 
from  the  two  instances  which  he  speci- 
fied. They  had  been  suppressed  without 
the  interference  of  the  sanhedrim;  and 
he  inferred  that  this  would  also  die  away 
>f  it  was  a  human  device     It  will  be  re- 


all,  even  as  many  as  obeyed  him, 
were  dispersed. 

38  And  now  I  say  unto  you,  Re- 
frain from  these  men,  and  let  them 


membered  that  this  is  the  mere  advice  of 
Gamahel,  who  was  not  inspired  ;  and  thai 
this  opinion  should  not  be  adduced  to 
guide  us,  except  as  it  was  an  instance  of 
great  shrewdness  and  prudence.  It  is 
doubtless  right  to  oppose  error  in  the  pro- 
per  way  and  with  the  proper  temper,  rot 
with  arms,  or  vituperation,  or  with  tho 
civil  power,  but  with  argument  and  kind 
entreaty.  But  the  sentiment  of  Gamaliel 
is  full  of  wisdom  in  regard  to  error.  For, 
(1.)  The  very  way  to  exalt  error  into  no- 
tice, and  to  confirm  men  in  it,  is  to  oppose 
it  in  a  harsh,  authoritative,  and  unkind 
maimer.  (2.)  Error,  if  left  alone,  will 
often  die  away  itself.  The  interest  of 
men  in  it  will  often  cease  as  soon  as  it 
ceases  to  be  opposed  ;  and  having  nothing 
to  fan  the  flame,  it  will  expire.  It  is  not 
so  with  truth.  (3.)  In  this  respect  the  re- 
mark may  be  applied  to  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. It  has  stood  too  long,  and  in  too 
many  circumstances  of  prosperity  and  ad- 
versity, to  be  of  men.  It  has  been  sub- 
jected to  all  trials  from  its  pretended 
friends  and  real  foes ;  and  it  still  lives  as 
vigorous  and  flourishing  as  ever.  Other 
kingdoms  have  changed ;  empires  have 
risen  and  fallen  since  Gamaliel  spoke 
this ;  systems  of  opimon  and  belief  have 
had  their  day,  and  expired  ;  but  the  pre- 
servation of  the  Chrishan  rehgion,  un- 
changed through  so  many  revolutions, 
and  in  so  many  fiery  trials,  shows  that  it 
is  not  of  men,  but  of  God.  The  argument 
for  the  divine  origin  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion from  its  perpetuity,  is  one  that  can 
be  applied  to  no  other  system  that  has 
been,  or  that  now  exists.  For  Christianity 
has  been  opposed  in  every  form.  It  con 
fers  no  temporal  conquests,  and  appeals 
to  no  base  and  strong  native  passions. 
Mahometanism,  is  supported  by  the  sword 
and  the  state ;  paganism  relies  on  the 
arm  of  the  civil  power  and  the  terrors 
of  superstition,  and  is  sustained  by  all  tho 
corrupt  passions  of  men;  atheism  and  in- 
fidelity  have  been  short-lived,  varying 
in  their  forms,  dying  to-day,  and  to  naor- 
row  starting  up  in  a  new  form ;  never  or- 
ganized, consolidated,  or  pure  ;  and  never 
tending  to  promote  the  peace  or  happi- 
ness of  men.  Christianity,  without  amw 
or  human  power,  has  lived,  holding  its 
steady  and  triumphant  movements  amonc 
men,  regardless  aHke  of  the  opposition  a^ 


104 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  3;' 


alone  :  "  for  if  this  counsel  or  this 
work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to 
nought : 

o  PrJIl.30.  18.8.10.  Matt.15.13. 


Its  foes,  and  of  the  treachery  of  its  pre- 
*  tended  friends.  If  the  opinion  of  Gama- 
liel was  just,  it  is  from  God;  and  the 
Jews  particularly  should  regard  as  impor- 
tant, an  argument  derived  from  the  opi- 
nion of  one  of  the  wisest  of  the'ir  ancient 
Rabbins. 

39.  But  if  it  be  of  God.  If  God  is  the 
author  of  this  religion.  From  this  it  seems 
thsit  Gamaliel  supp/ised  that  it  was  at 
least  possible  that  this  religion  was  di- 
vine. He  evinced  a  far  more  candid 
mind  than  did  the  rest  of  the  Jews ;  but 
Btill,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  en- 
tirely convinced.  The  arguments  whicli 
could  not  but  stagger  the  Jewish  sanhe- 
drim were  those  drawn  from  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus,  the  miracle  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  the  healing  of  the  lame  man 
in  the  temple,  and  the  release  of  the  apos- 
tles from  the  prison.  IT  Ye  cannot  over- 
throw it.  Because,  (1.)  God  has  almighty 
power,  and  can  execute  his  puri)oses; 
(2.)  Because  he  is  unchanging,  and  will 
not  be  diverted  from  his  plans.  Job  xxiii. 
13,  14.  The  plan  which  God  forms  innst 
be  accomplished.  All  the  devices  of  man 
are  feebleness  when  opposed  to  him,  and 
he  can  dash  them  in  pieces  in  an  instant. 
The  prediction  of  Gamaliel  has  been  ful- 
filled. Men  have  opposed  Christianity  in 
every  way,  but  in  vain.  They  have  re- 
viled it;  have  persecuted  it;  have  resort- 
ed to  argument  and  to  ridicule,  to  fire, 
and  fagot,  and  sword  ;  they  have  called 
in  the  aid  of  science;  but  all  has  been  in 
vain.  The  more  it  has  been  crushed,  the 
more  it  has  risen,  and  still  exists  with  as 
much  life  and  power  as  ever.  The  pre- 
servation of  this  religion  amidst  so  much 
and  so  varied  opposition,  proves  that  it  is 
of  God.  No  severer  trial  can  await  it 
than  it  has  already  experienced ;  and  as 
it  has  survived  so  many  storms  and  trials, 
we  Lave  every  evidence  that  according 
to  the  predictions,  it  is  destined  to  live, 
and  to  fill  the  world.  See  Note,  Matt, 
ivi.  18,  Isa.  liv.  17;  Iv.  11.  Dan.  iv.  3o. 
^  J^st.  Tiiat  is,  if  you  continue  to  o|> 
ao«ie  it,  you  may  l)e  (ound  to  have  been 
opjxiHirig  God.  IT  Ilaplij.  Perhaps  In 
the  Greek  this  is  lest  at  any  lime,  that  is, 
at  some  fulnre  time,  when  too  late  to  re- 
tract your  doings,  vVc.  IT  Ye  he  found. 
It  shall  appear  tliat  you  have  been  o(>- 
posirig  God.  H  Kven  tof^ht  against  God. 
Greek.  t-icoM^xo'.    The  word  occurs  no- 


39  But  if  ^  it  be  of  God,  yt  can 
not  overthrow  it :  lest  haply  }  e  be 
found  even  to  fight  '^  against  God. 

b  Job  34.29.  :Cor.l.25.         c  c.9.oj  23.9. 

where  else  in  the  New  Testament.    Tc 
fight  against  God  is  to  oppose  him,  or  tH 
maintain  an  attitude  of  hostility  against 
him.    It  is  an  attitude  that  is  most  fearful 
in  its  character,  and  will  most  certainly 
be  attended  with  an  overthrow.   No  con- 
dition can  be  more  awful  than  such  an 
opposition  to  the  Almighty  ;  no  overthrow 
more  terrible  than  that  which  must  follow 
such  opposition.  Comp.  Acts  ix.  5  ;  xxiii.  9. 
Opposition  to  the  gospel  in  the  Scriptures 
is  uniformly  regarded   as  opposition   to 
God.    Matt.  xii.  30.   Luke  xi.  23.     Men 
may  be  said  to  fght  against  God  in  the 
following  ways,  or  on  the  following  sub- 
jects. (1.)  When  they  oppose  his  gospel,  its 
preaching,  its  plans,  its  influence  among 
men ;  when  they  endeavour  to  pre\  ent  its 
spread,  or  to  withdraw  their  families  and 
friends  from  its  influence.      (2.)   When 
they  oopose  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible. 
Wher-Hhey  become  angry  that  the  real 
truth.j  of  religion  are  preached;  and  suf- 
fer themselves  to  be  irritated  and  excited, 
by  an  unwillingness  that  those  doctrines 
should  be  true,  and  should  be  presented 
to  men.     Yet  this  is  no  uncommon  thing. 
Men  by  nature  do  not  love  those  doc- 
trines, and  they  are  often  indignant  that 
they  are  preached.     Some  of  the  yiost 
angry  feelings  which   men   ever  have, 
arise   from   this  source ;    and   man   can 
never  find  peace  until  he  is  willing  that 
God's  truth  should  exert  its  influence  on 
his  ow^n  soul,  and  rejoice  that  it  is  believ- 
ed and  loved  by  others.    (3.)  Men  oppose 
the  lav)  of  God.     It  seems  to  them  too 
stern  and  harsh.    It  condemns  them ;  and 
they  are  unwilling  that  it  should  be  aj>- 
plied  to  them.    There  is  nothing  which  a 
sinner  likes  less  than  he  does  the  pure 
and  holy  law  of  God'.     (4.)  Sinners  fight 
against  the  providence  of^God.    When  hft 
afflicts  them,  they  rebel.   When  he  takes 
away  their  health,  or  property,  or  friends^ 
they  murmur.     They  esteem  him  harsh 
and  cruel ;  and  instead  of  finding  peace 
by   .vdjniission,    they   greatly   aggravate 
their  sulli^-rings,  and  infiise  a  mixture  ot 
wormwo(jd  and  gall  info  the  rup,  by  mur 
muring  and  repining.    There  is  no  peace 
in  affliction  but  in  the  feeling  that  God  is 
right.     .'\nd  until  this  belief  is  cherished, 
the  wirknd  will  be  like  the  troubled  ecu 
wh'ch  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up 
mire  and  tlirt.  Isa.  Ivii.  20.     Such  opjjosi 
tion  to  GuJ  is  as  wicked  as  it  i»  i<i>oliflb 


4.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  V 


105 


40  And  to  him  they  agreed  :  and 
when  they  had  called  the  apostles, 
and  beaten  "  them^  they  commanded 


a  Matt.  10. 17. 


Tho  Lord  ga\e,  and  has  a  right  to  remove 
our  comforts ;  and  we  should  be  still,  and 
know  that  he  is  God.  (5.)  Sinners  fight 
against  God  when  they  resist  tl*e  influ- 
ences of  his  Spirit;  when  they  oppose 
serious  thoughts ;  when  they  seek  evil,  or 
gay  companions  and  pleasures  rather  than 
submit  to  God ;  and  when  they  resist  all 
the  entreaties  of  their  friends  to  become 
Christians.  All  these  ma/  be  the  appeals 
which  God  is  making  to  men  to  be  pre- 
pared to  meet  him.  And  yet  it  is  com- 
mon for  sinners  thus  to  stifle  conviction, 
and  refuse  even  to  think  of  their  eternal 
welfare.  Nothing  can  be  an  act  of  more 
direct  and  deliberate  wickedness  and  folly 
than  this.  Without  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  none  can  be  saved ;  and  to  resist 
his  influences  is  to  put  away  the  only 
prospect  of  eternal  life.  To  do  it,  is  to  do 
it  over  the  grave ;  not  knowing  that  an- 
other hour  or  day  may  be  granted ;  and 
not  knowing  that  //  life  is  prolonged,  the 
Spirit  will  ever  strive  again  with  the 
r^eart. 

In  view  of  this  verse  we  may  remark, 
1.  That  the  path  of  wisdom  is  to  submit 
at  once  to  all  the  requirements  of  God. 
Without  this,  we  must  expect  conflicts 
with  him,  and  perils  and  ruin.  No  man 
can  be  opposed  to  God,  without  endan- 
gering himself  every  minute.  2.  Submis- 
sion to  God  should  be  entire.  It  should 
extend  to  every  doctrine,  and  demand  ; 
every  law,  and  every  act  of  the  Almighty. 
In  all  his  requirements,  and  in  all  afflic- 
tions, we  should  submit  to  him,  and  thus 
only  shall  we  find  peace.  3.  Infidels 
and  scoffers  will  gain  nothing  by  opposing 
God.  They  have  thus  far  been  thwarted, 
and  unsuccessful;  and  they  will  be  still. 
None  of  their  plans  have  succeeded ; 
and  the  hope  of  destroying  the  Christian 
religion,  after  the  efforts  of  almost  two 
thousand  years,  must  be  vain,  and  will 
recoil  with  tremendous  vengeance  on 
chose  whj  make  them. 

40.  And  to  him  they  agreed.  Greek, 
They  were  persuaded  by  him;  or  they 
trusted  to  him.  They  agreed  only  so  far 
as  their  design  of  putting  them  to  death 
was  concerned.  They  abandoned  that 
design.  But  they  did  not  comply  with 
nis  advice  to  let  them  entirely  alone. 
!f  And  beaten  them.  The  usual  amount 
oi'  iashes  which  were  inflicted  on  ofTend- 
Ars  was  thirtv-nine.    2  Cor.  xi.  24.     Beat- 


*  that  they  should  not  speak  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  let  them  go. 
41  And  they  departed  from  the 


ing.1  or  whipping,  was  a  common  mode  of 
punishing  minor  offences  among  the  Jews. 
It  was  expressly  foretold  by  the  Saviour 
that  the  apostles  would  be  subjected  to 
this.  Matt.  X.  17.  The  reason  why  they 
did  not  adopt  the  advice  of  Gamaliel 
altogether,  doubtless  was,  that  if  they 
did,  they  feared  that  their  authority 
would  be  despised  by  the  people.  They 
had  commanded  them  not  to  preach,  they 
had  threatened  them  (ch.  iv.  18;  v.  28) 
they  had  imprisoned  them  (ch.  v.  18); 
and  now  if  they  suffered  them  to  go*with- 
out  even  the  appearance  of  punishment, 
their  authority,  they  feared,  would  be  de- 
spised by  the  nation ;  and  it  would  be 
supposed  that  the  apostles  had  triumphed 
over  the  sanhedrim.  It  is  probable  also 
that  they  were  so  indignant,  that  they 
could  not  suffer  them  to  go  without  the 
gratification  of  subjecting  them  to  the 
public  odium  of  a  whipping.  Men,  if 
they  cannot  accomplish  their  full  pur- 
poses of  malignity  against  the  gospel,  will 
take  up  with  even  some  petty  annoyance 
and  malignity,  rather  than  let  it  alone. 

41.  Rejoicing.  Nothing  to  most  men 
would  seem  more  disgraceful  than  a  pub- 
lic whipping.  It  is  a  punishment  inflicted 
usually  not  so  much  because  it  gives 
pain,  as  because  it  is  esteemed  to  be  at- 
tended with  disgrace.  The  Jewish  rulera 
doubtless  desired  that  the  apostles  might 
be  so  affected  with  the  sense  of  this  dis- 
grace as  to  be  unwilling  to  appear  again 
in  public,  or  to  preach  the  gospel  an\ 
more.  Yet  in  this  they  were  disappointed 
The  effect  was  just  the  reverse.  If  it  be 
asked  why  they  rejoiced  in  this  manner 
we  may  reply,  (1.)  Because  they  were 
permitted  thus  to  imitate  the  example  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  He  had  been  scourged 
and  reviled,  and  they  were  glad  that  they 
were  permitted  to  be  treated  as  he  was. 
Comp.  Phil.  iii.  10.  Col.  i.  24.  1  Pet.  iv.  13 
"Rejoice  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers 
of  Christ's  sufferings."  (2.)  Because,  by 
this,  they  had  evidence  that  they  were 
the  friends  and  followers  of  Christ.  It 
was  clear  they  were  engaged  in  the  same 
cause  that  he  was;  enduring  the  same 
sufferings;  and  striving  to  advance  the 
same  interests.  As  they  loved  the  cause, 
therefore  they  would  rejoice  in  enduring 
even  the  shame  and  suflerings  which  the 
cause,  of  necessity,  involvedT  The  kuig 
dom  of  the  Redeemer  was  an  object  «a 


'06 


THE  ACTS.  [A    D.  3o 


presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  " 
tliat  they  were  counted  worthy  to 
Buffer  shame  for  his  name. 

42  And  daily  '-  in  the  temple,  and 
in  every  house,  they  ceased  not  to 
teach  and  preach  Jesus  Christ. 

o  M»tt.5.12.  2Cor.l2.10.  Ph.1.29.  Ja.1.2    •Pet.4.13-I6. 

traiiscendanlly  important,  that ybr  it,  they 
were  willing  to  endure  all  the  afflictions 
»nd  disgrace  which  it  might  involve. 
1,3.)  They  had  been  told  to  expect  this ; 
it  was  a  part  of  their  enterprise.  They 
had  been  warned  of  these  things,  and 
they  now  rejoiced  that  they  had  this  evi- 
dence that  they  were  engaged  in  the 
cause  of  trath.Matt.v.ll  12;  x.l7  22.2Cor. 
xii.  10.  Phil.  i.  29.  James  i.  2.  (4.)  Re- 
ligion appears  to  a  Christian  so  excellent 
and  lovely,  that  he  is  willing,  for  its  sake, 
to  endure  trial,  and  persecution  and  death. 
With  all  this,  it  is  infinite  gain ;  and  we 
should  be  willing  to  endure  these  trials,  if, 
by  them,  we  may  gain  a  crown  of  glory. 
Comp.  Mark  x.  30.  (5.)  Christians  are 
the  professed  friends  of  Christ.  We  show 
attachment  for  friends,  by  being  willing 
to  sutler  for  them ;  to  bear  contempt  and 
reproach  on  their  account;  and  to  share 
their  persecutions,  sorrows,  and  calami- 
ties. (6.)  The  apostles  were  engaged  in 
a  cause  of  innocence,  truth,  and  benevo- 
ence.  They  had  done  nothing  of  which 
to  be  ashamed ;  and  they  rejoiced,  there- 
fore, in  a  conscience  void  of  offence ;  and 
m  the  consciousness  of  integrity  and  be- 
nevolence. When  other  men  disgrace 
themselves  by  harsh,  or  vile,  or  opprobri- 
ous language,  or  conduct  towards  us,  we 
should  not  leel  that  the  disgrace  belongs 
to  us.  It  is  theirs;  and  we  should  not  be 
ashamed  or  distres.sed,  ihougli  their  rage 
should  fall  on  us.  See  1  Pet.  iv.  14— IG. 
^  Counted  worlhy.  Esteemed  to  be  de- 
serving That  is  esteemed ^<  for  it  6y  the 
sanhedrim.  It  does  not  mean  \\\xx.i  God 
esteemed  them  worthy,  but  that  the  Jew- 
ish council  judged  them  fit  to  suffer  shame 
m  this  cause.  They  evinced  so  much 
zeal,  and  determination  of  i)urpfjse,  that 
Ihey  wore  judged  fit  objects  to  be  treated 
8s  the  Lord  Jesus  had  himself  been.  IF  V'o 
tiijfer  s/iame.  To  be  dishonoured,  or  dis- 
graced in  the  estimation  of  the  Jewish 
rulers.  The  particular  disgrace  to  whi(;h 
relerencc  is  made  here  was  whi/ijiiufr. 
Ti)  various  other  kinrls  of  shame  they 
were  also  cxDosed.  They  were  perse- 
putcd,  reviled,  and  finally  put  to  death. — 
Iforo  we  may  remark,  that  a  profession 
of  liio  Christian  religion  has  been  in  all 
•{je«  esteemed  by  many  to  be  a  disgrace. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
A  ND  in  those  days,  when  the 
■^-^  number  of  the  disciples  waa 
multiplied,  there  arose  a  murmur- 
ing of  the  Grecians  '^  against  the 
Hebrews,    because    their   widows 

i2Tim.4.2.  c  c.9.29;  1 1.20. 


The  reasons  are,  (1.)  That  Jesus  is  himsel/ 
despised;  (2.)  That  his  precepts  are  op 
posed  to  the  gayety  and  pyllies  of  tho 
world ;  (3.)  That  it  attacks  that  on  which 
the  men  of  the  world  pride  themaelves, 
rank,  wealth,  fashi(-n;  (4.)  That  it  re- 
quires a  spirit  which  the  world  esteems 
mean  and  grovelling — meekness,  humi- 
lity, self-denial,  patience,  forgiveness  of 
injuries;  and  (5.)  That  it  requires  du- 
ties— prayer,  praise,  seriousness,  benevo- 
lence — which  the  men  of  the  world  de- 
spise. All  these  things  the  world  esteem 
degrading  and  mean;  and  hence  tney 
endeavour  to  subject  those  who  practise 
them  to  disgrace. — The  kinds  of  disgrace 
to  which  Christians  have  been  subjected 
are  too  numerous  to  be  mentioned  here. 
In  former  times  they  were  subjected  to 
the  loss  of  property,  of  reputaticn,  and 
to  all  the  shame  of  public  punislirnent. 
and  to  the  terrors  of  the  dungeon  tho 
stake,  or  the  rack.  One  main  design 
of  persecution  was,  to  select  a  kind  of 
punishment  so  disgraceful  as  to  deter 
others  from  professing  religion.  Disgrace 
even  yet  may  attend  it.  It  may  subject 
one  to  the  ridicule  of  friends — of  even  a 
father,  mother,  or  brother.  Christians 
hear  their  opinions  abused  ;  their  names 
vilified ;  their  Bible  travestied  ;  the  name 
of  their  God  profaned,  and  of  their  Re- 
deemer blasphemed.  Their  feelings  are 
often  wantonly  and  rudely  torn  by  the 
cutting  sarcasm,  or  the  bitter  sneer. 
Books  and  songs  revile  them;  their  pe- 
culiarities are  made  the  occasion  of  inde- 
cent merriment  on  the  stage  and  in 
novels ;  and  in  tliis  way  they  are  stil 
subjected  to  shame  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 
Every  one  who  becomes  a  Christian 
should  remember  that  this  is  a  part  of  hi» 
inheritance,  and  should  not  esteem  it  dis- 
honourable to  be  treated  as  his  master 
was  before  him.  John  xv.  18—20.  Matt 
X.  2.5.  %  For  his  name.  For  attachraeni 
to  him. 

42.  And  daily,  &c.  Comp.  2  Tim.  iv.  9 
Notes,  Acts  ii.  4G. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  In  those  days,  JL'c.  Tho  first  part  of 
this  chapter  contains  an  account  of  the 
apiK^iiilmerit  of  deacons.  It  may  be  asked, 
perhaps,  why  tho  apostles  did  not  appuiD< 


1.  D.  33. ; 


CHAPTER  VI. 


107 


were  neglected  in  "the  daily  minis- 
tration. 


these  officers  at  the  first  organization  of 
the  church  ?  To  this  question  we  may 
reply,  that  it  was  better  to  defer  the  ap- 
pointment until  an  occasion  should  occur 
when  it  should  appear  to  be  manifestly 
necessary  and  proper.  When  the  church 
was  small,  its  alms  could-  be  distributed 
by  the  apostles  themselves  without  diffi- 
culry.  But  when  it  was  greatly  increased ; 
when  its  charities  would  be  multiplied ; 
and  when  the  distribution  might  give  rise 
to  contentions,  it  was  necessary  that  this 
matter  should  be  intrusted  to  the  hands 
of  laymen,  and  that  the  7ninistry  should 
be  freed  from  all  embarrassment,  and  all 
suspicions  of  dishonesty  and  unfairness 
in  regard  to  pecuniary  matters.  It  has 
never  been  found  to  be  wise  that  the 
temporal  affau-s  of  the  church  should  be 
intrusted  in  any  considerable  degree  to 
the  clergy;  and  they  should  be  freed 
from  such  sources  of  difficulty  and  em- 
barrassment. IT  Was  muUiplied.  By  the 
accession  of  the  three  thousand  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  and  of  those  Vvho  were 
subsequently  added,  ch.  iv.  4 ,-  v.  14.  ^  A 
murmuring.  A  compluint — as,  if  there 
had  been  partiahty  in  the  distribution. 
IT  Of  the  Grecians.  There  has  been 
much  diversity  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
these  persons,  Vvhether  they  were  Jews 
that  had  lived  among  the  Gentiles,  and 
who  spoke  the  Greek  language,  or  whe- 
iner  they  were  proselytes  from  the  Gen- 
tiles. The  former  is  probably  the  correct 
opinion.  The  word  here  used  is  not  that 
which  is  usually  employed  to  designate 
the  inhabitants  of  Greece,  but  it  properly 
denotes  those  who  imitate  the  customs  and 
habits  of  the  Greeks,  who  use  the  Greek 
language,  &c.  In  tha  time  when  the 
gospel  was  first  preached,  there  were  two 
classes  of  Jews — those  who  remained  in 
Palestine,  who  used  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, &c.  and  who  were  appropriately 
called  Hebrews ;  and  those  who  were 
scattered  among  the  Gentiles,  who  spoke 
the  Greek  language,  and  who  used  in 
their  synagogues  the  Greek  translation  of 
the  Old  Testament  called  the  Septuagint. 
These  were  called  Hellenists,  or  as  it  is 
■'n  our  translation  Grecians.  Note,  John 
vii.  35.  These  were  doubtless  the  per- 
sons mentioned  here — not  those  who  were 
prose'vted  from  Gentiles,  but  those  who 
n-ere  not  natives  of  Judea,  who  had  come 
ap  to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  great  fes- 
-nvals  of  the  Jews.  See  oh.  ii.  5,  9 — 11. 
Oih«en.sions  would  be  very  likeV  tc  arise 


2  Then   the   twelve    called    the 
multitude    of    the    disciples    unto 


between  these  two  classes  of  persons. 
The  Jews  of  Palestine  would  pride  them- 
selves much  on  the  fact  that  they  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  the  patriarchs,  and  the  land 
of  promise ;  that  they  used  the  language 
which  their  fathers  spoke,  and  in  which 
the  oracles  of  God  were  given  ;  and  that 
they  were  constantly  near  the  temple, 
and  regularly  engaged  in  its  solemnities. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Jews  from  other 
parts  of  the  world  would  be  suspicious 
jealous,  and  envious  of  their  brethren, 
and  would  be  likely  to  charge  them  with 
partiality,  or  of  taking  advantage  in  their 
intercourse  with  them.  These  occasions 
of  strife  would  not  be  destroyed  by  their 
conversion  to  Christianity,  and  one  of 
them  is  furnished  on  this  occasion.  ^  Be 
cause  their  widows,  &c.  The  '-uperty 
which  had  been  contributed,  or  ^iK'v^n 
into  common  stock,  was  understood  to  be 
designed  for  the  equal  benefit  of  all  the 
poor,  and  particularly  it  would  se^sm  for 
the  poor  widows.  The  distribution  be- 
fore tills,  seems  to  have  been  made  by  the 
apostles  themselves — or  possibly,  as  Mo- 
sheim  conjectures  (Comm.  de  rebus  Chris- 
tianorum  ante  Constantinum,  p.  139. 118), 
the  apostles  committed  the  distribution 
of  these  funds  to  the  Hebrews,  and  hence 
the  Grecians  are  represented  as  murmur- 
ing against  them,  and  not  against  the  apos- 
tles. IT  In  the  daily  ministration.  In  the 
dady  distribution  "which  was  made  foi 
their  v.-.".nts.  Comp.  ch.  iv.  35.  The  pro- 
perty was  contributed  doubtless  with  an 
understanding  that  it  should  be  equclly 
and  justly  distributed  to  all  classes  of 
Christians  that  had  need. — It  is  clear  from 
the  Epistles  that  widows  were  objects  of 
special  attention  in  the  primitive  church, 
and  that  the  first  Christians  regarded  i 
as  a  matter  of  indispensable  obligation  to 
provide  for  their  wants.  1  Tim.  v.  3.  9, 10. 
16.  James  i.  27. 

2.  Then  the  twelve.  That  is,  the  apostles. 
Matthias  had  been  added  to  them  aflei 
the  apostacy  of  Judas,  which  had  com. 
pleted  the  original  number.  IT  The  multi- 
tude of  the  disciples.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  suppose  that  all  the  disciples  were 
convened,  which  amounted  to  many  thou- 
sands, but  that  the  business  w^as  laid  be- 
fore a  large  number ;  or  perhaps  the  mul- 
titude here,  means  those  merely  who 
were  more  particularly  interested  in  the 
matter,  and  who  had  been  engaged  in 
the  complaint.  T  It  s  not  reason.  The 
original   words   used   here   properly  d& 


i08 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


them,  and  said,  It "  is   not  reason 
that  we  should  leave  the  word  of 
God,  and  serve  tables. 
.3  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  *  ye 

a  Ex.  18. 17-26.  fcDe.1.13. 

note  it  is  not  pleasing,  or  agreeable  ;  but 
the  meaning  evidently  is,  it  is  not  ft,  or 
proper.  It  would  be  a  departure  from 
the  design  of  their  appointment,  which 
was  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  not  to  at- 
tend to  the  pecuniary  affairs  of  the  church. 
T  Leave  th.e  word  of  God.  That  we  should 
neglect,  or  abandon  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  so  nuch  as  would  be  necessary,  if 
we  atfendod  personally  to  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  alms  of  the  church. — The  gos- 
pel is  here  called  the  word  of  God,  be- 
cause it  is  Ids  message ;  it  is  ihat  which 
he  has  spoken ;  or  which  he  has  com- 
nianded  to  be  proclaimed  to  men.  H  Serve 
tables.  This  expression  properly  denotes 
to  take  care  of  or  to  provide  for  the  table, 
or  for  the  daily  wants  of  the  family.  It  is 
an  expression  that  properly  applies  to  a 
steward,  or  a  servant.  The  word  tables 
is  however  sometimes  used  with  refer- 
ence to  money,  as  being  the  place  where 
money  was  kept  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
change, &c.  Matt.  xxi.  12 ;  xxv.  27.  Here 
the  expression  means,  therefore,  to  at- 
tend to  the  pecuniary  transactions  of  the 
church,  and  to  make  the  proper  distribu- 
tion for  the  wants  of  the  poor. 

3.  Look  ye  out.  Select,  or  choose.  As 
this  was  a  matter  pertaining  to  their  own 
pecuniary  aflairs,  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  be  permitted  to  choose  such  men 
as  they  could  confide  in.  By  this  means 
the  apostles  would  be  free  from  all 
suspicions.  It  could  not  be  pretended 
that  they  were  partial,  nor  could  it 
ever  be  charged  on  them  that  they  wish- 
ed to  embezzle  a  part  of  the  funds  by 
managing  them  themselves,  or  by  intrust- 
ing them  to  men  of  their  own  selection. — 
It  follows  from  this  also  that  the  right  of 
belecting  deacons  resides  in  the  church, 
and  does  not  pertain  to  the  ministry. 
And  it  is  evidently  proper  that  men  who 
are  to  be  intrusted  with  the  alms  of  the 
church  should  be  selected  by  the  clnirch 
itaelf  ^  Among  you.  That  is,  from  among 
Ihe  Grecians  and  Hebrews,  that  there 
may  be  justice  done,  and  no  further 
cause  of  com  [ilaint.  ^  Seven  men.  Seven 
'\HH  a  sacred  number  among  the  Ile- 
orewH,  but  there  does  not  appear  to  have 
t.)een  any  mystery  in  choosing  tliis  innri- 
ber.  It  was  a  convenieiil  iiiinilicr,  siiffi- 
cientiy  numerous  to  secure  tli »  liiitliful 
perlbnnanco  of  Iho  duly,  arxl  not  kc  nu- 


out  among-  you  seven  men  of*  ho 
nest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Gho8 
and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoin 
over  this  business. 

c  c.16.2.  lTim.3.7,8,I0. 


merous  as  to  produce  confusion  £.nd  em* 
barrassment.  It  does  not  follow,  how- 
ever, that  the  same  number  is  now  to  be 
chosen  as  deacons  in  a  church,  for  the 
precise  number  is  not  commanded.  IT  Of 
honest  report.  Of  fiiir  reputation  ;  regard- 
ed as  men  of  integrity.  Greek,  testified 
of,  or  borne  witness  to,  i.  e.  whose  charac- 
ters were  well  known  and  fair.  IT  Full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  evidently  dries 
not  mean  endowed  with  miraculous  gifts, 
or  the  power  of  speaking  foreign  lan- 
guages, for  such  gifts  were  not  necessary 
to  the  discharge  of  their  office,  but  it 
means  men  who  were  eminently  under 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  who 
were  of  distinguished  piety.  This  was 
all  that  w-as  necessary  in  the  case,  and 
this  is  all  that  the  words  fairly  imply  in 
this  place.  IT  And  wisdom.  Prudence, 
or  skill,  to  make  a  wise  and  equable  dis- 
tribution. The  qualifications  of  deacons 
are  still  further  stated  and  illustrated  in 
1  Tim.  iii.  8 — 10.  In  this  place  it  is  seen 
that  they  must  be  men  of  eminent  piety 
and  fair  character,  and  that  they  must 
possess  prudence,  or  wisdom,  to  manage 
the  affairs  connected  with  their  office 
These  qualifications  are  indispensable  to 
a  faithful  discharge  of  the  duty  intrusted 
to  the  officers  of  the  church.  11  Whom  «;« 
may  appoint.  Whom  we  may  constitute, 
or  set  over  this  business.  The  way  in 
which  this  was  done  was,  by  praver  and 
the  imposition  of  hands,  ver.  6.  Though 
tliey  were  selected  by  the  church,  yet  the 
power  of  ordaining  them,  or  setting  them 
apart,  was  retained  by  the  apostles.  Thus 
the  rights  of  both  were  preserved,  the 
ight  of  the  church  to  designate  those 
who  should  serve  them  in  the  ofTice  of 
(k^acon,  and  the  right  of  the  afx)stles  to 
organize  and  cstahlish  the  church  with 
its  appropriate  oniccr.s  ;  on  the  one  hand, 
a  due  regard  to  the  liberty  and  privik«ge8 
of  the  Christian  community,  and  on  the 
other  the  security  of  jjroper  respect  for 
the  office,  as  being  of  apostolic  appoints 
mont  and  authority.  II  Ot^er  this  business 
That  is,  over  the  distrihution  of  the  alma 
of  the  church — not  to  preach,  or  to  go- 
vern the  rhurcli,  hut  soiely  to  tnke  care 
of  the  sacred  funds  of  charity,  and  oistri- 
hiite  thcni  to  supjily  the  wants  of  the 
pr)or.  The  ofllco  is  distinguished  from 
that  of  pr-caching  the  gospel.    To  tha« 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


l(fy 


4  But  we  vviF.  "  give  ourselves 
continually  to  prayer,  and  to  the 
ministry  of  the  word. 

5  And  the  saying  pleased  the 
whole  multitude  :  and  they  chose 


the  ajvjstles  were  to  attend.  The  deacons 
were  expressly  set  apart  to  a  different 
work,  and  to  that  work  they  should  be 
roniined.  In  this  account  of  their  ori- 
ginal appointment,  there  is  not  the  slight- 
est intimation  that  they  were  to  preach, 
but  the  contrary  is  supposed  in  the  whole 
transaction.  Nor  is  there  here  the  slight- 
est intimation  that  they  were  regarded  as 
an  order  of  clergy,  or  as  in  any  way  con- 
nected with  the  clerical  office. — In  the 
ancient  synagogues  of  the  Jews  there 
were  three  men  to  whom  was  intrusted 
the  care  of  the  poor.  They  were  called 
by  the  Hebrews  Parnasin  or  Pastors. 
(Lightfoot,  Horse  Heb.  et  Talm.  Matt.  iv. 
23.)  From  these  officers  the  apostles  took 
the  idea  probably  of  appomting  deacons 
in  the  Christian  church,  and  doubtless  in- 
tended that  their  duties  should  be  the 
Rame. 

4.  But  we  will  give  ourselves  continu- 
ally. The  original  expression  here  used 
denotes  intense  and  persevering  applica- 
tion to  a  thing,  or  unwearied  effort  in  it. 
See  Note,  Acts  i.  14.  It  means  that  the 
apostles  meant  to  make  this  their  constant 
and  main  object,  undistracted  by  the  cares 
of  life,  and  even  by  attention  to  the  tem- 
poral wants  of  the  church.  IF  To  prayer. 
Whefher  this  means  private  or  public 
prayer  cannot  be  certainly  determined. 
The  passage,  however,  would  rather  in- 
cline us  to  suppose  that  the  latter  was 
meant,  as  it  is  immediately  connected 
with  preaching.  If  so,  then  the  phrase 
denotes  that  they  would  give  themselves 
to  the  duties  of  their  office,  one  part  of 
which  was  public  prayer,  and  another 
preaching.  Still  it  is  to  be  believed  that 
the  apostles  felt  the  need  of  secret  prayer, 
and  practised  it,  as  preparatory  to  the'r 
public  preaching.  IT  And  to  the  ministry 
of  the  word.  To  preaching  the  gospel  ; 
or  coimnunicating  the  message  of  eternal 
life  to  the  world.  The  word  ministry 
(eiaxov.'a)  properly  denotes  the  employ- 
ment of  a  servant,  and  is  given  to  the 
preachers  of  the  gospel  because  they  are 
employed  in  this  service  as  the  servants 
of  God,  and  of  the  church. — V/e  have 
here  a  view  of  what  the  apostles  thought 
to  be  the  proper  work  of  the  ministry 
They  were  set  apart  to  this  work.  It  w.as 
their  main,  their  only  employment.  Tc 
K 


Stephen,  a  man  full  *"  of  faith  and 
of  the   Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip, 
and  Prochorus,  and  Nicanor,  and 
Timon,  and  Parmenas,  and  *  Nico- 
las a  proselyte  of  Antioch  : 


c  c.8.5,26j  21.8. 


to  this  their  lives  were  to  be  devoted, 
and  both  by  their  example  and  their 
writings  they  have  shown  that  it  was  on 
this  principle  they  acted.  Comp.  1  Tim. 
iv.  15,  16.  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  It  follows  also 
that  if  their  time  and  talents  were  to  be 
wholly  devoted  to  this  work,  it  was  rea- 
sonable that  they  should  receive  compe- 
tent support  trom  the  churches,  and  this 
reasonable  claim  is  often  urged  by  the 
apostle.  See  1  Cor.  ix.  7 — 14.  Gal- 
vi.  6. 

5.  And  the  saying.  The  word — the 
counsel,  or  command.  If  And  they  chose 
Stephen,  &c.  A  man  who  soon  showed 
(ch.  vii.)  that  he  was  every  way  qualified 
for  his  office,  and  fitted  to  defend  also 
the  cause  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  man 
had  the  distinguished  honour  of  being  the 
first  Christian  martyr,  ch.  vii.  ^  And 
Nicolas.  From  this  mqp.  some  of  the  Fa 
thers  (Ire.  lib.  i.  27.  Epipha  1  Ha;res.  5.) 
say,  that  the  sect  of  the  ]\ieola..tanes, 
mentioned  with  so  much  disapprobation 
(Rev.  ii.  6.  15),  took  their  rise.  But  the 
evidence  of  this  is  not  clear.  IT  A  prose- 
lyte. A  proselyte  Is  one  who  is  converted 
from  one  religion  to  another.  See  Note, 
Matt,  xxiii.  15.  The  word  does  not  mean 
here  that  he  was  a  convert  to  Christianity 
— which  was  true — but  that  he  had  been 
converted  at  Antioch  from  paganism  to 
the  Jewish  religion.  As  this  is  the  only 
proselyte  mentioned  among  the  seven 
deacons,  it  is  evident  that  the  others  were 
native-born  Jews,  though  a  part  of  them 
might  have  been  born  out  of  Palestine, 
and  have  been  of  the  denomination  of 
Grecians.,  or  Hellenists.  IT  Of  Antioch, 
This  city,  often  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament  (Acts  xi.  19,  20.  26 ;  xv.  22.  35. 
Gal.  ii.  11,  &:c.),  was  situated  in  Syria  on 
the  river  Orontes,  and  was  formerly  called 
Riblath  It  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament,  but  is  frequently  mentioned 
in  the  Apocrypha.  It  was  built  by  Seleu 
cus  Nicanor,  A.  C.  301,  and  was  named 
Antioch,  in  honour  of  his  father  Antio- 
chus.  It  became  the  seat  of  empire  of 
the  Syrian  kings  of  the  Macedonian  race, 
and  afterwards  of  the  Roman  governors 
of  tne  eastern  provinces.  In  this  place 
the  disciples  of  Christ  were  first  called 
Christians.  Acts  xi.  26  Josephus  says  u 
was  the  fh'.rd  3itv  in  size  of  the  Itomau 


lO 


C)  Wliom  they  set  before  the 
apostles  :  aid  when  "  they  had 
prayed,  they  *  laid  thch'  hands  on 
them. 

7  And « the  word  of  God  increas- 
ed ;  and  the  number  of  the  disciples 

a  e.1.24.        b  c.9.17;  13.3.  lTiin.4  J4:  5.22.  2Tim.l.6. 

provinces,  being  inferior  only  to  Selencia 
«nd  Alexandria.  It  was  long,  indeed,  the 
most  powerful  city  of  the  East.  The  city 
was  almost  square,  had  many  gates,  was 
adorned  with  line  fountains,  and  possess- 
ed great  fertility  of  soil  and  commercial 
opulence.  It  was  subject  to  earthquakes, 
and  was  often  almost  destroyed  by  them. 
In  A.  D.  588  above  sixty  thousand  per- 
sons perished  in  it  in  this  manner.  In 
A.  D.  970  an  army  of  one  hundred  thou- 
Band  ^>'aracens  besieged  it,  and  took  it. 
In  1268  it  was  taken  possession  of  by  the 
Sultan  of  Egypt,  who  demolished  it,  and 
placed  it  under  the  dominion  of  the  Turk, 
ft  is  now  called  Antakia,  and  till  the  year 
1822  it  occupied  a  remote  corner  of  the 
b:  eiit  enclosure  of  its  walls,  its  splen- 
did buildings  being  reduced  to  hovels, 
and  its  population  living  in  Turkish  de- 
basement. It  contains  now  about  ten 
tiiousand  inhabitants.  {]iohin soil's  Calmet.) 
This  city  should  be  distinguisiied  from 
Antioch  in  Pisidia,  also  mentioned  in  the 
New  Testament.   Acts  xiii.  14. 

G.  And  iv/ien  they  had  prayed.  Invok- 
ing in  this  manner  tUe  blessing  of  God  on 
thorn  to  attend  them  in  the  discharge  of 
the  duties  of  their  nnicc.  H  VV/cy  laid 
(heir  hands,  &c.  Among  tli^  Jews  it  was 
customary  to  lay  hands  on  the  head  of  a 
person  who  was  set  apart  to  any  particu- 
lar office.  Num.  xxvii.  18.  Comp.  Acts 
viii.  19.  This  was  done,  not  to  impart 
any  power  or  ability,  but  to  designate 
thnt  they  received  their  authority,  or 
commission,  from  those  who  thus  laid 
their  hands  on  them,  as  the  act  of  laying 
hands  on  the  sick  by  the  Saviour  was  an 
act  signifying  that  the  power  of  healing 
came  from  him.  Matt.  ix.  18.  Com[).  Mark 
xvi.  18.  In  this  case  the  laying  on  of  the 
hands  cop.veyed  of  itself  no  healing 
fjower  nut  was  a  sign  or  token  that  the 
jwwer  came  from  the  l/nd  Jesus.  Ordi- 
aation  has  been  uniformly  performed  in 
his  way.  See  1  Tim.  v.  22.  Though  the 
<ven  deacons  had  liecn  chosen  by  the 
iio  church  to  this  work,  yet  they  derived 
tlnMr  immediate  commission  and  autho- 
ntv  from  the  apostles. 

'7.  And  the  word  of  Hod  incrcasexl. 
Vhii  is.  the  cospel  was  mo'e  and  more 


IHE  ACTS.  lA  x).  33 

multiplied  in  Jerusalem  gieatly; 
and  a  great  company  of  the  priests 
^  were  obedient  to  the  faith. 

8  And  Stephen,  full  of  faith  and 
power,  did  great  wonders  and  mira- 
cles among  the  people. 

c  I».55.11.  c.12.24;  19.20.        d  P6.132.9,16.  Jn-).12.4a 


succe.ssful,  or  became  more  mighty,  and 
extensive  in  its  influence.  An  instance 
of  this  success  is  immediately  added 
IT  And  a  great  company  of  the  priests.  A 
great  multitude.  This  is  recorded  justly 
as  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  power  of 
the  gospel.  How  great  this  company  was 
is  not  mentioned.  But  the  number  of  the 
priests  in  Jerusalem  was  very  great;  and 
their  conversion  was  a  striking  proof  of  the 
power  of  truth.  It  is  probable  that  they 
had  been  opposed  to  the  gospel  with  quite 
as  much  hostility  as  any  other  class  of  the 
Jews.  And  it  is  now  mentioned,  as  wor- 
thy of  special  record,  that  the  gospel  waa 
sufficiently  mighty  to  humble  even  the 
proud,  and  haughty,  and  selfish,  and  en- 
vious priest  to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  One 
design  of  the  gospe^is  to  evince  the  power 
of  truth  in  subduing  all  classes  of  men; 
and  hence  in  the  fs^ew  Testament  wc 
have  the  record  of  its  having  actually 
subdued  every  class  to  the  obedience  of 
faith.  Some  MSS.  however  here  instead 
of  priests  read  Jews.  And  this  reading  in 
followed  in  the  Syriac  version.  ^  Were 
obedient  to  the  faith.  The  word  faith  here 
is  evidently  put  for  the  Christian  religion. 
Faith  is  one  of  the  main  requirements  of 
the  gospel  (Mark  xvi.  16),  and  by  a  figure 
of  speech  is  put  for  the  gospel  itself  To 
become  obedient  to  the  faith,  therelbie,  is 
to  obey  the  requirements  of  the  gospel, 
particularly  that  which  requires  us  to  be- 
lieve. Comp.  Rom.  x.  16.  By  the  acces- 
sion of  the  prie.<!ts  also  no  small  part  cf  the 
reproach  would  be  taken  away  from  the 
gospel,  that  it  made  converts  only  among 
the  lower  clas.sc3  of  the  people.  Comp 
John  vii.  48. 

8.  And  Stephen.  The  remarkable  death 
of  this  first  Christian  martyr,  which  soon 
occurred,  gave  occasion  to  the  sacred 
writer  to  give  a  detailed  account  of  liia 
cliaractcr,  and  of"  the  causes  which  led  to 
his  death.  Hitherto  the  opposition  of  the 
Jews  had  been  confined  to  threats  and 
imprisonment ;  but  it  was  now  to  burst 
ftjrth  with  furious  rngo  and  madness,  that 
could  bo  sntisflrd  tvnly  with  blood.  This 
was  llie  first  in  a  scries  of  pcrsecntiona 
against  Christians  that  filled  the  cluircli 
with  blood,  and  that  cbsed  tht' Uvea  of 


.1.  D   33.] 


CHAPTER   VI. 


in 


9  Then  thtre  aiose  certain  of  the 
synagogue,  which  is  called  The  sy- 
'lasrogue  of  the  Libertines,  and  Cy- 


fhousands,  perhaps  milhons  in  the  great 
work  of  establishing  the  gospel  on  the 
earth.  ^  Full  offaUli.  Full  oi rxmfidence 
in  (jrod  ,•  cr  trusting  entirely  to  his  pro- 
oiises.  See  Note,  Mark  xvi.  16.  *r  Aiid 
^ower.  The  power  which  was  evinced 
in  working  miracles.  IT  Wonders.  This 
is  one  of  the  words  commonly  used  in  the 
New  Testament  to  denote  miracles. 

9.  Then  there  arose.  That  is,  they  stood 
up  against  him;  or  they  opposed  him. 
H"  Of  the  synagogue.  See  Note,  Matt.  iv. 
23.  The  Jews  were  scattered  in  all  parts 
of  the  world.  In  every  place  they  would 
have  synagogues.  But  it  is  also  probable 
that  there  would  be  enough  foreign  Jews 
residing  at  Jerusalem  from  each  of  those 
places  to  maintain  the  worship  of  the 
synagogue  ;  and  at  the  great  feasts  those 
synagogues  adapted  to  Jewish  people  of 
different  nations,  would  be  attended  by 
those  who  came  up  to  attend  the  great 
feasts.  It  is  certain  that  there  was  a  large 
number  of  synagogues  at  Jerusalem.  The 
common  estimate  is,  that  there  were  four 
nundred  and  eighty  in  the  city.  {Light- 
foot,  Vitringa.)  IF  Of  the  Libertines. 
There  has  been  very  great  difference  of 
opinion  about  the  meaning  of  this  word. 
The  chief  opinions  may  be  reduced  to 
three.  1.  The  word  is  Latin,  and  means 
properly  afreedman,  a  man  who  had  been 
a  slave  and  was  set  at  liberty.  And  many 
nave  supposed  that  these  persons  were 
manumitted  slaves,  of  Roman  origin,  but 
which  had  become  proselyted  to  the  Jew- 
ish religion,  and  who  had  a  synagogue  in 
Jerusalem.  This  opinion  is  not  very  pro- 
bable ;  though  it  is  certain,  from  Tacitus 
(Annal.  lib.  ii.  c.  85),  that  there  were 
many  persons  of  this  description  at  Rome. 
He  says  that  four  thousand  Jewish  prose- 
lytes of  Roman  slaves  made  free  were 
sent  at  one  time  to  Sardinia.  2.  A  second 
opinion  is,  that  these  persons  were  Jews 
by  birth,  and  had  been  taken  captives  by 
the  Romans,  and  then  set  at  liberty,  and 
thus  called  freedmen,  or  libertines.  That 
there  were  many  Jews  of  this  description 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  Pompey  the  Great, 
when  he  subjugated  Judea,  sent  large 
numbers  of  the  Jews  to  Rome,  {fhilo,  in 
T^gat.  ad  Caitpn.)  These  Jews  were  set 
Rt  liberty  at  Rome,  and  assigned  a  place 
beyond  the  Tiber  for  a  residence.  See 
Introduction  to  the  Epistie  to  the  Romans. 
These  persons  are  by  Philo  called  liber- 
ti7ies,    or  f'cedmen.     (Kuinofit  in  loco.) 


renians,  and  Alexandrians,  and  of 
them  of  Ciiicia  and  of  Asia,  disput- 
ing  with  Stephen. 


Many  Jews  were  also  conveyed  as  cap. 
tives  by  Ptolemy  I.  to  Egypt,  and  obtained 
a  residence  in  that  country  and  the  vici- 
nity. But  3.  Another,  and  more  probable 
opinior  is,  that  they  took  their  name  from 
some  place  which  they  occupied.  This 
opinion  is  more  probable  from  the  fact 
that  all  the  other  persons  mentioned  here 
are  named  from  the  countries  which  they 
occupied.  Suidas  says  that  this  is  tho 
name  of  a  place.  And  in  one  of  the  Fa- 
thers this  passage  occurs :  "  Victor,  bishop 
of  the  Catholic  church  at  Libertina,  says, 
unity  is  there,"  &c.  From  this  passage  it 
is  plain  that  there  was  a  place  called  Li- 
bertina. That  place  was  in  Africa,  not 
far  from  ancient  Carthage.  See  Bishop 
Pearce's  Comment,  on  this  place.  IT  Cu- 
renians.  Jews  who  dwelt  at  Cyrene  m 
Africa.  See  Note,  Matt,  xxvii.  32.  IT  Alex- 
andrians. Inhabitants  of  Alexandria  in 
Egypt.  It  was  founded  by  Alexander  the 
Great,  B.  C.  332,  and  was  peopled  by  colo- 
nies of  Greeks  and  Jews.  This  city  waa 
much  celebrated,  and  contained  not  lesa 
than  three  hundred  thousand  free  citi- 
zens, and  as  many  slaves.  The  city  was 
the  residence  of  many  Jews.  Josephus 
saj's  that  Alexander  himself  assigned  to 
them  a  particular  quarter  of  the  city,  and 
allowed  them  equal  privileges  with  the 
Greeks.  (Antiq.  xiv.  7.  2.  Against  Apion, 
ii.  4.)  Philo  affirms  that  of  five  parts  of 
the  city,  the  Jews  inhabited  two.  Ac- 
cording to  his  statement,  there  dwelt  in 
his  time  at  Alexandria  and  the  other 
Egyptian  cities,  not  less  than  ten  hundred 
thousand  Jews.  Amron,  the  general  of 
Omar,  when  he  took  the  city,  said  that  it 
contained  forty  thousand  tributary  Jew'S. 
At  this  place  the  famous  version  of  the 
Old  Testament  called  the  Septuagint,  or 
the  Alexandrian  version,  was  made.  See 
Robinson's  Calmet.  H  Ciiicia.  This  was 
a  province  of  Asia  Minor,  on  the  sea- 
coast,  at  the  north  of  Cyprus.  The  capi 
tal  of  this  province  w^as  Tarsus,  the  nativs 
place  of  Paul.  ch.  ix.  11.  And  as  Paul 
was  of  this  place,  and  belonged  doubtless 
to  this  synagogue,  it  is  probable  that  he 
was  one  who  was  engaged  in  this  dispute 
with  Stephen.  Comp.  ch.  vii.  58.  f  Of 
Asia.  See  Note,  ch.  li.  9.  ^  Disputing 
with  Stephen.  Doubtless  on  the  question 
whether  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  This 
word  does  not  denote  angry  disputing' 
but  is  commonly  used  to  denote  fair  and 
impartial  inquiry;  and  it  is  probable  that 


12 


10  And  they  were  not  able  *  to 
resist  the  wisdom  and  tJie  spirit  by 
which  he  spake. 

11  ThCTi  they  suborned  '  men, 
which  said,  We  hive  heard  him 
speak  blasphemous  words  against 
Moses,  and  against  God. 

12  And  they  stirred  up  the  peo- 

.  Lu.21.15.  b  lKi.21. 10,13.  Matt.26.59,60. 


THE  ACTb  LA.  D.  .S2 

pie,  and  the  elders,  and  the  scribes 
and  came  upon  hijn,  and  caugh' 
him,  and  brought  him  to  tlie  coun- 
cil, 

13  And  set  up  false  witnesses 
which  said,  This  man  ceasetli  nol 
to  speak  bl-asphemous  words  against 
this  holy  place,  and  the  law : 


Jhe  discussion  began  in  this  way;  and 
»vhen  they  were  overcome  by  argument, 
they  resorted,  as  disputants  are  apt  to  do, 
to  angry  criminations  and  violence. 

10.  To  resist.  Tliat  is,  they  were  not 
able  to  answer  his  arguments.  IT  The  wis- 
dom. This  properly  refers  to  his  know 
'edge  of  the  Scriptures;  his  skill  in  what 
the  Jews  esteemed  to  be  wisdom — ac- 
quaintance with  their  sacred  writings, 
opinions,  &c.  IT  And  the  spirit.  Tiiis 
has  been  commonly  understood  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  by  which  ne  was  aided ; 
but  it  rather  means  the  energy,  power,  or 
ardour  of  Stephen.  He  evinced  a  spirit 
of  zeal  and  sincerity  which  they  could 
not  w-ithstand  ;  which  served,  more  than 
mere  argument  could  have  done,  to  con- 
vince them  that  he  was  right. — The  evi- 
dence of  sincerity,  honesty,  and  zeal  in  a 
public  speaker  will  often  go  farther  to 
convince  the  great  mass  of  mankind,  than 
the  most  able  argument  if  delivered  in  a 
cold  and  indifferent  manner. 

1 1 .  Then  they  suborned  men.  To  suborn 
m  law  means  to  procure  a  person  to  take 
such  a  false  oath  as  constitutes  perjury. 
( Webster.)  It  has  substantially  this  sense 
here.  It  means  that  they  induced  them 
to  declare  that  which  was  false,  or  to 
bring  a  faUse  accusation  against  him. 
This  was  done  not  by  declaring  a  palpa- 
ble and  open  falsehood,  but  by  perverting 
his  doctrines,  and  by  stating  their  own 
inferences  as  what  he  had  actually  main- 
tained— the  common  way  in  which  men 
oppose  doctrines  from  which  they  difler. 
The  Syriac  reads  this  place,  "  Then  they 
sent  certain  men,  and  instructed  them 
that  they  should  say,"  &c.  This  was  re- 
peating an  artifice  \vhich  Ihey  practised 
BO  successfully  in  relation  to  the  Lord  Je- 
Bus  Christ.  See  Matt.  xxvi.  GO,  Gl.  IT  We 
nave  heard,  &c.  When  they  alleged  that 
lliey  had  heard  this,  is  not  said.  Pro- 
bably, however,  in  some  of  his  discourses 
witli  the  people,  when  he  wrought  mira- 
cles and  wonders  nmoiig  them.  ver.  8. 
IT  Tilasphemous  words.  See  Note,  Matt. 
ix.3.  Moses  was  rnearded  wilh  profound 
reverence.     Hi.}  laws  they  regarded  as 


unchangeable.  Any  intimation,  therefore, 
that  there  was  a  greater  lawgiver  than 
he,  or  that  his  institutions  were  mere 
shadows  and  types,  and  were  no  longer 
binding,  would  be  regarded  as  blasphemy, 
even  though  it  should  be  spoken  with 
the  highest  respect  for  Mosea.  That  the 
Mosaic  institutions  were  to  be  changed, 
and  give  place  to  another  and  better  dis- 
pensation, all  the  Christian  teachers  would 
affirm ;  but  this  was  not  said  with  a  de- 
sign to  blaspheme  or  revile  Moses.  In  the 
view  of  the  Jews,  to  say  that,  was  to  speak 
blasphemy;  and  hence,  instead  of  report- 
ing what  he  actually  did  say,  they  accus- 
ed him  of  saying  what  tfiey  regarded  as 
blasphemy. — If  reports  are  made  of  what 
men  say,  their  very  words  should  be  re- 
ported ;  and  we  should  not  report  our  in- 
ferences or  impressions  as  what  they  actu- 
ally said.  H  Arid  against  God.  God  was 
justly  regarded  by  the  Jews  as  the  Giver 
of  their  law,  and  the  Author  of  their  in- 
stitutions. But  the  Jews,  either  wilfully 
or  involuntarily,  not  knowing  that  they 
were  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come, 
and  were  therefore  to  pass  away,  regard 
ed  all  intimations  of  such  a  change  as 
blasphemy  against  God.  God  had  a  right 
to  change  or  abolish  those  ceremonial  ob- 
servances; and  it  was  not  blasphemy  in 
Stephen  to  declare  it. 

12.  And  the jr  stirred  up  the  people.  They 
excited  the  peojile,  or  alarmed  their  fears, 
as  had  been  done  befiire  when  they 
sought  to  put  the  Lord  Jesus  to  dej\th. 
Matt,  xxvii.  20.  IT  The  elders.  The  mem 
bers  of  the  sanhedrim,  or  great  council 
IT  Scribes.  Note,  Matt.  ii.  4.  If  To  the 
council.  To  the  sanhedrim,  or  the  great 
council  of  the  nation,  which  claimed  ju- 
risdiction in  the  matters  of  religion.  See 
Note,  Matt.  ii.  4. 

13.  And  set  up  false  untnesses.  It  haa 
been  matie  a  (^iiestion  wliy  these  pcrsoni 
are  called /a/.'c  witnesses,  since  it  is  sup- 
posed by  many  that  they  rcixjrted  merely 
the  w'orr/s  of  8tei)h('n.  It  may  be  repfuid 
that  //  lliry  did/cjiort  iiinoly  his  wdtJ.^ 
if  Stephen  had  acUially  .'■aid  what  thcj 
affirmod  yet  thev  nerverted  his  meanirwi 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


m 


14  For<*  we  ha^e  heard  him  say, 
That  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall 
*  destroy  this  place,  and  shall  change 
the  '  customs  which  Moses  deliver- 
ed us. 


They  accused  him  of  blasphemy,  that  is, 
of  calumnious  and  reproachful  words 
against  Moses,  and  against  God.  Ttiat 
Stephen  had  spoken  in  such  a  manner, 
or  had  designed  to  reproach  Moses,  there 
is  no  evidence.  What  was  said  in  the 
mildest  manner,  and  in  the  way  of  cool 
argument,  might  easily  be  perverted  so 
as  in  their  view  to  amount  to  blasphemy. 
But  there  is  no  evidence  whatever  that 
Stephen  had  ever  used  these  words  on 
any  occasion.  And  it  is  altogether  im- 
probable that  he  ever  did,  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons:  (1.)  Jesus  himself  never  af- 
firmed that  he  would  destroy  that  place. 
He  uniformly  taught  that  it  would  be 
done  by  the  Gentiles.  Matt.  xxiv.  It  is 
altogether  improbable,  therefore,  that 
Stephen  should  declare  any  such  thing. 
(2.)  It  is  equally  improbable  that  he 
taught  that  Jesus  would  abolish  the  pe- 
culiar customs  and  rites  of  the  Jews.  It 
was  long,  and  after  much  discussion,  be- 
fore the  apostles  themselves  were  con- 
vinced of  it;  and  when  those  customs 
were  changed,  it  was  done  gradually. 
See  Acts  x.  14,  &c.  xi.  2,  &;c.  xv.  20 ;  xxi. 
20,  &c.  The  probability  therefore  is,  that 
the  whole  testimony  was  false,  and  was 
artfully  invented  to  produce  the  utmost 
exasperation  among  the  people,  and  yet 
was  at  the  same  time  so  plausible  as  to 
be  easily  believed.  For  on  this  point  the 
Jews  were  particularly  sensitive ;  and  it 
is  clear  that  they  had  some  expectations 
that  the  Messiah  would  produce  some 
such  changes.  Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  61  with 
Dan.  ix.  26,  27.  The  same  charge  was 
afterwards  brought  against  Paul,  which 
he  promptly  denied.  See  Acts  xxv.  8. 
IT  This  holy  place.  The  temple.  T  The 
law.    The  law  of  Moses. 

14.  Shall  change.  Shall  abolish  them ; 
or  shall  introduce  others  in  their  place, 
fl"  The  customs.  The  ceremonial  rites  and 
cbeervances  of  sacrifices,  festivals,  &c. 
appointed  by  Moses. 

15.  Ijoohing  steadfastly  on  him.  Fixing 
tae  eyes  intently  on  him.  Probably  they 
were  attracted  by  the  unusual  appearance 
of  the  man,  his  meekness,  and  calm  and 
collected  fearlessness,  and  the  proofs  of 
conscious  innocence  and  sincerity.  T  The 
face  of  an  angel.  This  expression  is  one 
evidently  denoting  that  \o  manifested 

k2 


15  And  all  that  sat  in  the  coun- 
cil, looking  steadfastly  on  him,  saw 
his  *=  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of 
an  angel. 

a  c.25.!$.      b  DaD.9.26.        i  or,  ritu.      c  Ex.34.30,U 


evidence  of  sincerity,  gravity,feariessness, 
confidence  in  God.  It  is  used  in  the  Old 
Testament  to  denote  peAliai  wisdom. 
2  Sam.  xiv.  17;  xix.  27.  Xn  Gen.  xxxiii 
10,  it  is  used  to  denote  peculiar  majesty 
and  glory,  as  if  it  were  the  face  of  Godf. 
When  Moses  came  down  from  mount 
Smai  from  communing  with  God,  it  is 
said  that  the  skin  of  his  face  shone,  so 
that  the  children  of  Israel  were  afraid  to 
come  nigh  to  him.  Ex.  xxxiv.  29,  30. 
2  Cor.  iii.  7.  13.  Comp  Rev.  i.  16.  Matt, 
xvii.  2.  The  expression  is  used  to  denote 
the  impression  which  will  be  produced 
on  the  countenance  by  communion  with 
God ;  the  calm  serenity  and  composure 
which  will  follow  a  confident  committing 
of  all  into  his  hands.  It  is  not  meant  that 
there  was  any  thing  miraculous  in  the  case 
of  Stephen,  but  is  an  expression  denoting 
his  calmness,  and  dignity,  and  confidence 
in  God ;  all  of  which  were  so  marked  on 
his  countenance,  that  it  impressed  them 
with  clear  proofs  of  his  innocence  and 
piety.  The  expression  is  very  common 
m  the  Jekwish  writings.  It  is  common  for 
deep  feeling,  sincerity,  and  confi<lence  in 
God,  to  nnpress  themselves  on  the  coun- 
tenance. Any  deep  emotion  will  do  this ; 
and  it  is  to  be  expected  that  religious 
feeling,  the  most  tender  and  solemn  of 
all  feeling,  will  diffuse  seriou«ness,  se- 
renity, calmness,  and  peace,  not  affect- 
ed sanctimoniousness,  over  the  counte 
nance. 

In  this  chapter  we  have  another  speci- 
men of  the  manner  in  which  the  church 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  was  reared  on  earth. 
It  was  from  the  beginninjif  amid  scenes 
of  persecution ;  and  encountering  opposi- 
tion  adapted  to  try  the  nature  and  power 
of  religion.  If  Christianity  was  an  impos- 
ture, it  had  enemies  acute  and  malignant 
enough  to  detect  the  imposition.  The 
learned,  the  cunning,  and  the  mighty 
rose  up  in  opposition,  and  by  all  the  art*! 
of  sophistry,  all  the  force  of  authority,  an<J 
all  the  fearfulness  of  power,  attempted  t«j 
destroy  it  in  the  commencement.  Yet  it 
lived',  and  it  gained  new  accessions  of 
strength  from  every  new  form  of  opposi- 
tion ,  and  only  evinced  its  genuineness 
more  and  more  by  showing  ttiat  it  waa 
superior  to  the  arts  ar.d  mali{  e  of  earlli 
and  of  hell. 


u 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  33 


CHAPTER  VII. 

nilEiVsaid  tlie  high-priest,  Are 

^    these  things  so  ] 

2  And  he  said,  Men,  "  brethren. 


CHAPTER  Vfl. 
This  chapter  contains  the  defence  of 
Stephen  belbre  the  sanhedrim,  or  great 
council  of  tiie  Jews.  There  has  been 
great  diversity,  of  opinion  about  the  object 
which  Stephen  had  in  view  in  this  de- 
fence, and  about  the  reason  why  he  intro- 
duced at  such  length  the  history  of  the 
Jewish  people.  But  a  few  remarks  may 
perhaps  show  his  dcsigo-  He  was  accused 
of  blasphemy  in  speaking  against  the  in- 
slilulions  of  Moses  and  the  temple,  that  is, 
against  every  thing  held  sacred  among  the 
Jews.  To  meet  this  charge,  he  gives  ^ 
statement,  at  length,  of  his  belief  in  the 
Mosaic  religion,  in  the  great  points  of 
their  hi.story,  and  in  the  fact  that  God  had 
interposed  in  a  remarkable  manner  in  de- 
fending them  from  dangers.  By  this  his- 
torical statement  he  avows  his  full  belief 
in  the  divine  origin  of  the  Jewish  reli- 
gion, and  thus  indirectly  repels  the  charge 
of  blasphemy.  It  is  further  to  be  remem- 
bered, that  this  was  the  best  way  of  se- 
curing the  attention  of  the  council.  Had 
he  entered  on  an  abstract  defence,  he 
might  expect  to  be  sto{)ped  by  their 
ijavils  or  their  clamour.  But  the  history 
of  their  own  nation  was  a  favourite  topic 
among  the  Jews.  Tiiey  were  always 
ready  Vi  listen  to  an  account  of  their 
ancestors;  and  to  secure  their  attention, 
nothing  more  was  necessary  than  to  refer 
to  their  illustrious  lives  and  deeds.  Com  p. 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  cv.  cvi.  cxxxv.  Ezek.  xx.  In 
this  way  Stephen  secured  their  attention, 
and  practically  repelled  tlie  charge  of 
Kpeaking  reproachfuHy  of  Moses  and  the 
temple.  He  showed  them  that  he  had  as 
lirm  a  belief  as  they  in  the  great  historical 
facts  of  their  nation.  It  is  to  be  remem- 
bered, also,  that  this  speech  was  broken 
off  in  the  midst  (ver.  53,  54-),  and  it  is 
therefjre  difficult  to  tell  what  the  design 
of  Steithon  was.  It  seems  clear,  however, 
that  he  intended  to  convict  thcjn  of  guilt, 
bv  stowing  that  they  sustained  the  same 
character  as  their  fathers  had  manifested 
(ver.  51,  52);  and  there  is  some  probabi- 
lity that  he  intended  V)  show  that  the  ac- 
ceptable worship  of  God  was  not  to  lie 
(^)nfined  to  any  places  jiarticularly,  from 
the  fiict  that  tlic  worsliij)  of  Abraham,  and 
the  patriarchs,  and  Mosoh,  was  acceptable 
before  the  temple  was  reared  (ver.  2,  &c.), 
md  from  the  declaration  in  ver.  48,  th  at 


and  fathers,  hearken  ;  The  God  of 
glory  appeared  unto  our  father  Abra- 
ham when  he  was  in  Mesopotamia, 
before  he  dwelt  in  Charran, 


God  dwells  not  m  temples  made  with 
hands.  All  that  can  be  said  here  is,  tha 
Stephen  (1.)  showed  his  full  belief  in  the 
divine  appointment  of  Moses,  and  the 
historical  facts  of  their  religion;  (2.)  That 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  an  argument  to 
show  that  those  things  were  not  perpetu- 
ally binding,  and  that  acceptable  worship 
might  be  offered  in  other  places  and  in 
another  manner  than  at  the  temple. 

It  has  been  askea  in  what  way  Luke 
became  acquainted  with  this  speech  so  aa 
to  repeat  it.  The  Scripture  has  not  in- 
formed us.  But  we  may  remark,  (1.)  Thai 
Stephen  was  the  first  martyr.  His  death, 
and  the  incidents  connected  with  it,  could 
not  but  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  first 
Christians ;  and  the  substance  of  his  de- 
fence, at  least,  would  be  familiar  to  them. 
There  is  no  improbability  in  supposing 
that  imperfect  copies  might  be  preserved 
by  writing,  and  circulated  among  them. 
(2.)  Luke  was  the  companion  of  Paul. 
(See  Introduction  to  the  Gospel  by  Luke.) 
Paul  was  present  when  this  defence  was 
delivered,  and  was  a  man  who  would  be 
likely  to  remember  what  was  said  on  such 
an  occasion.  From  him  Luke  might  have 
derived  the  account  of  this  defence.  In 
regard  to  this  discourse,  it  may  be  further 
remarked,  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  sup 
pose  that  Stephen  was  inspired.  Even  if 
there  should  be  found  inaccuracies,  as 
some  critics  have  pretended,  in  the  ad- 
dress, it  would  not  militate  against  its 
genuineness.  It  is  the  defence  of  a  man 
on  trial  under  a  serious  charge ;  not  a 
man  of  whom  there  is  evidence  that  he 
was  inspired,  but  a  pious,  devoted,  hea- 
venly-minded man.  All  that  the  sacred 
narrative  is  responsible  for  is  the  correct- 
7iess  of  the  report.  Luke. alleges  only  that 
such  a  speech  was  in  fact  delivered,  with- 
out affirming  that  every  particular  in  it  is 
correct. 

1.  llien  said  the  high-priest.  See  Note, 
Matt.  ii.  4.  In  this  case  the  high-prie.st 
seems  to  have  presided  in  the  council. 
^  Are  these  things  so  ?  To  wit,  the  charge 
alleged  against  liim  of  blasphemy  against 
Moses  and  the  temple,  ch.  vi.  V3, 11. 

2.  Afen,  brethren,  and  fathers.  These 
were  tlie  usual  titles  by  which  the  san 
hedrim  was  a(ldrcs.-!cd.  J'l  all  tins  Ste 
phen  was  j)erfectlv  respecu'ul,  and  sliow 
ed  that  ho  was  disposed  to  ren-^'v  due 


A.  D  33.] 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


3  And  said  "  unto  him,  Get  thee 
*at  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy 

aGen.12.1. 

honour  to  the  institutions  of  the  nation. 
IT  Tke  God  of  glory.  This  is  a  Hebrew 
•brm  of  expression  denoting  the  glorious 
God.  It  properly  denotes  his  majesty,  or 
plendour,  or  magnificence ;  and  the  word 
glory  is  often  appHed  to  the  splendid  ap- 
pearances in  which  God  has  manifested 
himself  to  men.  Deut.  v.  24.  Ex.  xxxiii. 
18;  xvi.  7.  10.  Lev.  ix.  23.  Num.  xiv.  10. 
Perhaps  Stephen  meant  to  affirm  that  God 
appeared  to  Abraham  in  some  such  glo- 
rious or  splendid  manifestation,  by  which 
he  would  know  that  he  was  addressed 
by  God.  Stephen,  moreover,  evidently 
•ises  the  word  glory  to  repel  the  charge 
of  blasphemy  against  God,  and  to  show 
that  he  regarded  him  as  worthy  of  honour 
and  praise.  IT  Appeared,  &c.  In  what 
manner  he  appeared  is  not  said.  In  Gen. 
xii.  1,  it  is  simply  recorded  that  God  had 
said  unto  Abraham,  &c.  *^  To  our  father. 
I'he  Jews  valued  themselves  much  on 
being  the  children  of  Abraham.  Note, 
Matt.  iii.  9.  This  expression  was  there- 
fore well  calculated  to  conciliate  their 
minds.  IT  When  he  was  in  Mesopotamia. 
In  Gen.  xi.  31,  it  is  said  that  Abraham 
dwelt  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees.  The  word 
Mesopotamia  pi'operly  denotes  the  region 
between  the  two  rivers,  the  Euphrates 
md  the  Tigris.  Note,  Acts  ii.  9.  The 
name  is  Greek,  and  the  region  had  also 
other  names  before  the  Greek  name  was 
given  to  it.  In  Gen.  xi.  31 ;  xv.  7,  it  is 
called  Ur  of  the  Chaldees.  Mesopotamia 
and  Chaldea  might  not  exactly  coincide  ; 
but  it  is  evident  that  Stephen  meant  to 
say  that  Ur  was  in  the  country  afterwards 
called  Mesopotamia.  Its  precise  situation 
IS  unknown.  A  Persian  fortress  of  this 
name  is  mentioned  by  Ammianus  (xxv.  8), 
between  Nesibis  and  the  Tigris.  IT  Be- 
fore he  dwelt  in  Charran.  From  Gen.  xi. 
31,  it  would  seem  thatTerah  took  his  son 
Abraham  of  his  owti  accord,  and  removed 
to  Haran.  But  from  Gen.  xii.  1 ;  xv.  7,  it 
appears  that  God  had  commanded  Abra- 
ham to  remove,  and  he  so  ordered  it  irt 
his  providence  that  Terah  was  disposed 
to  remove  his  family  with  an  intention  of 
going  into  the  land  of  Canaan. — Charran. 
This  is  the  Greek  form  of  the  Hebrew 
word  Haran.  Gen.  xi.  31.  This  place  was 
also  in  Mesopotamia,  in  36°  52'  N.  lat.  and 
39°  5'  E.  Ion.  Here  Terah  died  (Gen.  xi. 
32) ;  and  to  this  place  Jacob  retired  when 
he  fled  from  his  brother  Esau.  Gen.  xxvii. 
43  It  is  situated  "in  a  flat  and  sandy 
plain,  and  is  inhabited  by  a  few  wan-  I 


kindred,  and   come   into    the 
which  I  shall  shew  thee. 


115 

.and 


dering  Arabs,  who  select  it  for  the  de- 
licious water  which  it  contains  "  [Robin- 
son''s  Calmet.) 

3.  And  said  unto  him.  How  long  this 
was  said  unto  him  before  he  went  is  not 
recorded.  Moses  simply  says  that  God 
had  commanded  him  to  go.  Gen.  xii.  1. 
IF  Thy  kindred.  Thy  relatives,  or  famiiy 
connexions.  It  seems  that  l^rah  wenl 
with  him  as  far  as  to  Haran;  but  A  bra 
ham  was  apprized  that  he  was  to  leave 
his  family,  and  to  go  almost  alone.  IT  Into 
the  land,  fee.  The  country  was  yet  un- 
known. 'i''he  place  w'as  to  be  shown  him. 
This  is  presented  in  the  New  Testament 
as  a  strong  instance  of  faith.  Heb.  xi.  8,  9. 
It  was  an  act  oi  simple  confidence  in  God. 
And  to  leave  his  country  and  home ;  to 
go  into  a  land  of  strangers,  not  knowing 
whither  he  went,  required  strong  confi- 
dence in  God.  It  is  a  simple  illustration 
of  what  man  is  always  refjuired  to  do,  at 
the  commands  of  God.  Thus  the  gospel 
requires  him  to  commit  all  to  God ;  to 
yield  body  and  soul  to  his  disposal ;  and 
to  be  ready  at  his  command  to  forsake 
father  and  mother,  and  friends,  and 
houses,  and  lands,  for  the  sake  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Luke  xiv.  33.  Matt.  xu. 
27.  29.  The  trials  which  Abraham 
might  have  anticipated  may  be  readJy 
conceived.  He  was  going,  in  a  fada 
and  barbarous  age  of  the  world,  into  a 
land  of  strangers.  He  was  without  arms 
or  armies,  almost  alone.  He  did  not  even 
know  the  nature  or  situation  of  the  land, 
or  the  character  of  its  inhabitants.  He 
had  no  title  to  it;  no  claim  to  urge;  and 
he  went  depending  on  the  simple  promise 
of  God  that  he  would  give  it  to  him.  He 
went,  therefore,  trusting  simply  to  the 
promise  of  God.  And  thus  his  conduct 
illustrated  precisely  what  we  are  to  do  in 
all  the  future — in  reference  to  all  our 
coming  life,  and  to  the  eternity  before 
us — we  are  to  trust  simply  to  the  promise 
of  God,  and  do  that  which  he  requires 
This  is  faith.  In  Abraham  it  was  as  sim 
pie  and  intelligible  an  operation  of  minrf 
as  ever  occurs  in  any  instance.  Nor  is  faitk 
in  the  Scripture  regarded  as  more  rayste 
rious  than  any  other  mental  operation 
Had  Abraham  seen  all  that  was  to  resuU 
from  his  going  into  that  land,  it  wouhl 
have  been  sufficient  reason  to  induce  hinj 
to  do  as  he  did.  But  God  saw  it;  and 
Abraham  was  required  to  act  just  as  if 
he  had  seen  it  all,  s.nd  all  the  reason* 
why  he  wa^s  called.    On  the  strength  of 


116 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


4  Theii  "  came  he  out  of  the 
land  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  dwelt 
in  Charran  :  and  from  thence,  when 
his  father  was  dead,  he  removed 
him  into  this  land,  wherein  ye  now 
dwell. 

a  Gen.l2.a. 


God's  promises  he  was  called  to  act  This 
was  faith.  It  did  not  require  him  to  act 
where  there  was  no  reason  for  his  so  act- 
fng,  but  where  he  did  not  see  the  reason. 
So  in  uU  cases  of  faith.  If  man  could  see 
all  that  God  sees,  he  would  perceive  rea- 
sons for  acting  as  God  requires.  But  the 
reasons  of  things  are  often  concealed,  and 
man  is  required  to  act  on  the  belief  that 
God  sees  reasons  why  he  should  so  act. 
To  act  under  the  proper  impression  of 
that  truth  which  God  presents,  is  faith ; 
as  simple  and  inteUigible  as  any  other 
act  or  operation  of  the  mind.  See  Note, 
Mark  xvi.  16. 

4.  Land  of  the  Chaldeans.  From  Ur  of 
the  Chaldees.  Gen.  xi.  31.  IT  When  his 
father  was  dead.  This  passage  has  given 
rise  to  no  small  difficulty  in  the  interpre- 
tation. The  difficulty  is  this:  From  Gen. 
xi.  20,  it  would  seem  that  Abraham  was 
Dorn  when  Terah  was  seventy  years  of 
age.  *'  And  Terah  lived  seventy  years, 
and  begat  Abram,  Nahor,  and  Ilaran." 
From  Gen.  xii.  4,  it  seems  that  Abraham 
was  seventy-five  years  of  age  when  he 
departed  from  Haran  to  Canaan.  The 
ago  of  Terah  was  therefore  but  one  hun- 
dred and  fortj'-five  years.  Yet  in  Gen. 
xi.  32,  it  is  said  that  Terah  was  two  hun- 
dred and  five  years  old  when  he  died  ; 
thus  leaving  sixty  years  of  Terah's  life 
beyond  the  time  when  Abraham  left  Ha- 
ran. Various  modes  have  been  proposed 
of  meeting  this  difficulty.  (1.)  Errors  in 
numbers  are  more  likely  to  occur  thaji  any 
other.  In  the  Samartian  copy  of  the  Pen- 
tateuch, it  is  said  that  Terah  died  in  Ha- 
ran at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  five 
years ;  which  would  suppose  that  his 
death  occurred  forty  years  before  Abra- 
ham left  Ilaran.  But  the  Hebrew,  Latin 
Vulgate,  Septuagint,  Syriac,  and  Arabic 
read  it  two  hundred  and  five  years.  (2.)  It 
is  not  affirmed  that  Abraham  was  bom 
just  at  the  time  when  Terah  was  seventy 
y(^uT»  of  age.  All  that  the  passage  in  Gen. 
xi  20  proves,  according  to  the  usual  mean- 
ing of  similar  expressions,  is,  that  Terah 
was  seventy  years  old  befort  he  had 
any  son.-),  and  that  the  three  were  born 
Biiosequently  to  that.  But  which  was 
oorn  first,  or  how  long  intervals  interven- 
ed between  their  bir'ii,  does  not  appear. 


5  And  he  gave  him  none  inherits 
ance  in  it,  no  not  so  much  as  to  set 
his  foot  on  :  yet  he  promised  *  that 
he  would  give  it  to  him  for  a  pos- 
session, and  to  his  seed  after  him, 
when  as  yet  he  had  no  child. 

2>Gen.]3.15. 


Assuredly  it  does  not  meari  that  all  were 
born  precisely  at  the  time  when  Terah 
was  seventy  years  of  age.  Neither  does 
it  appear  that  Abraham  was  the  oldest  of 
the  three.  The  sons  of  Noah  are  said  to 
have  been  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japheth 
(Gen.  v.  32);  yet  Japheth,  though  men- 
tioned last,  was  the  eldest.  (Gen.  x.  21.) 
As  Abraham  afterwards  became  much 
the  most  distinguished,  and  as  he  was  the 
father  of  the  Jewish  people,  of  whom  Mo- 
ses was  writing,  it  was  natural  that  he 
should  be  mentioned  first.  If  it  canivOt 
be  proved  <that  Abraham  was  the  eldest, 
as  assuredly  it  cannot  be,  then  there  is  no 
improbability  in  supposing  that  his  birth 
might  have  occurred  many  years  after 
Terah  was  seventy  years  of  age.  (3.)  Tho 
Jews  unanimously  affirm  that  Terah  re- 
lapsed into  idolatry  before  Abraham  left 
Haran ;  and  this  they  denominate  death, 
or  a  moral  death.  (Kuinoel.)  It  is  cer- 
tain, therefore,  that,  from  some  cause, 
they  were  accustomed  to  speak  of  Terah 
as  dead,  before  Abraham  left  him.  Ste- 
phen only  used  language  which  was  cus- 
tomary among  the  Jews,  and  would  use 
it,  doubtless,  correctly,  though  we  may 
not  be  able  to  see  precisely  how  it  can 
be  reconciled  with  the  account  in  Ge- 
nesis. 

5.  And  he  gave  him  none  inheritance. 
Abraham  led  a  wandering  life.  And  this 
passage  means,  that  he  did  not  himself 
receive  a  permanent  possession  or  resi- 
dence in  that  land.  The  only  land  which 
he  owned  was  the  field  which  he  pur- 
chased of  the  children  of  Heth,  for  a 
burial  place.  Gen.  xxiii.  As  this  was  ob- 
tained by  purchase,  and  not  by  the  direct 
gift  of  God,  and  as  it  was  not  designed 
for  a  residence,  it  is  said  that  God  gave 
him  no  inheritance.  It  is  mentioned  as  a 
strong  instance  of  his  faith,  that  he  should 
remain  there  without  a  permanent  resi- 
dence himself,  with  only  the  prospect 
that  his  children,  at  some  distant  period, 
would  inherit  it.  IT  Not  so  miirh  as  to  set 
his  foot  on.  This  is  a  proverbial  expres- 
sion, denoting  in  an  emphatic  manner 
that  he  had  no  land.  Dent.  ii.  5.  IT  Would 
pive  it  to  him.  Gen.  xiii.  15.  Alirahnmdid 
not  himself  possess  all  that  land  ;  and  the 
promise  is  evidently  equivalent  U)  sayinj 


A.  D.  33.  J 


CHAPTER  VII 


117 


6  And  God  spake  on  this  wise, 
That  "  his  seed  should  sojourn 
in  a  strange  land  ;    and  that  they 

a  Gen.15.13,16. 

that  it  should  be  conferred  on  the  family 
of  Abraham,  or  the  family  of  which  he 
was  the  father,  without  affirming  that  he 
should  himself  personally  possess  it.  It  is 
true,  however,  that  Abraham  himself  af- 
terwards dwelt  many  years  in  that  land 
as  his  home.  Gen.  xiii.  &c.  IT  For  a  pos- 
tession.  To  be  held  as  his  own  property. 
V  When  as  yet  he  had  no  child.  When 
there  was  no  human  probability  that  he 
would  have  any  posterity.  Comp.  Gen. 
IV.  2,  3;  xviii.  11,  12.  This  is  mentioned 
as  a  strong  instance  of  his  faith ;  "  who 
against  hope  believed  in  hope."  Rom. 
iv.  18. 

6.  Aiid  God  spake  on  this  wise.  In  this 
manner.  Gen.  xv.  13,  14.  IT  His  seed. 
His  posterity;  his  descendants.  IT  Should 
sojourn.  This  means  that  they  should 
have  a  temporary  residence  there.  The 
word  is  used  in  opposition  to  a  fixed,  per- 
manent home,  and  is  applied  to  travellers, 
or  foreigners.  ^  In  a  strange  land.  In 
the  Hebrew  (Gen.  xv.  13),  "Shall  be  a 
Btranger  in  a  land  that  is  not  theirs."  The 
land  of  Canaan  and  the  land  of  Egypt 
were  to  them  strange  lands,  though  the 
obvious  reference  here  is  to  the  latter. 
!r  Should  bring  them  into  bondage.  Or, 
should  make  them  slaves.  Ex.  i.  11. 
^  And  entreat  them  evil.  Should  oppress 
or  affiict  them.  H  Four  hundred  years. 
This  is  the  precise  time  wnich  is  men- 
tioned by  Moses.  Gen.  xv.  13.  Great  per- 
plexity has  been  experienced  in  explain- 
ing this  passage,  or  reconciling  it  with 
other  statements.  In  Ex.  xii.  40,  it  is  said 
that  their  sojourning  in  Egypt  was  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years.  Josephus 
(Antiq.  b.  ii.  ch.  ix.  $  1)  also  says  that  the 
time  in  which  they  were  in  Egypt  was 
tour  hundred  years;  though  in  another 
place  (Antiq.  b.  ii.  ch.  xv.  $  2)  he  says 
that  they  left  Egypt  four  hundred  and 
thirty  years  after  their  forefather  Abra- 
ham came  to  Canaan,  but  two  hundred 
and  fifteen  years  after  Jacob  removed  to 
Egypt.  Paul  also  (Gal.  iii.  17)  says  that  it 
was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  from 
the  time  when  the  promise  was  given  to 
Abraham  to  the  time  when  the  law  was 
givan  on  mount  Sinai.  The  Samaritan 
Pentateuch  says  also  (Ex.  xii.  40)  that  the 
"  dwelling  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  and  of 
their  fathers,  which  they  dwelt  in  (he  land 
of  Canaan,  and  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  was 
Rjur  hundred  and  thirty  years.'  The  same 


should  bdng  them  into  bondage, 
and  entreat  them  evil  four*  hund rail 
years. 

b  Ex.  12.40,41. 


is  the  version  of  the  Septuagint  A  part 
of  this  perplexity  is  removed  by  the  fact 
that  Stephen  and  Moses  use,  in  accord- 
ance with  a  very  common  custom,  rcund 
numbers  in  speaking  of  it,  and  thus  speak 
of  four  hundred  years  when  the  liter(U 
time  was  four  hundred  and  thirty.  The 
other  perplexities  are  not  so  easily  re- 
moved. From  the  account  which  Moses 
has  given  of  the  lives  of  certain  persons, 
it  would  seem  clear  that  the  time  which 
they  spent  in  Egypt  was  not  four  hundred 
years.  From  Gen.  xlvi.  8.  11,  it  appears 
that  Kohath  was  bom  wheii  Jacob  went 
into  Egypt.  He  lived  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  years.  Ex  vi.  18.  Amram, 
his  son,  and  the  father  of  Moses,  lived 
one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  years.  Ex. 
vi.  20.  Moses  was  eighty  years  old  when 
he  was  sent  to  Pharaoh.  Ex.  vii.  7.  The 
whole  time  thus  mentioned,  including  the 
time  in  which  the  father  lived  after  his 
sort  was  born,  was  only  three  hundred 
and  fifty  years.  Exclusive  of  that,  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  actual  time 
of  their  being  in  Egypt  could  not  have 
been  but  about  two  hundred  years,  ac- 
cording to  one  account  of  Josephus.  The 
question  then  is,  how  can  these  accounts 
be  reconciled  ?  The  only  satisfactory  way 
is  by  supposing  that  t?ie  four  hundred  and 
thirty  years  includes  the  whole  time  from 
the  calling  of  Abraham  to  the  departure 
from  Egypt.  And  that  this  w^as  the  fact 
is  probable  from  the  following  circum- 
stances.  (1.)  The  purpose  of  aZZ  the  nar- 
ratives on  this  subject  is  to  trace  the  pe- 
riod before  they  became  finally  settled  in 
the  land  of  Canaan.  During  aZi  this  period 
from  the  calling  of  Abraham,  they  were 
in  a  wandering,  unfixed  situation.  This 
constituted  substantially  one  period,  in 
eluding  all  their  oppressions,  hardships, 
and  dangers  ;  and  it  was  natural  to  have 
reference  to  this  entire  period  in  any  ac- 
count which  was  given.  (2.)  All  this  pe- 
riod was  properly  the  period  of  pror/zj>e, 
not  of  possession.  In  this  respect  the 
wanderings  of  Abraham  and  the  oppres- 
sions of  Egypt  came  under  the  same 
general  description.  (3.)  Abraham  was 
himself  occasionally  in  Egypt.  He  was 
unsettled ;  and  since  Egypt  was  so  pre- 
eminent  in  all  their  troubles,  it  was  natu- 
ral to  speak  of  all  their  oppressions  as 
having  occurred  in  that  country.  The 
phrase  "  residence   in   Egyj)f,"  or  "  in  a 


118 


THE  ACTS. 


[A    D.  33 


7  And  the  nation  to  wliom  they 
shall  be  in  bondage  will  I  judge, 
said  God:  ixnd  after  that  shall  they 
conae  forth,  and  serve  "  me  in  this 
place. 

8  And  ''  he  gave  him  the  cove- 
nant  of   circumcision.      And    so  '^ 

a  Ex.3.12.        tGen.n.2-11,         cGen.21.1-4. 


Strange  laid,"  would  come  to  be  synony- 
mous, and  would  denote  all  their  oppres- 
sions and  trials.  They  would  speak  of 
fheir  sufferings  as  having  been  endured 
in  Egypt,  because  their  aflUctions  there 
were  so  much  more  prominent  than  be- 
fore. (4.)  All  this  receives  countenance 
from  the  version  of  the  LXX.,  and  from 
the  Samaritan  text,  showing  the  manner 
in  which  the  ancient  Jews  were  accus- 
tomed to  understand  it.  (5.)  It  should  he 
added,  that  difliculties  of  chronology  are 
more  likely  to  occur  than  any  others; 
and  it  should  not  be  deemed  strange  if 
there  are  perplexities  of  this  kind  found 
in  ancient  writings  which  we  cannot  ex- 
plain. It  is  so  in  all  ancient  records ;  and 
all  that  is  usually  expected  in  relation  to 
such  difficulties  is  that  we  should  be  able 
to  present  a  probable  explanation. 

7.  Arid  the  nation,  &c.  Referring  par- 
ticularly to  the  Egyptians.  IT  Will  I  judge. 
The  word  judge  in  the  Bible  often  means 
to  execute  judgment,  as  well  as  to  pro- 
nounce it ;  that  is,  to  punish.  See  John 
xviii.  31;  iii.  17;  viii.  50;  xii.  47.  Acts 
xxiv.  6.  1  Cor.  v.  13,  &c.  It  has  this 
meaning  here.  God  regarded  their  op- 
pressive acts  as  deserving  his  indignation, 
and  he  evinced  it  in  the  plagues  with 
which  he  visited  them,  and  m  their  over- 
tlirow  in  the  Red  sea.  IT  Shall  serve  me. 
Shall  worship  me,  or  be  regarded  as  my 
people.  IT  In  this  place.  'I'hat  is,  in  the 
place  where  God  made  this  promise  to 
Abraham.  These  words  are  not  found  in 
Genesis;  but  similar  words  are  found  in 
Kx.  iii.  12 ;  and  it  was  a  practice  in  mak- 
ing quotatioas,  to  quote  the  sense  only,  or 
to  connect  two  or  more  promises  having 
relation  to  the  same  thing. 

8.  And  he  gave  him.  That  is,  God  ap- 
pointed or  commanded  this.  Gen.  xvii.  9 
— 13.  IT  The  covenant.  The  word  cove- 
nant denotes  properly  a  compact  or  agree- 
ment between  two  or  more  persons,  usu- 
ally attended  with  seals,  or  pledges,  or 
mnt  J.ons.  In  Gen.  xvii.  7,  and  elsewhere, 
it  i.s  sail  that  God  would  establish  his 
(ocenanf  with  Abrah;un  ;  tlmf  is,  lie  ma<le 

un  cejtain  delinite  promisep.  attended  | 


Abraham  begat  Isaac,  and  circum 
cised  him  the  eighth  day :  and  Isaao 
■^  begat  Jacob  ;  and  Jacob '  degat  lh« 
twelve  patriarchs, 

9  And  the  patriarchs,  moved  with 
•/^envy,  sold  Joseph  into  Egypt ;  bu 
f  God  was  with  him. 


d  Gen.25.2 
P8.105.17. 


«  Gen.29.32,&c. 
g  GeD.39.2  21. 


/  Gei.ST  H 


with  pledges  and  seals,  &c.    The  idea  of 
a  strict  compact  or  agreement  between  God 
and  man,  as  between  equal  parlies,  is  not 
found  in  the  Bible.   It  is  commonly  used, 
as  here,  to  denote  a  promise  on  the  pari 
of  God,  attended  with  pledges,  and  de- 
manding, on  the  part  of  man,  in  order  to 
avail  himself  of  its  benefits,  a  stipulated 
course  of  conduct.   The  covenant  is  there- 
fore another  name  for  denoting  two  things 
on  the  part  of  God :  (1.)  A  command,  which 
man  is  not  at  liberty  to  reject,  as  he  would 
be  if  a  literal  covenant;  and  (2.)  A  pro- 
mise, which  is  to  be  fulfilled  only  on  the 
condition  of  obedience.     The  covenant 
with  Abraham  was  simply  a  promise  to 
give  him  the  land,  and  to  make  him  a 
great  nation,  &c.     It  was  never  proposed 
to  Abraham  with  the  supposition  that  he 
was  at  liberty  to  reject  it,  or  to  refuse  to 
comply  with  its  conditions.   Circumcision 
was  appointed  as  the  marTi  or  indication 
that  Abraham  and  those  thus  designated 
were  the  persons  included  in  the  gracious 
purpose  and  promise.     It  served  to  sepa 
rate  them  as  a  peculiar  people  ;  a  peopl* 
whose  peculi'^.r  characteristic  it  was  tha' 
thev  obeyed   and  served  the  God  who 
had  made  the  promise  to  Abraham.    The 
phrase  "covenant  of  circumcision"  means 
therefore,  the  covenant  or  promise  which 
God  made  to  Abraham,  of  which  circum- 
cision was  the    distinguishing  mark  or 
sign.   ^  The  twelve  patriarchs.   The  word 
patriarch  properly  denotes  the  father  and 
ruler  of  a  family.     But  it  is  commonV 
applied,  by  way  of  eminence,  to  the  pro 
gonitors  of  Uie  Jewish  race,  particularly 
to  tho  twelve  sons  of  Jacob.    Note,  Acta 
ii.  29. 

9.  Moved  with  envy.  That  is,  dissalia 
fled  with  the  favour  which  their  father 
Jacob  showed  Joseph,  and  envious  at  the 
dreams  which  indicated  that  he  was  to 
be  raised  to  remarkable  honour  above 
his  parents  and  brethren.  Gen.ixxvii.  3- 
11.  1i  Sold  Joseph  into  Egypt.  Sold  hinu. 
tiiat  ho  might  l)e  taken  to  Kgypt.  This 
was  done  at  the  suggestion  oCJudah,  whc 
advised  it  that  Joseph  might  not  bo  pn 
in  death  by  his  brethren      Con.  \\t\b 


^..  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


lis 


10  And  delivered  hiin  out  of  all 
his  afflictions,  and  gave  him  favour 
and  wisdom  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh 
king  of  Egypt ;  and  ho  *  made  him 
governor  over  Egypt  and  all  his 
house. 

11  Now  ''there  came  a  dearth 
ever  al.  the  land  of  Egypt  and  Cha- 
r.aan,  and  great  affliction ;  and  our 
fathers  found  no  sustenance. 

12  But  *=  when  Jacob  heard  that 
there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  he  sent 
out  our  fathers  first. 

13  And  at  the  second  time  Jo- 

«Gen.41.40.  i  Gen.41.54.  cGen.42.1,2, 


28. — It  is  possible  that  Stephen,  by  this 
fact,  might  have  designed  to  prepare  the 
way  for  a  severe  rebuice  of  the  Jews  for 
having  dealt  in  a  similar  manner  with 
their  Messiah.  IT  But  God  was  with  him. 
Grod  protected  him,  and  overruled  all 
these  wicked  doings,  so  that  he  was 
raised  to  extraordinary  honours. 

10.  And  delivered  him,  &c.  That  is, 
restored  him  to  liberty  from  his  servitude 
and  humiliation,  and  raised  him  up  to 
high  honours  and  offices  in  Egypt.  IT  Fa- 
vour and  wisdom.  The  favour  was  the 
result  of  his  wisdom.  His  wisdom  was 
particularly  evinced  in  interpreting  the 

.dreams  of  Pharaoh.  Gen.  xli.  IT  A7id 
made  him  governor,  &c.  Gen.  xli.  40. 
IT  All  his  house.  All  the  family,  or  all  the 
court  and  government,  of  the  nation. 

1 1.  Now  there  came  a  dearth.  A  famine. 
Gen.  xli.  54.  IT  And  Chanaan.  Jacob  was 
living  at  that  time  in  Canaan.  IT  Found 
no  sustenance.  No  food;  no  means  of 
living. 

12.  Was  corn  in  Egypt.  The  word 
corn  here  rather  denotes  wheat.  Note, 
Matt.  xii.  1.  ^  Our  fathers.  His  ten  sons; 
all  his  sons  except  Joseph  and  Benjamin. 
Gen.  xlii.  Stephen  here  refers  only  to 
the  history,  without  entering  into  details. 
By  this  general  reference  he  sufficiently 
showed  that  ho  believed  what  Moses  had 
«Doken,  and  did  not  intend  to  show  him 
disrespect. 

13.  Joseph  was  made  known.  Gen.  xlv. 
4.  ^  Joseph's  kindred,  &c.  His  relatives ; 
hii  fkaily.  Gen.  xlv.  16. 

a.  All  his  kindred.  His  father,  and 
fanjtly.  Gen.  xlv.  17—28;  xlvi.  1—26. 
IT  'Iltreescore  and  fifteen  souls.  Seventy- 
five  persons.  There  has  been  much  per- 
plexity felt  in  the  explanation  of  this  pas- 
sage. In  Gen.  xlvi.  26.  Ex.  i.  5.  and  Deut. 
<. '-???.  it  is  expressly  said  that  the  number 


seph  '^  vvaS  made  known  tj  his  bre- 
thren ;  and  Joseph's  kindled  was 
made  known  unto  Pharaoh. 

14  Then  sent  Joseph,  and  called 
his  father  Jacob  to  him^  and  all'hia 
kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen  souls. 

15  So  Jacob  went  down  into 
Egypt,  and  died,  he,  and  our  fa 
thers, 

16  And  were  carried -^  over  inta 
Sychem,  and  laid  in  the  sepulchre 
that  Abraham  bought  for  a  sum  of 
money  of  the  sons  of  Emmor  the 
father  of  Sychem. 

d  Gen.45.4,16.        eGen.46.27.De.10.22.      /Jo«.24.32. 

which  went  dowTi  to  Egypt  consisted  of 
but  seventy  persons.  The  question  is,  in 
what  way  these  accounts  can  be  recon- 
ciled ?  It  is  evident  that  Stephen  has  fol- 
lowed the  account  which  is  given  by  the 
Septuagint.  In  Gen.  xlvi.  27,  that  version 
reads,  "But  the  sons  of  Joseph  who  were 
v.'ith  him  in  Egypt,  were  nine  so;i!«  :  nil 
the  souls  of  the  house  of  Jacob  v.liich 
came  with  Jacob  into  Egypt,  were  seven- 
ty-five souls."  This  number  is  made  out 
by  adding  these  nine  souls  to  the  sixty- 
six  mentioned  in  ver.  26.  The  difference 
between  the  Septuagint  and  Moses  is, 
that  the  former  mentions  five  des^cendants 
of  Joseph  who  ar^  not  -f^cordetl  by  the 
latter.  The  names  of  the  sons  of  f^phraira 
and  Manasseh  are  recorded  in  1  Chron. 
vii.  14 — 21.  Their  names  were  Ashriel, 
Machir,  Zelophehad,  Peresh,  sons  of  Ma- 
nasseh ;  and  Shuthelah,  son  of  Ephraim. 
Why  the  Septuagint  inserted  these,  it  may 
not  be  easy  to  see.  But  such  was  evi 
dently  the  fact;  and  the  fact  accords  ac- 
curately with  the  historic  record,  though 
Moses  did  not  insert  their  names.  The 
solution  of  difficulties  in  regard  to  chro- 
nology is  always  difficult ;  and  what 
might  be  entirely  apparent  to  a  Jew  in 
the  time  of  Stephen,  may  be  wholly  in- 
explicable to  us. 

15,  16.  And  died.  Gen.  xlix.  33.  If  Ht 
and  our  fathers.  The  time  which  the  Is- 
raelites  remained  in  Egypt  was  two  bun 
dred  and  fifteen  years ;  so  that  all  the 
sons  of  Jacob  were  deceased  before  the 
Jews  went  out  to  go  to  the  land  of  Ca. 
naan.  H  And  were  carried  over.  Jacob 
liimself  was  buried  in  the  field  of  Mac- 
pelah,  by  Joseph  and  his  brethren.  Gea 
1.  13.  It  is  expressly  said  that  the  bonea 
of  Joseph  were  carried  by  the  Israehtc-3 
when  they  wer.t  into  jhe  ]^nd  of  Canaan, 
and  bured  in  Shechem.     Josh  xxiv.  22 


V20 

17  But  when  the  time  of  the 
piomifie  diew  nigh,  which  God 
liad  sworn  to  Abraham,  the  people 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  Sa 

"  grew   and   multiplied   in  Egypt, 
18  Till  another  king  arose,  which 
knew  not  Joseph. 

a  Ex.  1.7-9 


Comp.  Gen.  1.  25.  No  mention  is  made 
in  the  Old  Testament  of  their  carrj-ing  the 
bones  of  any  of  the  other  patriarchs ;  but 
the  thing  is  highly  probable  in  itself.  If 
the  descendants  of  Joseph  carried  his 
Iwnes,  it  would  naturally  occur  to  them 
to  take  also  the  bones  of  each  of  the  pa- 
triarchs, and  give  them  an  honourable 
sepulchre  together  in  the  land  of  promise. 
Josephus  (Antiq.  b.  ii.  ch.  viii.  $  2)  says 
that  "  the  posterity  and  sons  of  these  men 
(of  the  brethren  of  Joseph),  after  some 
time,  carried  their  bodies  and  buried 
them  in  Hebron ;  but  as  to  the  bones  of 
Joseph,  they  carried  them  into  the  land 
of  Canaan  afterward,  when  the  Hebrews 
went  out  of  Egypt."  This  is  the  account 
which  Josephus  gives,  and  it  is  evidently 
in  accordance  with  the  common  opinion 
of  the  Jewish  writers  that  they  were 
buried  in  Hebron.  Yet  the  tradition  is 
not  uniform.  Some  of  the  Jews  affirm 
that  ihey  were  buried  in  Sychem.  {Kui- 
noeL)  As  the  Scriptures  do  not  any  where 
deny  that  the  fathers  were  buried  in  Sy- 
chem, it  cannot  be  proved  that  Stephen 
was  in  error.  There  is  one  circumstance 
of  strong  probability  to  show  that  he  was 
correct.  At  the  time  this  defence  was 
delivered,  Sychem  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  Samaritans,  between  whom  and 
the  Jews  there  was  a  violent  hostility. 
Of  course  the  Jews  would  not  be  will- 
ing to  concede  that  the  Samaritans 
had  the  bones  of  their  ancestors;  and 
hence  perhaps  the  opinion  had  been 
maintained  that  they  were  buried  in 
Hebron.  IT  hilo  Sychem.  This  was  a 
town  or  village  near  to  Samaria.  It  was 
called  Sichar  (Note,  John  iv.  5),  Shechem, 
and  Sychem.  It  is  now  called  Naplons, 
or  Napolose,  and  is  ten  miles  from  Shiloh, 
nnd  about  forty  from  Jerusalem,  towards 
the  north.  IT  That  Abraham  bov^ht.  The 
word  Abraham  here  has  given  rise  to 
considerable  perplexity ;  and  it  is  now 
pretty  generally  conceded  that  it  is  a  mis- 
liike.  It  is  certain,  from  Gen.  xxxiii.  19. 
and  .U).sh.  xxiv.  32,  that  this  piece  of  land 
y,(i8  bought,  not  by  Abraham,  but  by  Ja- 
cob, of  the  sons  of  Hamor,  the  father  of 
Shechem.  The  land  which  Abraham 
purchased  was  the  cave  of  Macpelah,  of 
the  sons  of  Hefh,  in  Hebron.  Gen.  xxiii. 
Various  solutions  liave  been  proiK)sed  of 
'.h'fj  (ILTiciilty,  whif  li  it  is  not  nocossary 
k)  delfiil.    It  may  bo  remarked,  however, 


(1.)  That  as  the  text  now  stands,  it  is  an 
evident  error.  This  is  clear  from  the 
passages  cited  from  the  Old  Testament, 
above.  (2.)  It  is  not  at  all  probable  thai, 
either  Stephen  or  Luke  would  have  com 
mitted  such  an  error.  Every  considera- 
tion must  lead  us  to  the  conclusion  thnJ 
they  were  too  well  acquainted  with  such 
prominent  points  of  the  Jewish  history  to 
commit  an  error  like  this.  (3.)  The  pro- 
bahility,  therefore,  is,  that  the  error  has 
arisen  since ;  but  how,  is  not  known,  nor 
is  there  any  way  of  ascertaining.  All  the 
ancient  versions  agree  in  reading  Abra 
ham.  One  MS.  only  reads  "  Abraham  out 
father."  Some  have  supposed,  therefore, 
that  it  was  written  "  which  our  father 
bought,"  and  that  some  early  transcribei 
inserted  the  name  of  Abraham.  Others, 
that  the  name  was  omitted  entirely  by 
Stephen  ;  and  then  the  antecedent  to  the 
verb  "  bought"  will  be  "Jacob,"  in  ver 
15,  according  with  the  fact.  Other  modes 
have  been  proposed  also,  but  none  are 
entirely  satisfactory.  If  there  was  posi 
tive  proof  of  Stephen's  inspiration,  or  if 
it  were  necessary  to  make  that  out,  the 
difficulty  would  be  much  greater.  But 
it  has  already  been  remarked  that  there 
is  no  decisive  evidence  of  that :  and  it  is 
not  necessary  to  make  out  that  point  to 
defend  the  Scriptures.  All  that  can  be 
demanded  of  the  historian  is,  that  he 
should  give  a  fair  account  of  the  defence 
as  it  was  delivered ;  and  though  the  pro- 
bability is  that  Stephen  would  not  commit 
such  an  error,  yet,  admitting  that  he  did. 
it  by  no  means  proves  that  ZwAre  was  not 
inspired,  or  that  Luke  has  committed  any 
error  in  recording  what  vms  actually  saia. 
H  Of  the  sons  of  Emmor.  In  the  Hebrew 
(Gen.  xxxiii.  19),  "the  children  of  Hamor" 
— but  different  ways  of  rendering  tha 
same  word. 

17.  The  time  of  the  promise.  The  time 
of  the  fvlflment  of  the  promise.  H  Th* 
people  prew,  &c.     Ex.  i.  7 — 9. 

18.  Till  another  hinir  arose.  This  is 
quoted  from  Ex.  i.  8.  VVhat  was  the  navit 
of  this  king  is  not  certainly  known.  The 
common  name  of  nil  the  kings  of  Egypt 
was  I'hcraoh,  as  Ccrsar  beoame  the  com 
moil  iiar.ie  of  the  emperors  of  Rome  after 
the  time  of  Julius  Cirsar:  thus  we  say,  An 
pnstus  Cn-sar,  Til)crins  Cnrsar.  Ac.  It  ha« 
(■nn\monIy  'nrr-n  Kupjiosnd  lo  have  i)een 
the  celebrated  Rameses,  or  Ramses  Me"i 


A..  D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  Vll. 


12j 


19  Th«  same  dealt  subtilly  with 
Dur  kindred,  and  evil-entreated  our 
fathers,  so  "  that  they  cast  out  their 
young  children,  to  the  end  they 
migh^  not  live. 

'20  In  which  time  Moses  ''  was 
born,  and  was  '  exceeding  fair,  and 

a  Ez.].22.  iEs.2.2,&c.  i  or,  fair  to  God, 


arccun,  tlie  sirlh  king  of  the  eighteenth 
dynasty;  and  the  event  is  supposed  to 
have  occurred  about  1559  years  before 
•the  Christian  era.  But  M.  Champollion 
Rupposes  that  his  name  was  Mandonei, 
whose  reign  commenced  1585,  and  ended 
15t»5  yeais  before  Christ.  (Essay  on  the 
Hieroglyphic  System,  pp.  94,  95.)  ^  That 
knew  not  Joseph.  It  can  hardly  be  sup- 
posed that  he  would  be  ignorant  of  the 
name  and  deeds  of  Joseph ;  and  this  ex- 
pression, therefore,  prooably  means  that 
he  did  not  favour  the  designs  of  Joseph ; 
he  did  not  remember  the  benefits  he  had 
conferred  on  the  nation;  or  furnish  the 
patronage  for  the  kindred  of  Joseph  which 
cad  been  secured  for  them  by  Joseph 
jndet  a  former  reign. — National  ingrati- 
tude and  forgetfulness  of  favours  have  not 
been  uncommon  in  the  world;  and  a 
change  of  dynasty  or  succession  has  often 
obliterated  all  memory  of  former  obliga- 
tions and  compacts. 

19.  Dealt  subtilly.  He  acted  deceit- 
fully ;  he  used  fraud.  The  cunning  or 
deceitful  attempt  which  is  referred  to,  is 
hi»eiideavour  to  weaken  and  destroy  the 
Jewish  people  by  causing  their  male  chil- 
dren to  be  put  to  death.  Ex.  i.  22.  IT  Our 
kindred.  Our  nation,  or  our  ancestors. 
^  And  evil-entreated.  Was  unjust  and 
cruel  towards  them.  IT  So  that,  &c.  For 
that  purpose,  or  to  carise  them  to  cast 
them  out.  He  dealt  with  them  in  this 
cruel  manner,  hoping  that  the  Israelites 
themselves  would  destroy  their  owti  sons, 
-hat  they  might  not  grow  up  to  experience 
the  same  sufferings  as  their  fathers  had. 
The  cunning  or  subtilty  of  Pharaoh  ex- 
tended to  every  thing  that  he  did  to  op- 
press, to  keep  under,  and  to  destroy  the 
children  of  Israel. 

20.  In  which  time,  &c.  During  this 
period  of  oppression.  .See  Ex.  ii.  2,  &e. 
^  Was  exceeding  fair.  Greek,  "  was  fair 
I'    God;"    proprrly  rendered   was  very 

ands'/me.  The  word  God  is  used  in  the 
rireek  here  in  accordance  with  the  He- 
Orew  usage,  by  which  any  thing  that  is 
very  handsome,  ui  lofty,  or  grand,  is  thus 
designated.  Thus,  Ps.  xxxvi.  7,  moun'aiv; 
if  God  mean  loftv  mountains ;  Ps.  Iiy v  , 
L 


nourished  ujx»in  his  father's  house 
three  months  : 

21  And  when  he  was  cast  out, 
Pharaoh's  daughter  took  him  up, 
and  "  nourished   him  for  her  own 


son. 


And  Moses  was  learned  in  all 

c£x.a.'0.  ^ 


11,  cedars  of  God,  mean  lofty,  beautiful 
cedars.  Thus  Nineveh  is  called  "  a  great 
city  to  God"  (Jonah  iii.  3,  Greek),  mean- 
ing a  very  great  city.  The  expression 
here  means  simply  that  Moses  was  very 
fair,  or  handsome.  Comp.  Heb.  xi.  23, 
where  he  is  called  "b.  proper  child,"  i.  e. 
a  tiandsome  child.  It  would  seem  from 
this,  that  Moses  was  preserved  by  his 
mother  on  account  of  his  beauty ;  and 
this  is  hinted  at  in  Ex.  ii.  2.  And  it  would 
also  seem  from  this,  that  Pharaoh  had 
succeeded  by  his  oppressions  in  what  he 
had  attempted ;  and  that  it  was  not  un- 
usual for  parents  among  the  Jews  to  ex- 
pose their  children,  or  to  put  them  to 
death. 

21.  Wax  cast  out.  When  he  was  ex- 
posed on  the  banks  of  th?  Nile.  Ex.  ii.  8. 
II  And  nourished  him.  Adopted  him,  and 
treated  him  as  her  son.  Ex.  ii.  10.  It  is 
implied  in  this,  that  he  was  educated  by 
her.  An  adopted  son  in  the  family  of 
Pharaoh  would  be  favoured  with  all  the 
advantages  which  the  land  could  fiu-nish 
for  an  education. 

22.  Moses  was  learned.  Or,  was  m- 
strucled.  It  does  not  mean  that  he  had 
that  learning,  but  that  he  was  carefully 
trained  or  educated  in  that  wisdom.  The 
passage  does  not  express  the  fact  that 
Moses  was  distinguished  for  learning,  but 
that  he  was  carefully  educated,  or  that 
pains  were  taken  to  make  him  learned. 
11  In  all  the  wisdom,  &c.  The  learning  of 
the  Egyptians  was  confined  chiefly  to  as- 
trology, to  the  interpretation  of  dreams 
to  medicine,  to  mathemahcs,  and  to  their 
sacred  science  or  traditionary  doctrines 
about  religion,  which  were  concealeo 
chiefly  under  their  hieroglyphics.  Their 
learning  is  not  unfrequently  spoken  of  in 
the  Scriptures.  1  Kings  iv.  30.  Comp.  Isa. 
XIX.  11, 12.  And  their  knowledge  is  equal- 
ly celebrated  in  the  heathen  vvorld.  It  is 
known  that  science  was  carried  from 
Eg>'pt  to  Phenicia,  a.id  thence  to  Greece ; 
and  not  a  few  of  the  Grecian  philosophers 
travelled  to  Egypt  in  pursuit  of  know- 
ledge. IT  And  was  mignty.  Was  power- 
ful, or  was  distinguis'hed.  This  meanf 
that  he  was  eminent  in  Egypt,  before  ht 


122 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


the  wisdom  of  the  Elgyptians,  and 
'  was  mighty  in  words  and  in  deeds. 

23  And  *  when  he  was  full  forty 
years  old,  it  came  into  his  heart  to 
visit  his  brethen  the  children  of  Is- 
rael. 

24  And  seeing  one  of  them  suffer 
jwrong,  he  defended  him,  and  aveng- 
ed him  that  was  oppressed,  and 
smote  the  Egyptian : 

25  For '  he  supposed  his  brethren 
would    have  understood   how  that 

aLu.24.19,  fc  Ex.2.11,&c.  i  or,  AWj. 


conducted  the  children  of  Israel  forth. 
It  refers  to  his  addresses  to  Pharaoh,  and 
to  the  miracles  which  he  wrought  before 
fheir  departure.  IT  In  words.  From  Ex. 
IV.  10,  it  seems  that  Moses  was  "  slow  of 
speech,  and  of  a  slow  tongue."  When  it 
is  said  that  he  was  mighty  in  words,  it 
means  that  he  was  mighty  in  his  commu- 
nications to  Pharaoh,  though  they  were 
spoken  by  his  brother  Aaron.  Aaron  was 
in  his  place,  and  Moses  addressed  Pha- 
raoh through  him,  who  was  appointed  to 
deliver  the  message.  Ex.  iv.  II — 16. 
IT  Deeds.     Miracles.   Ex.  vii.  &c. 

23.  Full  forty  years  of  age.  This  is  not 
recorded  in  the  Old  Testament ;  but  it  is 
a  constant  tradition  of  the  Jews  that  Mo- 
ses was  forty  years  of  age  when  he  un- 
dertook to  deliver  them.  Thus  it  is  said, 
"  Moses  lived  in  the  palace  of  Pharaoh 
forty  years ;  he  was  forty  years  in  Midi- 
aii;  and  he  ministered  to  Israel  forty 
years."  {Kuinoel.)  IT  To  visit,  &c.  Pro- 
bably with  a  view  of  delivering  them 
from  their  oppressive  bondage.  Comji. 
ver.  25. 

24.  Suffer  wrong.  The  wrong  or  injury 
was,  that  the  Egyptian  was  smiting  the 
Hebrew.  Ex.  ii.  11,  12.  IT  iSmote  the 
Egyptian.  lie  slew  him,  and  buried  him 
in  the  sand. 

25.  Ihr  he  supposed.  This  is  not  men- 
tioned by  Moses;  but  it  is  not  at  all  im- 
probable. When  they  saw  him  alone 
contending  with  the  Egyptian,  when  it 
was  understood  that  he  had  corne  and 
taken  vengeance  on  one  of  their  oppres- 
sors, it  might  have  been  presumed  that 
ho  regarded  himself  as  directed  by  God 
to  interpoKO,  and  save  the  people. 

26.  And  the  next  day.  Ex.  ii.  13.  %  lie 
shewed  kimsflf.  He  appeared  in  a  sud- 
den and  unexpected  manner'  to  them. 
%  Uvto  them.  That  ik,  to  two  of  the  Ile- 
Drews.  Ex.  ii.  IS  ^  As  they  strove.  As 
they  were  engaged  ni  a  (jimrrel.  H  Have 
tet  them  at  one     Greek.   "  would    Ijave 


God   by   his   hand   would    delivei 
them  :  but  they  understood  not. 

26  And  the  next  day  he  shewed 
himself  unto  them  as  they  strove, 
and  would  have  set  them  at  one 
again,  saying,  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren 
why  do  ye  wrong  one  to  another  ? 

27  But  he  that  did  his  neighboui 
wrong  thrust  him  away,  saying, 
Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge 
over  us  1 

28  Wilt  thou   kill   me   as   thou 


urged  them  to  peace."  Thie  he  did  by 
remonstrating  with  the  man  that  did  the 
wrong.  IT  Saying.  What  follows  is  not 
quoted  literally  from  the  account  which 
Moses  gives,  but  it  is  substantially  the 
same.  II  Sir?.  Greek,  "  men  "  IT  Ye  are 
brethren.  You  belong  not  only  to  the 
same  nation,  but  you  are  orethren  and 
companions  in  affliction,  and  should  not, 
therefore,  contend  with  each  other. — One 
of  the  most  melancholy  scenes  in  this 
world  is  that,  where  those  who  are  poor, 
and  afflicted,  and  oppressed,  add  to  all 
their  other  calamities,  altercations  and 
strifes  among  themselves.  Yet  it  is  from 
this  class  that  contentions  and  lawsuits 
usually  arise.  The  address  which  Muses 
here  makes  to  the  contending  Jews, 
might  be  applied  to  the  whole  human 
family,  in  view  of  the  contentions  and 
wars  of  nations ;  '  Ye  are  brethren,  mem- 
bers of  the  same  great  family,  and  wh]^o 
you  contend  w  ith  each  other  V 

27.  But  he  that  did,  &c.  Intent  on  his 
purpose,  filled  with  rage  and  passion,  he 
rejected  all  interference,  and  all  attempts 
at  peace. — It  is  usually  the  man  that  doe.t 
the  injury  that  is  unwilling  to  be  recon- 
ciled ;  and  when  we  find  a  man  that  re- 
gards the  entreaties  of  his  friends  as  im- 
proper interference,  when  he  becomes 
increasingly  angry  when  we  exhort  him 
to  peace,  it  is  usually  a  strong  evidence 
that  he  is  conscious  that  he  has  been  at 
fault.  If  we  wish  to  reconcile  parties, 
we  should  go  first  to  the  man  that  hafi 
been  injured.  In  the  controversy  be- 
tween God  and  man,  it  is  the  sinner  who 
has  done  the  wrong,  that  is  unwilling  to 
be  reconciled,  and  not  Goil.  H  Hisneigh- 
bour.  The  Jew  with  whom  he  was  con- 
tending. IT  Who  made  thee,  Ac.  VVhal 
right  have  you  to  interfere  in  this  mat- 
ter? The  usual  salutation  with  which  a 
man  is  greeted  who  attempts  to  prevent 
quarrels. 

28    Will  thou  kill  me,  &c     How  it  was 


k.  D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  Vll. 


123 


where   he   begat   two 


didst  the  Egyptian  yesterday] 

29  Then  fled  Moses  at  this  say- 
ing ;  and  was  a  stranger  in  the  land 
of   Madian, 
sons. 


known  that  he  had  killed  the  Egyptia.i 
Joes  not  appear.  It  was  probably  com- 
mupicated  by  the  man  who  was  rescued 
from  the  hands  of  the  Egyptian.  Ex.  ii. 
11,  12. 

29.  Then  Moses  fled,  &c.  Moses  fled 
becayse  he  now  ascertained  that  it  was 
known.  He  supposed  that  it  had  been 
unobserved.  Ex.  ii.  12.  But  he  now  sup- 
posed that  the  knowledge  of  it  might 
reach  Pharaoh,  and  that  his  life  might 
thus  be  endangered.  Nor  did  he  judge 
incorrectly  \  Ibr  as  soon  as  Pharaoh  heard 
of  it,  he  sought  to  take  his  life.  Ex.  ii.  15. 
IT  Was  a  stranger.  Or  became  a  sojourner 
(T5^?eo<xo;),  one  who  had  a  temporary 
abode  in  the  land.  The  use  of  this  word 
implies  that  he  did  not  expect  to  make 
that  his  permanent  dwelling.  II  In  the 
land  of  Madian.  This  was  a  part  of  Ara- 
bia. It  was  situated  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Red  sea.  The  c«7i/of  Midian  is  placed 
there  by  the  Arabian  geographers;  but 
the  Midianites  seem  to  have  spread  them- 
selves along  the  desert  east  of  mount  Seir, 
to  the  vicinity  of  the  Moabites.  To  the  west 
they  extended  also  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  mount  Sinai.  This  was  extensively  a 
desert  region,  an  unknown  land  ;  and 
Moses  expected  there  to  be  safe  from 
Pharaoh.  IT  Where  he  begat  two  sons. 
He  married  Zipporah,  the  daughter  of 
lieuel  (Ex.  ii.  18),  or  Jethro  (Num.  x.  29. 
Ex.  iii.  1),  a  priest  of  Midian.  The  names 
of  the  two  sons  were  Gershom  and  Elie- 
zer.  Ex.  xviii.  3,  4. 

30.  Ajid  when  forty  years,  &c.  At  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  This,  however,  was 
known  by  tradition.  It  is  not  expressly 
mentioned  by  Moses.  It  is  said,  however, 
to  have  been  after  the  king  of  Egypt  had 
died  (Ex.  ii.  23) ;  and  the  tradition  is  not 
improbable.  IT  In  the  wilderness  of  mount 
Sinai.  In  the  desert  adjacent  to,  or  that 
surrounded  mo'jnt  Sinai.  In  Ex.  iii.  1,  it 
is  said  that  this  occurred  at  mount  Horeb. 
But  there  is  no  contradiction ;  Horeb  and 
Sinai  are  diflferent  peaks  or  elevations  of 
me  same  mountain.  They  are  represent- 
ed as  spnngmg  from  the  same  base,  and 
branching  out  in  different  elevations. 
The  mountains,  according  to  Burckhardt, 
are  a  prodigious  pile,  comprehending 
many  peaks,  and  about  thirty  miles  in 
diameter     From  one  nart  of  ibis  moun- 


30  And  "  whtn  forty  years  were 
expired,  there  appeared  to  him  in 
the  wilderness  of  mount  Sina,  an 
angel  of  the  Lord,  in  a  flame  of  fire 
in  a  bush. 


'ain,  Sinai,  the  law  was  given  to  the  chil 
dren  of  Israel.  ^  An  angel  of  the  Lord. 
The  word  angel  means  properly  a  me»' 
senger  (Note,  Matt.  i.  20),  and  is  applied 
to  the  invisible  spirits  in  heaven,  to  men, 
to  the  winds,  or  pestilence,  or  to  whatevef 
is  appointed  as  a  messenger  to  make  known 
the  will  of  God.  The  mere  name,  there, 
fore,  can  determine  nothing  about  tho 
nature  of  the  messenger.  That  name 
might  be  applied  to  any  messenger,  even 
an  inanimate  object.  The  nature  and 
character  of  this  messenger  are  to  be 
determined  by  other  considerations.  The 
word  may  denote  that  the  bush  on  flre 
was  the  messenger.  But  a  comparison 
with  the  other  places  where  this  occurs 
will  show  that  it  was  a  celestial  mes- 
senger, and  perhaps  that  it  was  the  Mes- 
siah who  was  yet  to  come,  appearing  to 
take  the  people  of  Israel  under  his  own 
charge  and  direction.  Comp.  John  i.  11, 
where  the  Jews  are  called  "his  own." 
In  Ex.  iii.  2,  it  is  said  that  the  angel  of  tho 
Lord  appeared  m  a  flame  of  flre  ;  in  ver. 
4,  it  is  said  that  Jehovah  spake  to  him  oul 
of  the  midst  of  the  bush  ;  language  which 
implies  that  God  was  there,  and  which  iss 
strongly  expressive  of  the  doctrine  thai 
the  angel  was  Jehovah.  In  Ex.  xxiii.  20. 
21,  God  says,  "I  send  an  angel  belijre 
thee,  to  keep  thee  in  the  way,  and  to 
bring  thee  into  the  place  which  I  have 
prepared.  Beware  of  him,  and  obey  his 
voice,"  &c.  ver.  23;  xxxii.  34;  xxxiii.  2 
In  all  these  places  this  angel  is  mentioned 
as  an  extraordinary  messenger  to  conduct 
them  to  the  land  of  Canaan.  He  was  to 
guide  them,  defend  them,  and  drive  out 
the  nations  before  them.  All  these  cir- 
cumstances seem  to  point  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  this  was  no  other  than  the  future 
Deliverer  of  the  world,  who  came  then  to 
take  his  people  under  his  own  guidance, 
as  emblematic  of  the  future  redemption 
of  mankind.  IT  In  a  flame  of  fire.  Tha! 
is,  in  what  appeared  to  be  a  flame  of  fire. 
The  bush  or  clump  of  trees  seemed  to  be 
on  fire,  or  to  be  illuminated  with  a  pecu 
liar  splendour.  God  is  often  represented 
as  encompassed  with  this  splencour,  or 
glory.  Luke  ii.  9.  Matt.  xvii.  1 — 5.  Acts 
ix.  3 ;  xii.  7.  IT  /n  a  bush.  In  a  grove,  or 
clump  of  trees.  Probably  the  light  was 
seen  ssuingfrora the  wiwZs^of such  agrov-s. 


124 


3  J  When  Moses  sav  it.  he  won- 
dered at  the  siffht:  and  as  he  drew 
near  to  behold  //,  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  came  unto  him, 

32  Sayings  I  am  the  God  "of  thy 
fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and 
the  God  cf  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob.  Then  Moses  trembled,  and 
durst  not  behold. 

33  Then  said  the  Lord  to  him, 
Put  ^  off  thy  shoes  from  thy  feet; 
for  the  place  where  thou  standest  is 
holy  ground. 

34  I  have  seen,  I  have  seen  the 
affliction  of  my  people  which  is  in 
Kg-ypt,   and    I    have    heard    their 

o  ALitt.22.32.  He.11.16.  h  Jos.5.15.  Ec.5.1. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  33 

groaning,  and  am  come,  down  to 
deliver  them.  And  now  come,  ] 
will  send  thee  into  Egypt. 

35  This  Moses,  whom  they  re- 
fused, (saying,  Who  made  thee  a 
ruler  and  a  judge?)  the  same  did 
God  send  to  he  a  ruler  and  a  deli- 
verer, by  the  hand  of  the  '  angel 
which  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush. 

36  He  brought  them  out,  after  " 
that  he  had  shewed  wonders  and 
signs  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in 
the  Red  sea,  and  in  the  wilderaess, 
forty  '  years. 

37  This  is  that  Moses  which 
said  f  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  A 

c  Ex.14. 19.  Nu.20.16.  d  Ex.  c.7,8.9,10,11,  &  14. 

eEx.16.35.       /  "^  *.18.;5,18.  c.3.22. 


31.  He  wondered,  &c.  What  particu- 
larly attracted  his  attention  was  the  fact 
that  the  bush  was  not  consumed.  Ex.  iii. 
2,  3.  "ir  The  voice  of  the  Lord.  Jehovah 
spake  to  him  from  the  midst  of  the  bush. 
ile  did  not  see  him,  but  he  simply  heard 
a  voice. 

32.  Saving,  lam  tlie  God,  &c.  See  this 
explained,  Notes,  Matt.  xxii.  32.  IT  Tlien 
Moses  trembled.  Ex.  iii.  6. 

33.  Then  said  the  Lord,  &c.  In  Ex.  iii. 
ihis  is  introduced  in  a  diflerent  order,  as 
oeing  sjioken  before  God  said  "  I  am  the 
God,"  &ic.  *A  Put  offlhy  shoes,  &c.  Ex.  iii.  5. 
To  put  off  the  shoes,'  or  sandals,  was  an 
ACt  of  reverence.  Especially  the  ancients 
were  not  permitted  to  enter  a  temple  or 
holy  place  with  their  shoes  on.  Indeed, 
it  was  customary  for  the  Jews  to  remove 
their  shoes  whenever  they  entered  any 
nonse,  as  a  mere  matter  of  civility.  Comp. 
Notes,  John  xiii.  5.  See  Josh.  v.  15.  1i  Is 
hoi  1/  ground.  Is  rendered  sacred  by  the 
gymbol  of  the  divine  presence.  We 
should  enter  the  sanctuary,  the  place  set 
apart  for  divine  worship,  not  only  with 
reverence  in  our  hearts,  but  with  every 
exlc~nnl  indication  of  veneration.  Solemn 
awe.  and  deep  seriousness,  become  the 
place  set  apart  to  the  service  of  God. 

34.  I  ham  seen,  &c  The  repetition  of 
thih  word  is  in  accordance  with  the  usage 
of  the  Hebrew  writers  when  they  wish 
to  represent  any  thing  emphatically. 
^  I'lifir  groaning.  Under  their  oppres- 
sions. '^  Am  come  down.  This  is  sjKiken 
in  accordance  with  liuman  conceptions. 
It  means  that  Cod  was  about  to  deliver 
llicm.  IT  /  vuli  send  t/ire,  &c.  This  is  a 
mere  .nummary  of  what  is  expressed  at 
miich  Kreater  lenflth  in  Ex.  iii.  7 — 10. 


35.  Whom  they  refused.  That  is,  when 
he^rs^  presented  himself  to  them.  Ex.  ii. 
13,  14.  Stephen  introduces  and  dwells 
upon  this  refusal  in  order,  perhaps,  to  re- 
mind them  that  this  had  been  the  charac- 
ter of  their  nation ;  and  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  charge  which  he  intended 
to  bring  against  those  whom  he  address- 
ed, as  being  stiff-necked  and  rebellious 
See  ver.  51,  52,  &c.  H  A  rnler.  A  mili- 
tary leader,  or  a  governor  in  civil  matters 
^  A  deliverer  A  Redeemer.  kvTgun'y,v 
It  properly  means  one  who  redeems  a 
captive  or  a  prisoner  by  paying  a  price  or 
ransom.  And  it  is  applied  thus  to  our 
Lord  Jesus,  as  having  redeemed  or  pur 
chased  sinners  by  his  blood  as  a  urice 
Titus  ii.  14.  1  Pet.  i.  18.  lleb.  ix.  12.  It 
is  used  here,  however,  in  a  mors  genercu 
sense  to  denote  the  deliverance,  without 
specifying  the  manner.  Comp.  Ex.  vi.  6. 
Luke  xxiv.  21;  i.  68;  ii.  38.  ^  By  tfie 
hand  of  the  angel.  Under  the  direction 
and  by  the  help  of  the  angel.  Num.  xx- 
IG.     See  on  ver.  30. 

3G.  Winders  and  signs.  Miracles,  and 
remarkable  interpositions  of  God.  Se*) 
Note,  Acts  ii.  22.  ^  In  the  land  of  Igypt 
By  the  ten  plagues.  Ex.  iv — xii.  IT  In  the 
Red  sea.  Dividing  it,  and  conducting  the 
Israelites  in  safety,  and  overthrowing  the 
Egyptians.  Ex.  xiv.  IT  lu  the  wilderness. 
During  their  forty  years'  journey  to  the 
promised  land.  The  wontlers  or  mirncle* 
were,  providing  them  w'th  manna  daily; 
with  flesh  in  a  miraculous  manner,  witli 
water  from  the  rock.  Ac.  Ex.  xvi.  xvii.  &c 

37.  Which  said,  &c.Dcu.xviii.l.'5 19  See 
this  exf)lniMed  Acts  iii.  22.  Stephen  in- 
troduced this  to  remind  them  of  the  [wx> 
mise  of  a  Messiah ;  to  show  hia  failh  in 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  Vil. 


12ft 


prophet  sha.l  the  Lord  your  God 
raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren, 
'  like  unto  me;  him  "  shall  ye  hear. 

38  This  '  is  he  that  was  in  the 
church  in  the  wilderness,  with  the 
antrel  <=  which  spake  to  him  "^  in  the 
mount  Sina,  and  with  our  fathers; 
who 'received-^  the  lively  oracles  to 
give  unto  us  : 

39  To  whom  our  fathers  would 
not  obey,  but  thrust  him  from  them, 
and  in  their  hearts  turned  back 
again  into  Egypt, 

40  Saying^  unto  Aaron,  Make  us 
gods  to  go  before  us  :  for  as  for  this 

i  OT,  at  ■mysel''.  a  Matt. 1 7.5.  i  He. 2.2.  c  Is. 
03.9.  Gal.3. 1 9.  '  d  E  i  1 9.3, 1 7.  «  De.5.27,31 .  Jno. 
\  n.       /Ro.3.2.        ff  Ex.32. 1. 


it    and  particularly,  to  remind  them  of 
tiieir  obligation  to  hear  and  obey  him. 

38.  In  Ike  church.  The  vord  church 
means  literally  ihe  people  called  out ;  and 
/s  applied  with  great  propriety  to  the  as- 
sembly or  multitude  called  out  of  Egypt, 
p.nd  separated  from  the  world.  It  has 
not,  however,  of  necessity  our  idea  of  a 
church ;  but  means  the  assemhly,  or  peo- 
ple called  out  of  Egypt,  and  placed  under 
the  conduct  of  Moses.  IT  Wilh  the  angel. 
In  this  place  there  is  undoubted  reference 
to  the  giving  of  the  law  on  mount  Sinai, 
yet  that  was  done  by  God  himself  Ex. 
s.v.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  by  the  angel 
fiere,  Stephen  intends  to  designate  him 
who  was  God.  It  may  be  observed,  how- 
ever, that  the  laiv  is  represented  as  hav- 
ing been  given  by  the  ministry  of  an  an- 
gel (in  this  place)  and  by  the  ministry  of 
ar/gels.  Acts  vii.  53.  Heb.  ii.  2.  The  es- 
sential idea  is,  that  God  did  it  by  a  mes- 
senger, or  by  mediators.  The  character 
and  rank  of  the  messengers,  or  of  the 
principal  messenger,  must  be  learned  by 
looking  at  all  the  circumstances  of  the 
case.  T  The  lively  oracles.  See  Rom. 
iii.  2.  The  word  oractes  here  means 
commands  or  laws  of  God.  The  word 
limly,  or  living  (<c2vTa),  stands  in  opposi- 
tion "to  that  which  is  dead,  or  useless,  and 
means  that  which  is  vigorous,  efficacious ; 
and  in  this  place  it  means  that  the  com- 
mands were  of  such  a  nature,  and  given 
in  such  circumstances,  as  to  secure  atten- 
tion ;  to  produce  obedience;  to  excite 
them  to  act  for  God — in  opposition  to 
iavvs  which  would  fall  powerless,  and 
produce  no  effect. 

39.  Would  not  obey,  &c.  This  refers  to 
what  they  said  of  him  whei*  ho  was  in 

1,2 


Moses,  which  brought  us  cui  ut"  the 
land  of  Egypt,  v.'e  wot  not  what  is 
become  of  him. 

41  And    they   made   a   calf  ''  ii 
those   days,   and    offered    sacrifice- 
unto  the  idol,  and  rejoiced  in  the 
works  of  their  own  hands. 

42  Then  God  turned  and  gave  • 
them  up  to  worship  the-'  host  of 
heaven  :  as  it  is  written  *  in  the 
book  of  the  prophets,  O  ye  house 
of  Israel,  have  ye  offered  to  me 
slain  beasts,  and  sacrifices,  ^jy  the 
space  of  forty  years  in  the  wilder- 
ness 1 

A  De.0.16.  Ps.106.19,20.         tP8.81.12.        J  De.4.t!> 
2Ki.l7.16.  Jer.19.13.         k  Am.5.25,26. 


the  mount.  Ex.  xxxii.  1.  23.  11  In  theit 
hearts  turned,  &c.  They  wished  to  re 
turn  to  Egypt.  They  regretted  that  they 
had  come  out  of  Egypt,  and  desired  again 
the  things  which  they  had  there,  as  pre- 
ferable to  what  they  had  in  the  desert. 
Num.  xi.  5.  Perhaps,  however,  the  ex- 
pression means,  not  that  they  desireii 
literally  to  return  to  Egypt,  but  tha/ 
their  hearts  inclined  to  the  habits  and  vich 
rals  of  the  Egyptians.  They  forsook 
God,  and  imitated  the  idolatries  of  the 
Egyptians. 

40.  Saying  unto  Aaron.  Ex.  xxxii.  1. 
IT  Make  us  gods.     That  is,  idols.  * 

41.  And  they  made  a  calf.  This  waa 
made  of  the  ear-rings  and  ornaments 
which  they  had  brought  from  Egypt.  Ex. 
xxxii.  2 — 4.  Stephen  introduces  this  to 
remind  them  how  prone  the  nation  had 
been  to  reject  God,  and  walk  in  the  ways 
of  sin. 

42.  Then  God  turned.  That  is,  turned 
away  from  them ;  abandoned  them  to 
their  own  desires.  IT  The  host  of  heaven. 
The  stars,  or  heavenly  bodies.  The  word 
host  means  armies.  It  is  applied  to  the 
heavenly  bodies  because  they  are  very 
numerous,  and  appear  to  be  marshalled 
or  arrayed  in  military  order.  It  is  frona 
this  that  God  is  called  Jehovah  of  hosts, 
as  being  the  ruler  of  these  well-arranged 
heavenJb^  bodies.  Isa.  i.  9.  The  proof  that 
they  cmP-this,  Stephen  proceeds  tc  allege 
by  a  quotation  from  the  prophets.  IT  In 
the  book  of  the  prophets.  Amos  \.  25,  26. 
The  twelve  minor  proph*»ts  were  com- 
monly written  in  one  volume,  and  were 
called  the  Book  of  the  Prophets ;  ihe  hooi\ 
containing  these  several  prophecies,  Da^ 
niel,  Hosea,  Micab.  &?   Thevwaresmal 


i2r. 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33 


43  Yea,  ye  look  up  the  taberna- 
cle cf  Moloch,  and  the  star  of  your 
i^od    Reinphan,    figures    which    ye 


tracls  separately,  and  were  bound  up  to- 
gether to  preserve  them  from  being  lost. 
I'his-  passage  is  not  quoted  literally  ;  it  is 
evidently  made  from  memory ;  and  though 
in  its  main  spirit  it  coincides  with  the  pas- 
sage in  Amos,  yet  in  some  important  re- 
spects it  varies  from  it.  HO  ye  house  of 
Israel.  Ye  j»eople  of  Israel.  IF  Have  ye 
offend,  &c.  That  is,  yo  have  7iot  offered. 
The  interrogative  form  is  often  an  em- 
phatic wav  of  saying  that  the  thing  had 
not  been  done.  Bi't  it  is  certain  that  the 
Jews  did  offer  sacrifices  to  God  in  the 
wilderness,  though  it  is  also  certain  that 
they  did  not  do  it  with  a  pure  and  upright 
heart.  They  kept  up  the  form  of  worship 
generally,  but  they  frequently  forsook 
God,  and  offered  worship  to  idols.  Through 
the  continuous  space  of  forty  years  they 
did  not  honour  God,  but  often  departed 
from  him,  and  worshipped  idols. 

43.  Yea,  ye  took  up.  That  is,  you  bore,  or 
you  carried  with  you,  for  purposes  of  idola- 
trous worship.  H  The  tabernacle.  This 
word  prope-ly  means  a  tent ;  but  it  is  also 
applied  to  the  small  tent  or  house  in  which 
was  contained  the  image  of  the  god  ;  the 
house,  box-  or  tent,  in  which  the  idol  was 
placed.  It  IS  customary  for  idolatrous  na- 
tions to  bear  their  idols  about  with  them, 
^nclosed  in  cases  or  boxes  of  various  sizes, 
^anally  very  small,  as  their  idols  are  com- 
monly small.  Probably  they  were  made 
in  the  sha{)e  of  small  temples  or  taberna- 
cles ;  and  such  appear  to  have  been  the 
silver  .<ihri7ies  for  Diana,  made  at  Ephesus. 
Acts  xix.  24.  These  shrines,  or  images, 
were  borne  with  them  as  a  species  of  amu- 
let, or  charm,  or  talisman,  to  defend  them 
from  evil.  Such  images  the  Jews  seem 
to  fiave  borne  with  them.  H  Moloch. 
This  word  comes  from  the  Hebrew  word 
Bignifying  king.  This  was  a  god  of  the 
Ammonites,  to  whom  human  sacrifices 
were  offered.  Moses  in  several  places 
forbids  the  Israelites,  under  penalty  of 
death,  to  dedicate  their  children  to  Mo- 
loch, by  making  them  pass  through  the 
fire.  Lev.  xviii.  21 ;  xx.  2 — 5.  There  is 
groat  probability  that  the  Ilebreim  were 
%<l'lift(:;d  It)  the  worship  of  this  d^tyaflor 
they  entered  the  land  of  Canaan.  Solo- 
non  built  a  temi)le  to  Moloch  on  the 
Tiount  of  Olives  (1  Knijzs  xi.  7);  and  Ma- 
ja.ssch  made  iiis  soiijiabs  throughthe  fire 
n  honour  of  this  idol.  2  Kings  xxi.  3,  6, 
Vne  image  of  this  idol  was  made  of  bra.ss, 
jid  his  arms  extended  so  as  to  embrace 


made,  to  worship  them  :  and  I  wil 
carry  you  away  beyond  Babylon, 
44  Our  fathers  had  the  tabernacle 


any  one ;  and  when  they  offered  childrer 
to  him,  they  heated  the  statue,  and  when 
it  was  burning  hot,  tney  placed  the  child 
in  his  arms,  where  it  was  soon  destroyed 
by  heat.  It  is  not  certain  what  this  god 
was  supposed  to  represent.  Some  sup- 
pose it  was  in  honour  of  the  planet  Sa- 
turn;  others,  the  sun;  others,  Mercury, 
Venus,  &c.  What  particular  god  it  was, 
is  not  material.  It  was  the  most  cutting 
reproof  that  could  be  made  to  the  Jews, 
that  their  fathers  had  been  guilty  of  wor- 
shipping this  idol.  H  Ayid  tlte  star.  The 
Hebrew  in  this  place  is,  "  Chiun  your 
images,  the  star  of  your  god."  The  ex- 
pression here  used  leads  us  to  suppose 
that  this  was  a  star  which  was  worship 
ped,  but  what  star  it  is  not  easy  to  ascer 
tain ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  determine  why  it  is 
called  both  Chiun  and  Remphan.  Ste- 
phen quotes  from  the  LXX.  They  have 
rendered  the  word  Chiun  by  the  word 
Raiphan,  or  Rephan,  easily  changed  into 
Remphan.  Why  the  LXX.  adopted  this,  is 
not  known.  It  was  probably,  however, 
from  one  of  two  causes.  (1.)  Either  be- 
cause the  word  Chiun  in  Hebrew  meant 
the  same  as  Remphan  in  the  language  of 
Egypt,  where  the  translation  was  made , 
or,  (2.)  Because  the  ol>jici  of  worship  call 
ed  Chiun  in  Hebrew,  was  called  Remjihan 
in  the  language  of  Egypt  It  is  generally 
agreed  that  the  object  of  their  worship 
was  the  planet  Saturn,  or  Mars,  both  of 
which  planets  were  worshipped  as  gods 
of  evil  inlhience.  In  Arabic,  the  word 
Clievan  denotes  the  planet  Saturn.  Pro- 
bably Rcjihan,  or  Remphan,  is  the  Coptic 
name  for  the  same  planet,  and  the  Septua- 
gint  adopted  this  because  their  translation 
was  made  in  Egypt,  where  the  Coptic 
language  was  spoken.  H  Figures  which 
ye  made.  Images  of  the  god  which  they 
made.  See  the  article  Chiun  in  Robin 
son's  Calmet.  H  Arid  I  will  carry  you 
away,  &c.  This  is  simply  expressing  in 
few  words  what  is  slated  at  greater  length 
in  Amos  v.  27.  In  Hebrew  it  is  Damas- 
cus;  but  this  evidently  denotes  the  east 
ern  region,  in  which  also  Babylon  was 
situated. 

44.  The  taoernacle  of  witness.  The  <ewl 
or  tafiernacle  which  Moses  was  command- 
ed f')  make.  It  was  called  a  tf^bernade 
oi wiliuss,  or  of  trslimmiii,  bocauxe  it  wau 
the  visible  witness  or  j>roof  of  God's  pre- 
sence with  them  ;  the  evidence  that  ho  t«.« 
whom  it  was  devoted  was  their  proteclc 


A.  D.  33. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


l'^^ 


of  witness  in  ti:  e  wiiderness,  as  he 
had  appointed,  '  speaking  unto  Mo- 
ses, that  "he  should  make  it  accord- 
ing to  the  fashion  that  he  had  seen. 
45  Which  *  also  our  fathers  ^  that 
came  after,  brought  in  with  Jesus 
into  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles, 
whom  '  God  drave  out  before  the 

»  or,  voho  apahe.  a  Ex. 25. 40;  26.30.    He. 8.5. 

Jos.3.!4.  "^  or,  having  received.  c  Ne.9.24. 

P».44.2;  78.55. 

and  guide.  The  name  is  given  either  to 
the  tent,  or  to  the  two  tables  of  stone,  or 
to  the  ark ;  all  of  which  were  witnesses, 
or  evidences  of  God's  relation  to  them  as 
their  lawgiver  and  guide.  Ex.  xvi.  34  ; 
XXV.  16.  21 ;  xxvii.  21 ;  xxx.  6.  36  ;  xxxi.  18, 
&c.  Num.  i.  50.  53.  The  two  charges 
against  Stephen  were  that  he  had  spoken 
blasphemy  against  Moses,  or  his  law,  and 
against  the  temple,  ch.  vi.  13,  14.  In  the 
previous  part  of  this  defence  he  had 
shown  his  respect  for  Moses  and  his  law. 
He  now  proceeds  to  show  that  he  did  not 
design  to  speak  with  disrespect  of  the 
temple,  or  the  holy  places-  of  their  wor- 
ship. He  therefore  expresses  his  belief 
in  the  divine  appointment  of  both  the 
tabernacle  (ver.  44—46)  and  of  the  tem- 
ple (ver.  47).  IT  According  to  the  fashion, 
&,c.  According  to  the  pattern  that  was 
shown  to  him,  by  which  it  was  to  be 
made.  Ex.  xxv.  9.  40  ;  xxvi.  30.  As  God 
showed  him  a  pattern,  it  proved  that  the 
tabernacle  had  his  sanction.  Against  that 
Stephen  did  not  intend  to  speak. 

45.  Our  fathers  that  came  after.  None 
of  the  generation  that  came  out  of  Egypt 
were  permitted  to  enter  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  on  account  of  their  rebellion,  ex- 
cept Caleb  and  Joshua.  Num.  xiv.  22 — 
24;  xxxii.  11,  12.  Hence  it  is  said  that 
their  fathers  who  came  after,  i.  e.  after  the 
generation  when  the  tabernacle  was 
built.  The  Greek,  however,  here  means, 
projperly,  "  which  also  our  fathers,  having 
received,  brought,"  &c.  The  sense  is  not 
materially  different.  Stephen  means  that 
It  was  not  brought  in  by  that  generation, 
but  by  the  next.  IT  With  Jesus.  This 
should  have  been  rendered  "  with  Jo- 
shua." Jesus  is  the  Greek  mode  of  writ- 
mg  the  name  Joshua.  But  the  Hebrew 
narae  should  by  all  means  have  been  re- 
tained here,  as  also  in  Heb.  iv.  8.  IT  Into 
the  possession  of  the  Gentiles.  Into  the 
land  possessed  hi/  the  Gentiles,  that  is, 
mto  the  promised  land  then  occupied  by 
ho  Canaanites,  &c.  IT  Whom  God,  &c. 
)  .at  ■«,  he  continued  to  drive  them  out 
•  V        -f  time  of  David,  when  they  were 


face  of  our  fathers,  unto  the  days 
of  David, 

4G  Who  found  favour  **  before 
God,  and  desired  *  to  find  a  taberna- 
cle for  the  God  of  Jacob. 

47  But  Solomon  ^  built  him  ar 
house. 

48  Howbeit,  s  the   Most   High 

dlSam.16.1.  e  lChr.22.7         /  lKi.6.1,&c.;  8.2a 

g  lKi.8.27.  c.17.24. 


completely  expelled.  Or  it  may  mean 
that  the  tabernacle  was  in  the  possession 
of  the  Jews,  and  was  the  appointed  place 
of  worship,  until  the  time  of  David,  who 
desired  to  build  him  a  temple.  The  Greek 
is  ambiguous.  The  connexion  favours  the 
latter  interpretation. 

46.  Who  found  favour,  &c.  That  i.s 
God  granted  him  great  prosperity,  and 
delivered  him  from  his  enemies.  ^  To 
find  a  tabernacle.  To  prepare  a  permar 
nent  dwelling-place  for  the  «rA%  and  foi 
the  visible  symbols  of  the  divine  pre- 
sence. Hitherto  the  ark  had  been  kepi 
in  the  tabernacle,  and  had  been  borne 
about  from  place  to  place.  David  sought 
to  build  an  house  that  should  be  perma- 
nent, where  the  ark  might  be  deposited. 
2  Sam.  vii.  1  Chron.  xxii.  7. 

47.  But  Solomon,  &c.  Built  the  tem- 
ple. David  was  not  permitted  to  do  it 
because  he  had  been  a  man  of  war. 
1  Chron.  xxii.  8.  David  prepared  the 
principal  materials  for  the  temple,  but 
Solomon  built  it.  1  Chron.  xxii.  Comp 
1  Kings  vi. 

48.  Howbeit.  But.  Why  Stephen  added 
this,  is  not  very  clear.  He  wa.^  charged 
with  speaking  against  the  temple.  He 
had  now  shown  that  he  had  due  venera- 
tion for  it,  by  his  declaring  that  it  had 
been  built  by  the  command  of  God.  But 
he  now  adds,  that  God  does  not  need  such 
a  temple.  Heaven  is  his  throne  ;  the  uni 
verse  his  dwelling-place;  and  therefore 
this  temple  might  be  destroyed.  A  new, 
glorious  truth  was  to  be  revealed  to  man- 
kind, that  God  was  not  confined  in  his  wor- 
ship to  any  age,  or  people,  or  nation.  In 
entire  consistency,  therefore,  with  all  pro- 
per respect  for  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  it 
might  be  maintained  that  the  time  would 
come  when  that  temple  would  be  destroy 
ed,  and  when  God  might  be  worshipped 
by  all  nations.  IT  The  Most  High.  God. 
This  sentiment  was  expressed  by  Soiomon 
when  the  temple  was  dedicated.  1  Kiiigi* 
viii.  27.  IT  As  saith  the  prophet.  Isa.  Ixvi. 
1,  2.  The  place  is  not  literally  quoted 
but  the  sense  is  given. 


128 


THE  ACTS. 


r  *    n.  8j 


dwelJeth  not  in  temples  made  with 
hands  ;  as  saith  the  prophet, 

49  Heaven  »  is  my  throne,  and 
earth  is  my  footstool :  what  house 
will  ye  build  me]  saith  the  Lord: 
or  what  is  the  place  of  my 
rest? 

50  Hath  not  my  hand  made  all 
ihese  things  ] 

51  Ye  stiff-necked,  *  and   uncir- 

a  13X6.1,2.         b  £x.32.9.  18.48.4. 


49.  Heaven  is  my  throne.  See  Note, 
Matt.  V.  34.  IT  Earth  is  my  footstool. 
Note,  Matt.  v.  35.  ^  What  house,  &c. 
tVhat  house  or  temple  can  be  large  or 
magnificent  enough  for  the  dwelhng  of 
Him  who  made  all  things?  H  The  place 
of  viy  rest.  My  home,  my  abode,  my  fixed 
seat  or  habitation.  Comp.  Ps.  xcv.  1 1. 

51.  Ye  stiff-necked.  The  discourse  of 
Stephen  has  every  appearance  of  having 
been  interrupted  by  the  clamours  and  op- 
position of  the  sanhedrim.  This  verse  has 
no  immediate  connexion  with  that  which 
precedes ;  and  appears  to  have  been  spo- 
ken in  the  midst  of  much  opposition  and 
clamour.  If  we  may  conjecture  in  this; 
case,  it  would  seem  that  the  Jews  saw 
the  drift  of  his  argument ;  that  they  in- 
terrupted him;  and  that  when  the  tu- 
mult had  somewhat  subsided,  he  address- 
ed them  in  the  language  of  this  verse, 
showing  them  that  tliey  sustained  a  cha- 
racter precisely  similar  to  their  rebellious 
fathers.  The  word  stiff-necked  is  often 
used  in  the  Old  Testament.  Ex.  xxxii.  9 ; 
xxxiii.  3.  5;  xxxiv.  9.  Deut.  ix.  6.  13;  x. 
16,  &c.  It  is  a  figurative  expression  taken 
from  oxen  that  were  refractory,  and  that 
would  not  submit  to  be  yoked.  Applied 
to  men,  it  means  that  they  were  stubborn, 
contumacious,  and  unwilling  to  submit  to 
the  restraints  of  law.  IT  Uncircumcised  in 
heart.  Circumcision  was  a  sign  of  being 
a  Jew — of  acknowledging  the  authority 
of  the  laws  of  Moses.  It  was  also  em- 
l»lematic  of  purity,  and  of  submission  to 
the  law  of  God.  The  expression  uncir- 
cumcised in  heart  denotes  those  who  were 
not  willing  to  acknowledge  that  law,  and 
iiiihmit  to  it.  They  had  hearts  filled  with 
vicious  and  unnubdued  airectioiis  and  de- 
sires. H  And  ears.  That  is,  who  are  un- 
willing to  hear  what  God  says.  Comp. 
Xov.  xxvi.  41.  Jcr.  ix.  2^).  Notes  on  Horn, 
ii.  28,  29.  IT  Resist  the  Holy  Ghost.  You 
oppf>se  the  message  which  is  brought  to 
you  bv  the  authority  of  God,  and  the  in 
s«niration   of   his   Spirit.      The    message 


cumcised  '  m  heart  an<l  ears,  ye  da 
always  resist  th«!  Holy  Ghost:  as 
your  fathers  did^  so  do  ye.  • 

52  Which''  of  the  prophets  have 
not  your  fathers  persecuted  ?  Ana 
they  have  slain  them  which  shewed 
before  of  the  coming  of  the  Just 
One,  of  whom  ye  have  been  now 
the  betrayers  and  murderers. 

53  Who  have  received  the  law 

c  Lev.26.4 1 .  Jer.9.26.  Roin.2.2fe,29.  ^d  2Chr.36. 16 
lTh.2.15.  e  c.3.14.  ^ 

brought  by  Moses ;  by  the  prophets ;  by 
the  Saviour ;  and  by  the  apostles — all  by 
the  infallible  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
— they  and  their  fathers  opposed.  IT  Ai 
your  fathers  did,  &c.  As  he  had  specified 
m  ver.  27.  35.  39—43. 

52.  Which  of  the  prophets,  &c.  The 
interrogative  form  here  is  a  strong  mode 
of  saying  that  they  had  persecuted  all  the 
prophets.  It  was  the  characteristic  of  the 
nation  to  persecute  the  messengers  of 
God.  This  is  not  to  be  taken  as  literally 
and  universally  true ;  but  it  was  a  gene- 
ral truth  ;  It  was  the  national  character- 
istic. Sf '  x\otes,  Matt.  xxi.  33 — 40 ;  xxih 
29 — 35.  ii  And  they  have  slain  them,  <!tc. 
That  is,  they  have  slain  the  prophets 
whose  main  message  was  that  the  Mes 
siah  was  to  come.  It  was  a  great  aggra- 
vation of  their  offence,  that  they  put  tc 
death  the  messengers  which  foretold  the 
greatest  blessing  that  the  nation  could  re- 
ceive. IT  The  Just  One.  The  Messiah 
See  Note,  ch.  iii.  14.  IT  Of  whom  ye,  &c 
You  thus  show  that  you  resemble  those 
who  rejected  and  put  to  death  the  pro- 
phets. You  have  even  gone  beyond  them 
in  guilt,  because  you  have  put  the  Mes- 
siah himself  to  death.  IT  The  betrayers. 
They  are  called  betrayers  here  because 
they  employed  Judas  to  betray  him— 
agreeable  to  the  maxim  in  law,  He  whn 
does  any  thing  by  another,  is  held  to  havt 
done  it  himself. 

53.  Who  have  received  the  law.  Tlie 
law  of  Moses,  given  on  mount  Sinui 
IT  By  the  disposition  of  angels.  There  has 
been  much  diversity  of  opinion  in  regard 
to  tills  phrase,  «'?  St»Txyx<;  'xyyiKwv.  The 
word  translated  disposi(io?i  does  not  else- 
where occur  in  the  New  Testament.  It 
pro})crly  means  the  constituting  or  arrang- 
ing of  an  army;  disposing  it  into  ranks 
and  proper  divisions.  Hence  it  has  been 
supjMKsed  to  mean  that  the  law  was  given 
amidst  the  various  ranks  of  angels,  l)eing 
present  lo  witness  its  iiromulgation.  Others 
suppose  tha(  ihe  anpel«  were  employed  as 


A..  D.  33  ] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


121 


by  "  the  disposition  of  angels,  and 
nave  not  kept  it. 

54  Wiien  they  heard  these  things, 
*they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  they 
gnashed  on  him  with  their  teeth. 

55  But  he,  being  "  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  steadfastly 
nto  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of 

God,    ar.d  Jesus   standing   on   the 
•\yr\i\  hand  of  God, 


agents  ui  instruments  to  communicate  the 
law.  All  that  tue  expression  fairly  im- 
plies is  the  Ibrmer;  that  the  law  was  given 
amidst  the  attending  ranks  of  angels,  as 
if  they  were  summoned  to  witness  the 
pomp  and  ceremony  of  giving  law  to  an 
entire  people,  and  through  them  to  an 
entire  world,  ft  should  be  added,  more- 
over, that  the  Jews  applied  the  word  an- 
geh  to  any  of  the  messengers  of  God ;  to 
fire,  and  tempest,  and  wind,  <fcc.  A-nd  all 
that  Stephen  means  here,  may  be  to  ex- 
press the  common  Jewish  opinion,  that 
Grod  was  attended  on  thie  occasion  by  the 
heavenly  hosts ;  and  by  the  symbols  of 
lis  presence,  the  fire,  and  smoke,  and 
tempest.  Comp.  Ps.  civ.  4;  Ixviii.  17. 
Other  places  declare  that  the  law  was 
spoken  by  an  angel,  one  eminent  above 
all  attending  angels,  the  peculiar  messen- 
ger of  God.  See  JNote  on  ver.  38.  It  is 
plain  that  Stephen  spoke  only  the  com- 
mon sentiment  of  the  Jews.  Thus  Herod 
is  introduced  by  Josephus  (Antiq.  b.  xv. 
ch.  V.  $  3)  as  saying,  "  We  have  learned 
from  God  the  most  excellent  of  our  doc- 
tiines,  and  the  most  holy  part  of  our  law 
by  angels,''  &c.  In  the  eye^^the  Jews, 
it  justly  gave  increased  majesty  and  so- 
lemnity to  the  law,  that  it  had  been  given 
in  so  grand  and  imposing  circumstances. 
And  it  greatly  aggravated  their  guilt,  that 
notwithstanding  this,  they  had  not  kept  it 

54.  They  were  cut  to  the  heart.  They 
were  exceedingly  enraged  and  indignant 
Tlie  whole  course  of  the  speech  had  been 
such  as  to  excite  their  anger,  and  now 
tiiev  could  restrain  themselves  no  longer. 
IT  They  gnashed  on  him,  &,c.  Expressive 
3f  the  bitterness  and  malignity  of  their 
%eling. 

55.  Full  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  See  Note, 
ih.  ii.  4.  IT  Looked  up  steadfastly.  Fixed 
his  eyes  intently  on  heaven.  Foreseeing 
his  danger;  and  the  effect  his  speech  had 
produced — seeing  that  there  was  no  safely 
in  the  great  council  of  the  nation,  and  no 
prospect  of  justice  at  their  hands,  he  cast 
his  eyes  to  heaven  and  sought  protec- 


56  And  said,  Behold,  I  see  the  • 
heavens-  opened,  and  '  the  Soii  oi 
man  standing  on  the  right  hand  o^ 
God. 

57  Then  they  cried  out  with  a 
loud  voice,  and  stopped  their  ears, 
and  ran  upon  him  with  one  ac- 
cord, 

58  And  cast  f  him  out  of  the  city, 
and  stoned  /urn.-  and  the  witnesses 

dEze.l.l.        eDan.7.13.        /  Lu.4.29.  He.l3. 12,13. 


tion  there. — When  dangers  threaten  us, 
our  hope  of  safety  lies  in  heaven.  When 
men  threaten  our  persons,  reputation,  or 
lives,  it  becomes  us  to  fix  our  eyes  on  tlie 
heavenly  world ;  and  we  shall  not  look 
in  vain.  ^  And  saw  the  glory  of  God. 
This  phrase  is  commonly  used  to  denote 
the  visible  symbols  of  God.  It  means 
some  magnificent  representation  ,•  a  splen 
dour,  or  light,  that  is  the  appropriate  ex 
hibition  of  the  presence  of  God.  iMatt.  xvi. 
27;  xxiv.  30.  i\ote,  Luke  li.  9.  In  the 
case  of  Stephen  there  is  every  indication 
of  a  vision,  or  supernatural  representauon 
of  the  heavenly  objects;  something  in  ad- 
vance of  mere  faith,  such  as  dying  Chris 
tians  now  have.  What  was  its  precise 
nature,  we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining. 
Objects  were  often  represented  to  pro- 
phets by  visions ;  and  probably  something 
similar  is  intended  here.  It  was  such  an 
elevation  of  view,  such  a  representation 
of  truth,  and  of  the  glory  of  God,  as  to  be 
denoted  by  the  word  see  ;  though  it  is  not 
to  be  maintained  that  Stephen  really  saw 
the  Saviour  with  the  bodily  eye.  IT  On 
the  right  hand  of  God.  That  is,'exalted  to 
a  place  of  honour  and  power  in  the  hea 
vens.   Note,  Markxxvi.  64.  Acts  ii.  25. 

56.  I  saw  the  heavens  opened.  A  figu- 
rative expression,  denoting  that  he  was 
permitted  to  see  into  heaven,  or  to  see 
vshat  was  there,  as  if  the  firmament  was 
divided,  and  the  eye  was  permitted  to 
penetrate  the  eternal  world.  Comp.  Ezek. 

57.  TTien  they  cried  out.  That  is,  pro- 
bably, the  people,  not  the  members  of  the 
council.  It  is  evident  he  was  put  to  death 
in  a  popular  tumult.  They  had  charged 
him  with  blasphemy ;  and  they  regarded 
what  he  had  now  said  as  full  proof  of  it. 
IT  And  stopped  their  ears.  That  thev  might 
hear  no  more  blasphemy.  IT  With  ant 
accord.     In  a  tumult ;  unitedly. 

58.  A^nd  cast  him  nut  of  the  city-  ITiis 
was  in  accordance  with  the  usual  custom, 
In  Lev.  xxiv.  14,  it  was  directed  to  bring 
forth   him    hat  had  curaed    v\-illiout  the 


ISO 


THE  ACTS. 


[A. 


:^^ 


'laid  down  tlieir clothes  at  a  young 

man's  feot,  whose  name  was  ''  Saul. 

59  And    they    stoned    Stephen, 

a  c  6.13.  i.c.8. 1,3;  22.20. 


camp;  and  it  was  not  usual,  the  Jewish 
writers  inform  us,  to  stone  in  the  presence 
of  the  sanhedrim.  Though  this  was  a 
popular  tumult,  and  Stephen  was  con- 
den  ned  without  the  regular  process  of 
trial ,  yet  some  of  the  forms  of  law  were 
)l)s(  rved,  and  he  was  atoned  in  th*e  man- 
lier directed  in  the  case  of  blasphemers, 
ff  And  stoned  him.  This  was  the  punish- 
ment appointed  in  the  case  of  blasphemy. 
Lev.  xxiv.  16.  Note,  John  x.  31.  H  And 
the  witnesses.  That  is,  the  false  witnesses 
who  bore  testimony  against  him.  ch.  vi.  13. 
It  was  directed  in  the  law  (Deut.  xvii.  7) 
that  the  witnesses  in  the  case  should  be 
first  in  executing  the  sentence  ol  the  law. 
This  was  done  to  prevent  false  accusa- 
tions by  the  prospect  that  theij  must  be 
employed  as  executioners.  After  they  had 
commenced  the  process  of  execution,  all 
the  people  joined  in  it.  Deut.  xvii.  7.  Lev. 
xxiv.  16.  ^  Laid  dnwii  their  clothes.  Their 
outer  garments.  They  were  accustomed 
to  lay  these  aside  when  they  ran  or  work- 
ed. Note,  Matt.  v.  40.  ^  At  a  young  man's 
feet,  &c.  That  is,  they  procured  him  to 
take  care  of  their  garments.  This  is  men- 
tioned solely  because  Saul,  or  Paul,  after- 
wards became  so  celebrated,  first  as  a 
persecutor,  and  then  an  aposde.  Ilis 
whole  heart  was  in  this  persecution  of 
Stephen;  and  he  himself  afterwards  al- 
luded to  this  circumstance  as  an  evidence 
of  his  sinfulness  in  persecuting  the  Lord 
Tesus.  Act.s  xxii.  20. 

■  59.  Culling  upon  God.  The  word  God 
ts  not  in  the  original,  and  should  not  have 
been  in  the  translation.  It  is  in  none  of 
the  ancient  MSS.  or  versions.  It  should 
have  been  rendered,  They  stoned  Ste- 
phen, in\oking,  or  calling  upon,  and  say- 
ing, Lr)rd  Jesus,  &c.  That  is,  he  was  en- 
gaged in  prayer  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
word  is  used  to  express  prayer  in  the  fi)l- 
lovvine,  among  other  places  :  2  Cor.  i.  23, 
"  I  call  God  to  witness."  1  Pet.  i.  17,  "And 
if  ve  call  on  the  Father,"  iiic.  Acts  ii.  21, 
"  WhoHC>evcr  shall  call  on  the  name  of 
the  LorJ,"<fe<;.  ix.  14;  xxii.  16.  Kom.  x. 
12, 13. 14.  This  was,  therefore,  an  act  of 
worship;  a  solemn  invocation  of  the  Ijord 
JcMus,  in  the  most  interesting  circum- 
Btances  in  which  a  man  can  be  nlacx"! — 
in  his  dyirt?  moments.  And  this  shows 
that  it  is  rif^tit  to  worship  the  lyjrd  Jesus, 
and  to  pray  l<:)  him.  For  if  .Stephen  was 
iakspired.ii  scales  the  question.     Tho  ox- 


calling  i:j)on  Coc^,  iiid  saying.  Lord 
Jesus,  leceive  °  my  spirit ! 

GO  And   he   kneeled   down,  anft 

c  Ps.31.5.  Lu.23.46. 


ample  of  an  inspired  rnan  in  such  circun; 
stances,  is  a  safe  and  correct  example. 
If  it  should  be  said  that  the  inspiration  of 
Stephen  cannot  be  made  out,  yet  the  in- 
spiration of  JAike,  who  has  recorded  it, 
will  not  be  called  in  question.  Then  tho 
following  circumstances  show  that  he,  an 
inspired  man,  regarded  it  as  right,  and  as 
a  proper  example  to  be  followed.  •  (1.)  lie 
has  recorded  it  without  the  slightest  ex- 
pression of  an  opinion  that  it  was  impro- 
per. On  the  contrary,  there  is  every  evi- 
dence that  he  regarded  the  conduct  of 
Stephen  in  this  case  as  right  and  praise 
worthy.  There  is,  therefore,  this  attesta- 
tion to  its'  propriety.  (2.)  The  Spirit  that 
inspired  Luke  knew  what  use  would  he 
made  of  this  case.  He  knew  that  il 
would  be  used  as  an  example,  and  as  an 
evidence  that  it  was  right  to  worship  the 
Lord  Jesus.  It  is  one  of  the  cases  which 
has  been  used  to  perpetuate  the  worshfp 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  every  age.  If  it  was 
wrong,  it  is  inconceivable  that  it  should 
be  recorded  without  some  expression  of 
disapprobation.  (3.)  The  ca.se  is  strikingly 
similar  to  that  recorded  in  John  xx.  28, 
where  Thomas  ofli^rtd  worship  to  tho 
Lord  Jesus,  as  his  God,  without  reproof. 
If  Thomas  did  it  in  the  presence  of  the 
Saviour  without  reproof  it  was  right.  If 
Stephen  did  it  without  any  expression  of 
disapprobation  from  the  inspired  historian, 
it  was  right.  (4.)  These  examples  were 
used  to  encourage  (Christians  and  Chris- 
tian martyrs  to  ofler  homage  to  Jesus 
Christ.  Thus  Pliny,  writing  to  the  em- 
peror Trajan,  and  giving  an  account  of 
the  Christians  in  IJythinia,  says,  that  they 
were  accustomed  to  meet  and  sing  hymns 
to  Christ  as  to  God.  {Lardner.)  (5.)  It  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that  Stephen  in  his 
death  offered  the  same  act  of  homage  to 
Christ,  that  Christ  himself  did  to  the  Fa 
ther,  when  he  died.  Luke  xxiii.  46.  From 
all  these  considerations,  it  follows  that  tMe 
Ljrd  Jesus  is  an  object  of  worship;  thai 
in  most  solemn  circumstances  it  is  proixjr 
to  call  upon  him,  to  worship  him,  and  Xn 
commil  our  dearest  interests  to  his  hnndw. 
If  this  may  be  done,  he  is  divine.  H  I'e 
ceive  my  s/ilrit.  That  is,  receive  it  to  thy- 
self; take  il  to  thine  abode  in  heaven. 

60.  And  he  hneilrd  down.  This  seenw 
to  have  been  a  voluntary  kneeling;  a 
placing  himself  in  this  |)osition  for  th« 
purpose  of  prayer  choosing  to  die  In  lh» 


^.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  Vm. 


131 


cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lord,  lay 
*  not  this  sin  to  their  charge  !    And 


when    he 
asleep. 


had    said    this,   he   fell 


a  Matt.5.44.  Lu.2a.34. 


altitude.  IT  Lord.  That  is,  Lord  Jesus. 
Note,  ch.  i.  24.  IT  Lay  not,  &c.  Forgive 
them.  This  passage  strikingly  resembles 
the  dying  prayer  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Luke 
txiii  34.  Nothing  but  the  Christian  reli- 
gion will  enable  a  man  to  utter  this  pas- 
sage in  his  dying  moments.  IF  He  fell 
asleep.  This  is  the  usual  mode  of  express- 
ing the  death  of  saints  in  the  Bible.  It  is 
111  expression  indicating,  (I.)  The  peace- 
fulness  of  their  death,  compared  with  the 
alarm  of  sinners  ;  (2.)  The  hope  of  a  re- 
surrection ;  as  we  retire  to  sleep  with  the 
hope  of  again  awaking  to  the  duties  and 
enjoyments  of  life.  See  John  xi.  11,  12. 
I  Cor.  xi.  30;  xv.  51.  1  Thess.  iv.  14;  v. 
10.  Matt.  ix.  24.  s 

In  view  of  the  death  of  this  first  Chris- 
dan  martyr,  we  may  remark, 

1.  That  it  is  right  to  address  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  the  language  of  prayer. 

2.  It  is  peculiarly  proper  to  do  it  in 
ifflictions,  and  in  the  prospect  of  death. 
Heb.  iv.  15. 

3.  Sustaining  grace  will  be  derived  in 
irrials  chiefly  from  a  view  of  the  Lord 
lesus.  If  we  can  look  to  him  as  our  Sa- 
viour, see  him  to  be  exalted  to  deliver  us, 
and  truly  commit  our  souls  to  him,  we 
/hall  find  the  grace  which  we  shall  need 
'n  our  afflictions. 

4.  We  should  have  such  confidence  in 
him,  as  to  enable  us  to  commit  ourselves 
to  him  at  any  time.  To  do  this,  we  should 
live  a  life  of  faith.  In  health,  and  youth, 
md  strength,  we  should  seek  him  as  our 
first  and  best  friend. 

5.  While  we  are  in  health,  we  should 
prepare  to  die.  What  an  unfit  place  for 
j»reparation  for  death  would  have  been 
'he  situation  of  Stephen  !  How  impossi- 
h\e  then  would  it  have  been  to  have  made 
preparation  I  Yet  the  dying  bed  is  often 
a  place  as  unfit  to  prepare  as  were  the 
circumstances  of  Stephen.  When  racked 
with  pain  when  faint  and  feeble,  when 
the  mind  is  indisposed  to  thought,  or 
when  it  raves  in  the  wildness  of  deliri- 
um, what  an  unfit  place  is  this  to  prepare 
10  die.  I  have  seen  many  dying  beds ;  I 
have  seen  m!iny  in  all  stages  of  their  last 
lickness;  but  never  have  I  yet  seen  a 
dying  bed  which  seemed  to  me  to  be  a 
proper  place  to  make  pceparation  for  eter- 
"uty. 

6   How  peaceful  and  calm  is  a  death 


CHAPTER  VHI. 

A  ND  Saul  ^  was  consenting-  unto 
•^^  his  death.  And  at  that  time 
there  was  a  great  persecution  against 


like  that  of  Stephen,  when  compared 
with  the  alarms  and  anguish  of  a  sinner! 
One  moment  of  such  peace  in  that  trying 
time,  is  better  than  all  the  pleasures  and 
honours  which  the  world  can  bestow 
And  to  obtain  such  peace,  the  dying  sin- 
ner would  be  willing  to  give  all  the 
wealth  of  the  Indies,  and  all  the  crowns 
of  the  earth.  So  may  I  die — and  so  may 
all  my  readers — enabled,  like  this  dying 
martyr,  to  commit  my  departing  spirit  to 
the  sure  keeping  of  the  great  Redeemer! 
When  we  take  a  parting  view  of  the 
world ;  when  our  eyes  shall  be  turned 
for  the  last  time  to  take  a  look  of  friends 
and  relatives ;  and  when  the  darkness  of 
death  shall  begin  to  come  around  us;  then 
may  we  be  enabled  to  cast  the  eye  of  faith 
to  the  heavens,  and  say, '  Lo/d  Jesus,  re- 
ceive our  spirits ;'  and  thus  fall  asleep, 
peaceful  in  death,  in  the  hope  of  the  re 
surrection  of  the  just. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
1 .  And  Saul  loas  consenting,  &c.  Was 
pleased  with  his  being  put  to  death,  and 
approved  it.  Comp.  ch.  xxii.  20.  This 
part  of  the  verse  should  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  previous  chapter.  H  Al 
that  time.  That  is,  immediately  follow- 
ing the  death  of  Stephen.  The  persecu- 
tion arose  on  account  of  Stephen,  ch.  xi 
19.  The  tumult  did  not  subside  when 
Stephen  was  killed.  Their  anger  con- 
tinned  to  be  excited  against  all  Chris- 
tians. They  had  become  so  imbittered 
by  the  zeal  and  success  of  the  apostles 
and  by  their  frequent  charges  of  murder 
in  putting  the  Son  of  God  to  death,  that 
they  resolved  at  once  to  put  a  period  t5 
their  progress  and  success.  I'his  was  the 
first  persecution  against  Christians ;  the 
first  in  a  series  that  terminated  only  when 
the  religion  which  they  wished  to  destroy 
was  fully  established  on  the  ruins  of  both 
Judaism  and  Paganism.  IT  The  church. 
The  collection  of  Christians  which  were 
now  organized  into  a  church.  The  church 
at  Jerusalem  was  the  first  that  was  col- 
lected. IT  All  scattered.  That  is.  the 
great  mass  of  Christians.  IT  The  regions 
of  Judea,  &c.  See  Note,  Matt.  ii.  22 
IT  Except  the  apostles.  Probably  the  other 
Christians  fled  from  fear.  Why  the  apos- 
tles, who  were  particularly  in  danger,  did 
not  flee  also,  is  not  stated  Sy  the  historian. 
Having  been,  however,  more   fully  mi- 


132 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  3J 


the  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem  ; 
and  they  were  all  scattered  "  abroad 
throughout   the   regions   of    Judea 
and  Samaria,  except  the  apostles. 
2  And  devout  men  carried  Ste- 

{)hen  to  his  burial,  and  made  great 
amentation  over  him. 

oc.11.19. 


3  As  for  Saul,  he  *  made  havoc 
of  the  church,  entering  into  every 
house ;  and  haling  men  and  wo- 
men, committed  them  to  prison. 

4  Therefore  they  that  were  scat 
tered  abroad,  went  every  where 
preaching  the  word. 

fc  c.26.10,n.  GaL1.13. 


*tru?t«» :  thoff  the  others,  and  having  been 
taught  their  duty  by  the  example  and 
teaching  of  the  Saviour,  they  resolved,  it 
seems,  to  remain  and  brave  Ihe  fury  of 
the  persecutors.  For  them  to  hav)  iled 
'jhen  would  have  exposed  them,  a»  lead- 
ers and  founders  of  the  new  religion,  to 
the  charge  of  timidity  and  weakness. 
They  therefore  resolved  to  remain  m  the 
midst  of  their  persecutors ;  and  a  merciful 
Providence  watched  over  them,  and  de- 
fended them  from  harm.  The  dispersion 
extended  not  only  to  Judea  and  Samaria, 
but  those  who  fled  carried  the  gospel  also 
to  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and  Antioch.  ch. 
xi.  19.  There  was  a  reason  why  this  was 
permitted.  The  early  converts  were 
Jews.  They  had  strong  feelings  of  at- 
tachment to  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  to  the 
temple,  and  to  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
Yet  it  was  the  design  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
that  the  gospel  should  be  preached  every 
where.  To  accomplish  this,  he  suflTered 
a  persecution  to  rage ;  and  they  were 
Ecattered  abroad,  and  bore  his  gospel  to 
other  cities  and  lands.  Good  thus  came 
out  of  evil ;  and  the  first  persecution  re- 
sulted, as  all  others  have  done,  in  advanc- 
ing the  cause  which  was  intended  to  be 
destroyed. 

2.  And  devout  men.  Religious  men. 
The  word  used  here  does  not  imply 
of  necessity  that  they  were  Christians. 
There  mignt  hare  been  Jews  who  did 
not  approve  the  popular  tumult,  and  the 
murder  of  Stephen,  and  who  gave  him  a 
decent  burial.  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  and 
Micodemus,  both  Jews,  thus  gave  to  the 
liord  Jesus  a  decent  burial.  John  xix.  38, 
3'J.  H  Carried  Stephen.  The  word  trans- 
lated carried,  means  properly  to  collect, 
tKs  fruits,  &c.  Then  it  is  applied  to  all 
the  preparations  necessary  for  fitting  a 
dead  body  for  burial,  as  collecting,  or  con- 
fii.ing  it  by  bandages,  with  spices,  &c. 
f  And  made  great  lameniation.  This  was 
uaual  among  ine  Jews  at  a  funeral.  See 
Note,  Malt.  ix.  23. 

3.  As  Jot  Saul.  But  aiul.  lie  had  lib 
concern  in  the  pious  attentions  shown  to 
Stejthen.  but  engaged  with  zeal  in  the 
w-'ork  cf  oers^cution     II  He  viade  havoc. 


iKvfixlviTo,  This  word  is' commonly  ap- 
plied to  wild  beasts,  to  lions,  wolves,  &i* 
and  denotes  the  devastations  which  they 
commit.  Saul  raged  against  the  churcn 
like  a  wild  beast — a  strong  expression, 
denoting  the  zeal  and  fur}'  with  which  he 
engaged  in  persecution.  II  Entering  into 
every  house.  To  search  for  those  who 
were  suspected  of  being  Christians. 
H  Haling.  Dragging,  or  compelling  them. 
II  Committed  them  to  prison.  The  sanhe- 
drim had  not  power  to  put  them  to  death 
John  xviii.  31.  But  they  had  power  to 
imprison  ;  and  they  resolved,  it  seems,  to 
exercise  this  power  to  the  utmost.  Paul 
frequently  refers  to  his  zeal  in  persecut 
ing  the  church.  Acts  xxvi.  10, 11.  Gal  i. 
13. — It  may  be  remarked  here  that  thei-e 
never  was  a  persecution  commenced  with 
more  flattering  prospects  to  the  persecu 
tors.  Saul,  the  principal  agent,  was 
young,  zealous,  learned,  and  clothed  with 
power.  He  showed  afterwards  that  he 
had  talents  fitted  for  any  station ;  and 
zeal  that  tired  with  no  exertion,  and  that 
was  appalled  by  no  ohsta(;le.  With  this 
talent  he  entered  on  his  work.  Christians 
were  few  and  feeble.  They  were  scat- 
tered and  unarmed.  They  were  unpro- 
tected by  any  civil  power,  and  exposed, 
therefore,  to  the  full  blaze  and  rage  of 
persecution.  That  the  church  was  not 
destroyed,  was  owing  to  the  protection  of 
God — a  protection  that  not  only  secured 
its  existence,  but  which  extended  its  in 
fluence  and  power  by  means  of  this  very 
persecution  far  abroad  on  the  ea^h. 

4.  Went  every  where.  That  is,  they 
travelled  through  the  various  regions 
where  they  were  scattered.  In  all  placcg 
to  which  they  came,  they  preached  the 
word.  H  r  reach  ing  the  word.  Greek, 
Evangelizing,  or  announcing  the  good 
news  of  the  message  of  mercy,  or  the 
word  of  God.  It  is  not  the  usunl  word 
which  is  rendered  preach,  but  means  sim- 
ply announcing  the  good  news  of  salva- 
tion, '^riiere  is  no  evidence,  nor  is  there 
any  prohabiiily.tiiat  all  these  jiersons  wero 
orilaiurd  to  preach.  They  were  mnni 
festlv  common  Christians  who  were  seal 
tered  bv  the  persecution ;  and  tiie  mea* 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


133 


5  Then  Philip  "  went  down  to 
the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached 
Dhrist  unto  them. 


6  And  the  people  with  one  ac- 
cord *  gave  heed  unto  those  things 
which  Philip  spake,  hearing,  '  and 


Jig  is,  that  they  communicated  to  their 
Ibliow-raen  in  conversation,  wherever 
they  met  them ;  and  probably  in  the  sy- 
nagogues, wliere  all  Jews  had  a  right  to 
speak,  the  glad  tidings  that  the  Messiah 
had  come  It  is  not  said  that  they  set 
themselves  up  for  public  teachers ;  or 
ihat  they  administered  baptism ;  or  that 
they  founded  churches :  but  they  pro- 
claimed every  where  the  news  that  a 
Saviour  had  come.  Their  hearts  were 
full  of  it.  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaks;  and  they  made 
the  truth  known  to  all  whom  they  met. — 
We  may  learn  from  this,  (1.)  That  perse- 
cution tends  to  promote  the  very  thing 
which  it  v.ould  destroy.  (2.)  That  one 
af  the  best  means  to  make  Christians  ac- 
tive and  zealous  is  to  persecute  them. 
.;3.)  That  it  is  right  for  all  Christians  to 
naake  known  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 
When  the  heart  is  full,  the  lips  will 
speak ;  and  there  is  no  more  impropriety 
in  their  speaking  of  redemption  than  of 
any  thing  else.  (4.)  It  should  be  the  great 
object  of  all  Christians  to  make  the  Sa-  | 
viour  known  every  where.  By  their  lives,  I 
conversation,  and  pious  exhortations  and  j 
entreaties,  they  should  beseech  dying  sin- 
ners to  be  reconciled  to  God.  And  espe- 
cially should  this  be  done  when  they  are  | 
travelling.  Christians  when  away  from 
(lome  seem  almost  to  imagine  that  they 
lay  aside  the  obligations  of  rehgion.  But 
the  example  of  Christ  and  his  early  dis- 
ciples has  taught  us  that  this  is  the  very 
time  to  attempt  to  do  good. 

5.  Then  Philip.  One  of  the  seven  dea- 
cons, ch.  vi.  5.  He  is  afterwards  called 
the  Evangelist.  Acts  xxi.  S-  ^  The  city 
of  Samaria.  This  does  not  mean  a -city 
whose  name  was  Samaria,  for  no  such 
city  at  that  time  existed.  Samaria  was  a 
region.  Matt.  ii.  22.  The  ancient  city  Sa- 
maria, the  capital  of  that  region,  had  been 
destroyed  by  Hyrcanus,  so  completely  as 
to  leave  no  vestige  of  it  remaining;  and 
he  "  took  away,"  says  Josephus,  "  the  very 
raasks  that  there  had  ever  been  such  a 
eity  there."  (Antiq.  b.  xiii.  ch.  x.  $  3.)  He- 
pod  iflfFsreat  afterwards  built  a  city  on 
fuis  site,  and  called  it  Sehaste,  i.  e.  Au- 
gusts in  honour  of  the  emperor  x\ugus- 
tus.  (Jos.  Antiq.  h.  xv.  ch.  viii.  $  5.)  Per- 
haps this  city  is  intended,  as  being  the 
principal  city  of  Samaria ;  or  possibly  Si/- 
ehar,  another  city  where  the  gospel  had 
M 


been  before  preached  by  the  Savioui 
himself  John  iv.  IF  And  preached  Christ 
Preached  that  the  Messiah  had  come,  and 
made  known  his  doctrines.  The  same 
truths  had  been  before  stated  in  Samaria 
by  the  Saviour  iiimself  (John  iv.);  and 
this  wife  doubtless  one  of  the  reasons  why 
they  so  gladly  now  received  the  word  of 
God.  The  field  iiad  been  prepared  by  the 
Lord  Jesus;  and  he  had  said  that  it  was 
white  for  the  harvest  (John  iv.  35) ;  and 
into  that  field  Philip  now  entered,  and 
was  signally  blessed.  His  coming  was 
attended  with  a  remarkable  revival  of  re 
ligion.  The  word  translated  preach  here 
is  not  that  which  is  used  in  the  previous 
verse.  This  denotes  to  proclaim  as  a  crier., 
and  is  commonly  employed  to  denote  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  so  called.  Mark 
V.  20 ;  vii.  36.  Luke  viii.  39.  Matt,  xxiv 
14.  Acts  X.  42.  Rom.  x.  15.  1  Cor.  ix.  27, 
XV.  12.  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  It  has  been  argued 
that  because  Philip  is  said  thus  to  have 
preached  to  the  Samaritans,  that  therefore 
all  deacons  have  a  right  to  preach  or  that 
they  are,  under  the  New  Testament  eco- 
nomy, an  order  of  ministers.  But  this  is 
by  no  means  clear.  For,  (1.)  It  is  not  evi 
dent,  nor  can  it  be  shown,  that  the  other 
deacons  (ch.  vi)  ever  preached.  There  is 
no  record  of  their  doing  so;  and  the  nar 
rative  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  they 
did  not.  (2.)  They  were  appointed  for  a 
very  different  purpose  (ch.  vi.  1 — 5);  and 
it  is  fair  to  suppose  that  as  deacons,  they 
confined  themselves  to  the  design  of  thei. 
appointment.  (3.)  It  is  not  said  that  Philip 
preached  in  virtue  of  his  being  a  deaccn. 
From  any  thing  in  this  place,  it  would 
seem  that  he  preached  as  the  other  Chris- 
tians  did — wherever  he  was.  (4.)  But 
elsewhere  an  express  distinction  is  made 
between  Philip  and  the  others.  A  new 
appellation  is  given  him,  and  he  is  ex- 
pressly called  the  Evangelist.  Acts  xxi.  8 
From  this,  it  seems  that  h?  preached,  not 
because  he  was  a  deacon^  but  because  he 
had  received  a  special  appointment  to  this 
business  as  an  evangelist.  (5.)  This  same 
office,  or  rank  of  Christian  teachers,  is  ex- 
pressly recognised  elsewhere.  Eph.  iv.  11. 
All  these  considerations  show  that  there 
is  not  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  an  order  of 
ministers  appointed  to  preach  as  deacons. 
G.  V\lfh  one  accord.  Unitedlv,  or  with 
one  mind.  Great  njultitudes  of  them  dii 
it.   t  Gave  heed      Paid  attention  to  ;  en> 


(34 


THE  ACTS. 


LA.  Dr  33 


Beeii/jT  the  miracles  which  he  did. 

7  For  *  unclean  spirits,  crying 
ivith  loud  voice,  came  out  of  many 
'hat  were  possessed  ivitk  them:  and 
nany  taken  with  palsies,  ^  and  that 
were  lame,  '^  were  healed. 

8  And  there  was  great  joy  in  that 
city. 

9  But  there  was  a  certain  man 

•  MaT.16.17.       fcMar.2.»-ll.  c.9.33,34.      cMatt.11.5. 


Draced.     IT  Hearing.    Hearing  what  he 
taid. 

7.  For  unclean  spirits.  Note,  Matt.  iv. 
ti.  IT  Crying  with  loud  voice.  Note, 
Mark  i.  26.  V  Palsies.  Note,  Matt.  iv. 
24. 

8.  And  there  vns  great  joy.  This  joy 
arose,  (1.)  From  the  fact  that  so  many  per- 
Bons,  before  sick  and  afllicted,  were  re- 
6tored  to  health.  (2.)  From  the  conver- 
eion  of  individuals  to  Christ.  The  ten- 
dency of  religion  is  to  produce  joy. 
'3.)  From  the  mutual  joy  of  families  and 
friends,  that  their  friends  were  convert- 
2d.  The  tendency  of  a  revival  of  religion 
6  thus  to  produce  great  joy. 

9.  But  there  was  a  certain  man  called 
Simon.  Tiie  Fathers  have  written  much 
respecting  this  man,  and  have  given 
itrange  accounts  of  him;  but  nothing 
more  is  certainly  known  of  him  than  is 
Elated  in  this  place.  Rosenmueller  and 
Kuinoel  suppose  him  to  have  been  a  Si- 
mon mentioned  by  Josephus  (Antiq.  b.  xx. 
zh.  vii.  $  2),  who  was  born  in  Cyprus. 
He  was  a  magician,  and  was  employed 
by  Felix  to  persuade  Drusilla  to  forsake 
"ler  husband  Azizus,  and  to  marry  Felix. 
But  it  is  not  very  probable  that  this  was 
the  same  person.  (See  Note  in  Whiston's 
Josephus.)  Simon  Magus  was  probably 
a  Jew  or  a  Samaritan,  who  had  addicted 
himself  to  the  arts  of  magic,  and  who  was 
much  celebrated  for  it.  He  had  studied 
philosophy  in  Alexandria  in  Egypt  (Mo- 
jheim,  i.  p.  113,  114,  Miirdnck's  tranda- 
'ion),  and  then  lived  at  Samaria.  After 
ho  was  cut  off  from  the  hope  of  adding 
to  his  other  powers  the  power  of  working 
miraclns,  the  fathers  say  that  he  fell  into 
many  errors,  and  became  the  founder  of 
the  sect  of  the  Simonians.  They  accused 
him  of  affirming  that  be  came  down  as 
the  Father  in  respect  to  the  Samaritans ; 
Ihe  .Son  in  refi|  oct  to  the  Jnws;  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  n  respect  to  the  Gentiles. 
He  did  not  acknowledge  Christ  to  he  the 
Son  of  God,  but  a  rival,  and  pretended 
himself  to  be  Cirist.  He  rejected  the 
law  of  Moses.     Many  «)ilier  tnings  are 


called  Simon,  which  beforetime  ir 
the  same  city  used  sorcery,  **  and 
bewitched  the  people  of  Samaria, 
giving  out  *  that  himself  was  some 
great  one  : 

10  To  whom -^  they  all  gave  heed, 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  say* 
ing.  This  man  is  the  great  power  of 
God. 

d  C.I3.6.  Re.22.15.     e  c.5.36.  2Ti.3.2,5.      /?Cor  11.19 


affirmed  of  him,  which  rest  on  doubtful 
authority.  He  seems  to  have  become  an 
enemy  to  Christianity;  though  he  was 
willing  then  to  avail  himself  of  iome  of 
its  doctrines  in  order  to  advance  his  own 
interests.  The  account  that  he'  came  to 
a  tragical  death  in  Rome;  that  he  was 
honoured  as  a  deity  by  the  Roman  senate ; 
and  that  a  statue  was  erected  to  his  me 
mory  in  the  isle  of  Tiber,  is  now  generally 
rejected.  His  end  is  not  known.  (See 
Calmet,  art.  Simon  Magua,  and  Mosheim, 
i.  p.  114,  Note.)  H  Beforetime.  The  prac- 
tice of  magic,  or  sorcery,  was  common  at 
that  time,  and  in  all  the  ancient  nations. 
H  Used  sorcery.  Greek,  /»<>ivfOtt,i'.  Exer- 
cising the  arts  of  the  Magi,  m  Magicians ; 
hence  the  name  Simon  Magus.  See  Note, 
Matt.  ii.  1.  The  ancient  Magi  had  their 
rise  in  Persia,  and  were  at  first  addicted 
to  the  study  of  philosophy,  astronomy, 
medicine,  &c.  This  name  came  after- 
wards to  signify  those  who  made  use  of 
the  knowledge  of  these  arts  for  the  pur 
pose  of  imposing  on  mankind — astrolo- 
gers, .soothsayers,  necromancers,  fortune 
tellers,&c.  Such  persons  pretended  to  pre 
diet  future  events  by  the  positions  of  the 
stars,  and  to  cure  diseases  by  incantations, 
&c.  Seelsa.  ii.G.  See  also  Dan.  i.  20  ;  ii  2. 
It  was  expressly  forbidden  the  Jews  to 
consult  such  persons  on  pain  of  death 
Lev.  xix.  31  ;  xx.  6.  In  these  arts  Simon 
had  been  eminently  successful.  IT  Aiul 
bewitched.  This  is  an  unhappy  transla- 
tion. The  Greek  means  merely  that  he 
astonished  or  amazed  the  people,  or  ro7i- 
founded  their  judgment.  The  idea  of 
bewitching  them  is  not  in  the  original. 
IF  Giving  mU,  Arc.  Saying,  i.  e.  boasting. 
It  was  in  this  way,  partly,  that  he  .'^o  con- 
founded them.  Jugglers  penerallv  ini|K)He 
on  people  just  in  proportion  to  \\^^ira- 
vnganre  and  folly  of  their  jireflpfons 
The  same  remark  may  be  mndo  cifquacK 
doctors,  and  of  all  persons  who  altciiipt  to 
delude  and  imjxise  on  mankind. 
*  10.  The  sreal  power  of  (Jod.  Proli«bly 
this  means  only  that  (hey  believed  iha< 
he  was  invested  with  the  power  of  G 


%   D   33.| 


CHAPTER   nil. 


133 


LI  And  to  him  they  had  reg-ird, 
because  that  of  long  time  he  had 
bewitched  *=  them  with  sorceries. 

12  But  when  they  believed  ^Phi- 
lip preaching  the  things  '^  concern- 
ing- the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were 
baptized,  both  men  and  women. 

13  Then  Simon  himself  believed 


«Gal.3.l 


b  ver.37.  c.2.41. 


Qot  that  they  supposed  he  was  really  the 
Great  God. 

13  Then  Simon.,  .believed  also.  That 
is,  he  believed  that  Jesus  had  wrought 
miracles,  and  was  raised  from  the  dead, 
&c.  All  this  he  could  believe  in  entire 
consistency  with  his  own  notions  of  the 
power  of  magic ;  and  all  that  the  con- 
nexion requires  us  to  suppose  is  that  he 
believed  this — that  Jesus  had  power  of 
working  miracles,  &c. ;  and  as  he  purpos- 
ed to  turn  this  to  his  own  account,  he  was 
willing  to  profess  himself  to  be  his  fol- 
lower. It  might  have  injured  his  popu- 
larity, moreover,  if  he  had  taken  a  stand 
when  so  many  were  professing  to  become 
Christians. — Men  often  profess  religion 
because,  if  they  do  not,  they  fear  they 
will  lose  their  influence,  and  be  left  with 
the  ungodly.  That  Simon  was  not  a  reel 
Christian  is  apparent  from  the  whole  nar- 
rative, ver.  18.  21 — 23.  IF  And  when  he 
was  baptized.  He  was  admitted  to  a  pro- 
fession of  religion  in  the  same  way  as  the 
others.  Philip  did  not  pretend  to  know 
the  heart  ,•  and  Simon  was  admitted  be- 
cause he  professed  his  belief  This  is  all 
the  evidence  that  ministers  can  have,  and 
it  is  no  wonder,  that  they,  as  well  as  Phi- 
lip, are  often  deceived.  The  reasons  which 
influenced  Simon  to  make  a  profession  of 
religion,  seem  to  have  been  these :  (1.)  An 
impression  that  Christianity  was  true.  He 
seems  to  have  been  convinced  of  this  by 
the  miracles  of  Philip.  (2.)  The  fact  that 
many  others  were  becoming  Christians; 
and  he  went  in  with  the  multitude.  This 
is  often  the  case  in  revivals  of  religion. 
(3.)  He  had  no  religion;  but  it  is  clear 
(ver.  20,  21)  that  he  was  willing  to  make 
use  of  Christianity  to  advance  his  own 
power,  influence,  and  popularity — a  thing 
which  multitudes  of  men  of  the  same 
mind  with  Simon  Magus  have  been  will- 
ing since  to  do.  IT  And  continued,  &c. 
It  was  customary  and  natural  for  the  dis- 
rioies  to  remain  with  their  taachers.  See 
ch.  11  42.  *r  And  utnndered.  This  is  the 
same  word  th  at  is  translated  bewitched  in 
V  r  9  11      It  means  that  he  was  amazed 


also:  and  when  he  was  baptized 
he  continued  with  Philip,  and  won 
dered,  beholding  the  miracles  '  anj 
signs  which  were  done. 

14  Now  W'hen  the  apostles  which 
were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Sa- 
maria had  received  the  word  of 
God,  they  sent  unto  them  Petei 
and  John : 

>  or,  sigiis  and  great  miracles . 


that  Philip  could  reallt/  perform  so  much 
greater  miracles  than  he  had  even  pre- 
tended to. — Hypocrites  will  sometimes  be 
greatly  attentive  to  the  external  duties  of 
religion,  and  will  be  greatly  surprised  at 
what  IS  done  by  God  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners.  IF  Miracles  and  signs.  Greek, 
Signs  and  great  powers,  or  great  miracles. 
That  is,  so  much  greater  than  he  pretend- 
ed to  be  able  to  perform. 

14.  They  sent.  That  is,  the  apostles 
deputed  two  of  their  number.  This  shows 
conclusively  that  there  was  no  chief  or 
ruler  among  them.  They  acted  as  being 
equal  in  authority.  The  reason  why  they 
sent  them  was,  probably,  that  there  would 
be  a  demand  for  more  labour  than  Philip 
could  render;  a  church  was  to  be  found- 
ed, which  required  their  presence ;  and 
it  was  important  that  they  should  be  pro- 
sent  to  organize  it,  and  to  build  it  up.  The 
harvest  had  occurred  in  Samaria,  of  which 
the  Saviour  spoke  (John  iv.  35),  and  it 
was  proper  that  they  should  enter  into 
it. — In  times  of  revival  there  is  often  more 
to  be  done  than  can  be  done  by  the  regu 
lar  pastor  of  a  people,  and  it  is  proper 
that  he  should  be  aided  from  abroad. 
IT  Peter.  This  shows  that  Peter  had  no 
such  authority  and  primacy  as  the  Roman 
Catholics  claim  for  him.  He  exercised 
no  authority  of  sending  others,  but  was 
himself  sent.  He  was  appointed  by  their 
united  voice,  instead  of  claiming  the 
power  himself  of  directing  them.  ^  Ana 
John.  Peter  was  ardent,  bold,  zealous, 
rash  ;  John  was  mild,  gentle,  tender,  per- 
suasive. There  was  wisdom  in  uniting 
them  in  this  work,  as  the  talents  of  both 
were  needed  ;  and  the  excellencies  in  the 
character  of  the  one  would  compensate 
for  the  defects  of  the  other.  It  is  obseiv- 
able  that  the  apostles  sent  two  together,  as 
the  Saviour  had  himself  done.  See  Note. 
Mark  vi.  7.  The  reasons  why  this  addi- 
tional aid  was  sent  to  Samaria  were  pro- 
bably these:  (1.)  To  assist  Philip  in  a 
great  work — in  the  harvest  which  he  wag 
there  collecting.  (2.)  To  give  the  sanc- 
tion of  thp  aulh'^rity  of  *he  apostles  to 


136 


15  Who,  when  they  were  come 
down,  prayed  for  them,  that  they 
might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost : 

16  For  as  yet  *  he  was  fallen 
upon  none  of  them  ;  only  they  were 
*  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

«  c.19.2.  i  c.2.38;  10.4S;  19.5,6.  lCor.1.13. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  ^  33 

17  Then  md  '  they  their  hands 
on  them,  and  they  received  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

18  And  when  Sirnon  saw,  thai 
through  laying  on  of  the  apostles 
hands  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given, 
he  offered  them,**  money, 

c  c.6.6.  He.6.2.  d  lTiin.6.5, 


«vhat  he  was  doing.  (3.)  To  confer  or 
die  converts  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghos  „ 
ver.  17. 

15.  Were  come  down.  To  Samaria. 
Jerusalem  was  generally  represented  as 
up,  or  higher  than'the  rest  of  the  land. 
Matt.  XX  18.  John  vii.  8.  ^  Prayed  for 
them.  They  sought  at  the  hand  of  God 
the  extraordinary  communications  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  They  did  not  even  pretend 
to  have  the  power  of  doing  it  without  the 
aid  of  God.  IT  That  they  might  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost.  The  main  question  here  is, 
what  was  meant  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  In 
ver.  20,  it  is  called  "the  gift  of  God." 
The  following  remarks  may  make  this 
plain.  (1.)  It  was  not  that  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  which  the  soul  is  converted,  or 
renewed,  for  they  had  this  when  they  be- 
lieved, ver.  6.  Every  where  the  conver- 
sion of  the  sinner  is  traced  to  his  influ- 
ence. Comp.  John  i.  13.  (2.)  It  was  not 
the  ordinary  influences  of  the  Sjurit  by 
which  the  soul  is  sanctified  ;  for  sanctifi- 
cation  is  a  progressive  work,  and  this  was 
sudden:  sanctification  is  shown  by  the 
general  tenor  of  the  life ;  this  was  sud- 
den and  striking.  (3.)  Itwas  something 
that  was  discernible  by  external  effects ; 
for  Simon  saw  (ver.  18),  that  this  was  done 
by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  (4.)  The 
phra.se  '  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  and 
•the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  signified 
not  merely  his  ordinary  influences  in 
converting  sinners,  but  those  extraordi- 
nary influences  that  attended  the  first 
preaching  of  the  gospel — the  power  of 
speaking  with  new  tongues  (ch.  ii.),  the 
ftower  of  working  miracles,  &c  Acts  xix. 
6.  (5.)  This  is  fur'lier  clear  from  the  fact 
that  Simon  wished  lo  purchase  this  power, 
evidently  to  keep  up  his  influence  among 
the  people,  and  to  retain  his  ascendency 
as  a  juggler  and  sorcerer.  But  surely, 
Bimon  would  not  wish  to  purchase  the 
converting  and  sanctifying  influences  of 
the  Hnly  Spirit;  it  was  the  iKJwer  of 
working  miracles.  These  ihiners  make  it 
clear  iJiat  l>y  tlie  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
here  is  meant  the  i>owcr  of  s|rf>akini;  with 
Qfiw  tongues  ((ornp.  1  Tor.  xiv.)  and  the 
power  of  miracles    And  it  is  further  dear 


that  this  passage  should  not  be  adducoa 
in  favour  of"  the  rite  of  confirmation"  in 
the  Christian  church.  For  besides  the 
fact  that  there  are  now  no  apostles,  the 
thing  spoiien  of  here,  is  entirely  different 
from  that  of  the  rite  of  confirmation.  This 
was  to  confer  the  extraordinary  jKiwer  of 
working  miracles ;  that  is  for  a  different 
purpose. 

If  it  be  asked  why  this  power  was  con- 
ferred on  the  early  Christians,  it  may  be 
replied,  that  it  was  to  furnish  striking 
proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion ;  to  impress  the  people,  and  thus  to 
win  them  to  embrace  the  gospel.  The 
earlv  church  was  thus  armed  with  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  extra 
ordinary  attestation  of  God  to  his  message 
was  one  cause  of  the  rapid  prv>pagation 
and  permanent  estabhshment  of  the  gos 
pel. 

16.  He  was  fallen.  This  expression  is 
several  times  applied  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
ch.  )i.  44;  xi.  15.  It  does  not  differ  mate- 
rially from  the  common  expression,  "  the 
Holy  Ghost  descended."  It  means  that  he 
came  from  heaven;  and  the  expresson 
to  fidl,  applied  to  his  influences,  denotes 
the  rapidity  and  suddenness  of  his  com- 
ing. Comp.  ch.  xix.  2.  IT  In  the  name  oj 
the  Lord  Jesus.  Note,  ch.  ii.  38.  See  also 
ch.  X.  48  ;  xix.  5,  6. 

17.  Then  Uiid  they  their  hands,  SiC.  Th\9 
was  an  act  oi'  jirayer,  expressing  an  invo- 
cation to  God  that  he  would  impart  the 
blessing  to  them.  On  how  many  they  laid 
their  hands,  is  not  said.  It  is  evident  that 
it  was  not  on  all,  for  they  did  not  thus  lay 
hands  on  Simon.  Perhaps  it  was  .lone 
on  a  few  of  the  more  prominent  and  load- 
ing persons,  who  vere  to  ho  employed 
particularly  in  hearing  witness  t<i  thfl 
truth  of  the  gospel.  It  was  i-usinmary  to 
lay  the  hands  on  anv  person  when  a  fa 
voir  was  to  be  conferred,  or  a  hlessini* 
imported.     See  Note,  Malt.  ix.  18. 

18.  Simon  sain,  Ac.  That  is.  he  wit- 
ne.«se.l  the  exiraordinary '^fleets,  the  power 
of  speaking  in  a  niinicnlniis  manner,  (tv. 
\()to,  ver.  1.').  H  ! If '•ll'-red  Ifn'm  vumey 
Ho  ha<l  had  a  roni:irUal»le  infliienne  ov«i 
the  Samaritans,  and  he  saw  that  the  po 


A.  D.  33.] 


CHAPTK.i  VIII. 


131 


19  Saying,  Give  me  also  this 
power,  that  on  whomsoever  I  lay 
hands,  he  may  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

.  20  But  Peter  said  unto  him,  Thy 
money  perish  with  thee,  because  " 


*2K.i. 6.15,16   Matt.10.8. 


fcc.10.45;  11.17. 


session  of  this  power  would  perpetuate 
ana  increase  his  influence.  Men  com- 
monly employ  the  tricks  of  legerdemain 
for  ihe  purpose  of  making  money  ;  and  it 
seems  probable  that  such  had  been  the 
design  of  Simon.  He  saw  that  if  he  could 
communicate  to  others  this  power,  if  he 
could  confer  on  them  the  talent  of  speak- 
ing other  languages,  it  might  be  turned 
to  vast  account,  and  he  sought  therefore 
to  purchase  it  of  the  apostles.  From  this 
act  of  Simon  we  have  derived  our  wo^d 
simony,  to  denote  the  buying  and  selling 
of  ecclesiastical  preferment,  or  church 
offices,  where  religion  is  supported  by 
the  g*ate.  This  act  of  Simon  shows  con- 
clusively that  he  was  influenced  by  im- 
proper motives  in  becoming  connected 
with  the  church. 

20.  Thy  money  perish  with  thee.  This 
IS  an  expression  of  the  horror  and  indig- 
nation of  Peter  at  the  base  offer  of  Simon. 
It  is  not  to  be  understood  as  an  impreca- 
tion on  Simon.  The  main  idea  is  the 
apwstle's  contempt  for  the  money,  as  if  he 
regarded  it  as  of  no  value.  'Let  your 
money  go  to  destruction.  We  abhor  your 
impious  offer.  We  can  freely  see  any 
amount  of  money  destroyed  before  we 
will  be  tempted  to  sell  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.'  But  there  was  here  also  an  ex- 
pression of  his  belief  that  Simon  also 
would  perish.  It  was  a  declaration  that 
ne  was  hastening  to  ruin,  and  as  if  this 
was  certain,  Peter  says,  let  your  money 
perish  loo.  IT  The  gift  of  God.  That  which 
he  has  given,  or  conferred  as  a  favour. 
The  idea  was  absuid  that  that  which  God 
himself  gives  as  a  sovereign,  could  be 
purchased.  It  was  impious  to  think  of  at- 
tempting to  buy  with  worthless  gold  that 
which  was  of  so  inestimable  valiifi:  The 
gift  of  God  heie  means  the  extraordinary 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ch.  x.  45; 
si.  17.  How  can  we  pay  a  price  to  God  ? 
^il  (hat  we  can  give,  the  silver,  and  the 
sold,  and  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills, 
belong  to  him  already.  We  have  nothing 
which  we  can  present  for  his  favours. 
And  yet  there  are   many  who  seek  to 

Eurchase  the  favour  of  God.     Some  do  it 
y  alms  and  prayers ;  some  by  penance 
and  fasting ;  some  by  attemj^ting  to  make 
their  o\^  n  hearts  better,  and  by  self-right- 
M  2 


thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  *  of 
God  may  be  purchased  with  mo 
ney. 

21  Thou  hast  neither  part '  noi 
lot  in  this  matter:  for**  thy  heajt  »si 
not  riofht  in  the  sight  of  God. 


dPs.78.36,37.  Eze.i4.3. 


eousness;  and  some  by  penitence  and 
tears.  All  these  will  not  purchase  his 
favour.  Salvation,  like  every  other  bbsa- 
ing,  v.'ill  be  his  gift ;  and  if  ever  received, 
we  must  be  willing  to  accept  it  on  hia 
own  terms ;  at  his  own  time ;  and  in  his 
own  way.  We  are  without  merit ;  and 
if  saved,  it  will  be  by  the  sovereign  grace 
of  God. 

21.  Neither  part.  You  have  no  portion 
of  the  grace  of  God;  that  is,  you  are  dea 
titute  of  it  altogether.  This  word  com 
monly  denotes  the  part  of  an  inheritance 
which  falls  to  one  when  it  is  divided. 
IT  Nor  lot.  This  word  means  properly  a 
portion  which  falls  to  one  when  an  es- 
tate, or  when  spoil  in  war  is  divided  into 
portions,  according  to  the  number  of  those 
who  are  to  be  partakers,  and  the  part  of 
each  one  is  determined  by  lot  The  two 
words  denote  emphatically  that  he  was  in 
no  sense  a  partaker  of  the  favour  of  God 
IT  In  this  matter.  Greek,  In  this  word,  i.  e. 
thing.  That  which  is  referred  to  here  is 
the  religion  of  Christ.  He  was  not  a 
Christian.  It  is  remarkable  that  Peter 
judged  him  so  soon,  and  when  he  had 
seen  but  one  act  of  his.  But  it  was  an 
act  which  satisfied  him  that  he  was  a 
stranger  to  religion.  One  act  may  some- 
times bring  out  the  whole  character;  it 
may  evince  the  governing  motives;  it 
may  show  traits  of  cjiaracter  utterly  in- 
consistent with  true  religion;  and  then  it 
is  as  certain  a  criterion  as  any  long  series 
of  acts.  1i  Thy  heart.  Your  affections,  or 
ffoverning  motives  ;  your  principle  of  con- 
duct. Comp.  2  Kings  x.  15.  You  love 
gold  and  popularity,  and  not  the  gospe? 
for  what  it  is.  There  is  no  evidence  here 
that  Peter  saw  this  in  a  miracu^pus  man- 
ner, or  by  any  supernatural  influence.  It 
was  apparent  and  p'ain,  that  Simon  was 
not  influenced  by  the  pure,  disinterested 
motives  of  the  gospel,  but  by  the  love  of 
power  and  of  the  world.  IT  In  the  siijhl 
of  God.  That  is,  God  sees  or  judges  that 
your  heart  is  not  sincere  and  pure. — No 
external  profession  is  acceptable  without 
the  heart.  Reader,  is  your  heart  right 
with  God  ?  Are  your  motives  ))ure  ;  and 
does  God  see  there  the  exercise  o^'  holy 
Sincere,  and  benevolent  affections  towards 
him?    God  knows  the  motives:  and  wit\ 


1-38 


THL  aCIS. 


[A.  D.  5 J 


22  Kcpei.t  th;refbre  of  this  thy 
wickedness;  and  pray  God,  if" per- 
naps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may 
DC  forgiven  tnee  : 

a  U?.Q.4.27.  2Tim.2.25.  • 


uaerrii.g  cerlainty  he  will  judge;  and 
uith  unerring  justice  he  will  fix  our 
dooru,  according  to  ihe  atrections  of  the 
heart 

22.  Rej)ent,  therefore.  Here  we  may 
remark,  (1-)  That  Simon  was  at  this  time 
an  unconverted  sinner.  (2.)  That  the 
ix>minand  was  given  to  him  as  such. 
(3.)  That  he  was  required  iodo  the  thing: 
net  to  wait  or  seek  merely,  but  actuafly 
to  re{)ent.  (4.)  That  this  was  to  be  the 
first  step  in  his  conversion.  He  was  not 
even  directed  to  pra^y  first ,  but  his  first 
mdispen.-iable  work  was  to  repent,  that  is, 
to  exercise  proper  sorrow  for  this  sin,  and 
to  abandon  his  plan  or  principle  of  action. 
And  this  shows,  (1.)  That  all  sinners  are 
to  be  exhorted  to  repent,  as  their  first 
work.  They  are  not  to  be  told  to  vMit, 
and  read,  and  pray,  in  the  expectation 
that  repentance  will  be ^tren  them.  With 
such  helps  as  they  can  obtain,  they  are  to 
do  the  thing.  (2.)  Prayer  will  not  be  ac- 
ceptable, or  heard,  unless  the  sinner  comes 
repenting,  that  is,  unless  he  regrets  his 
ein,  and  desires  to  forsake  it.  Then,  and 
then  only,  will  he  be  heard.  When  he 
comes  loving  his  sins,  and  resolving  still 
to  practise  them,  God  will  not  hear  him. 
When  he  comes  desirous  of  forsaking 
them,  grieved  that  he  is  guilty,  and  feel- 
ing his  need  of  help,  God  will  hear  his 
prayer.  See  Isa.  i.  In.  Mic.  iii.  4.  Prov. 
i.  28.  Ps.  Ixvi.  18.  H  And  pray  (Jod. 
f laving  a  desire  to  forsake  the  sin,  and  to 
be  pardoned,  then  p^y  to  God  to  forgive. 
[t  woulu  be  absurd  to  ask  forgiveness 
until  a  nnn  fblt  his  need  of  it.  This 
Bhows  that  a  sinner  ought  to  pray,  and 
hew  he  ought  to  do  it.  It  sliould  be  with 
a  desire  and  purpose  tf)  forsake  sin,  and 
in  that  state  of  mind  God  will  hear  the 
prayer.  Coinp.  Dan.  iv.  27.  IF  If  perhaps. 
There  v^  no  certainty  that  God  would 
^orgive  him  ;  nor  is  there  any  evidence 
either  that  Simon  prayed,  or  that  he  was 
forgiven.— This  direction  of  Peter  pre- 
eents  another  imiKjrlaiit  principle  in  re- 
gard to  the  condu*  I  of  sinners.  They  are 
to  be  directed  to  repent,  not  because  they 

ave  the  iiromise  of  (ifrgiveness,  and  not 
because  they  h>]>e  to  be  fi)rgiven,  but  he- 
eauflc  sin  is  n  i^renf  evil,  and  because  it  is 
rifrht  and  prnper  th.-il  ihev  should  repent, 
whctlier  they  are  (.ircivoii  or  tH)t.  That 
is  In  lie  l«n  l(»  lite  novereigii  mercy  of 


23  i'or  I  perceive  that  thou  arl 
in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  *  and  in 
the  bond  '  of  iniquity. 


b  Jer.4.13.  Heb.12.15. 
Ita.2d.22. 


c  Ps.  116.16.  Prov.5, 


God.  They  are  to  repent  of  sin,  and— 
then  they  are  to  feel,  not  that  they  hav« 
any  claim  on  God,  but  that  they  are  de- 
pendent on  him,  and  must  be  saved  or 
lost  at  his  will.  They  are  not  to  sup{x»e 
that  their  tears  will  purchase  (brgivenesa, 
but  that  they  lie  at  the  foot  of  mercy,  and 
that  there  ishope — not  certainty— thatGc<i 
will  forgive.  The  language  of  the  hum- 
bled sinner  is. 

"  Perhaps  he  will  admit  my  plea. 

Perhaps  will  hear  iny  prayer  ; 
But  if  I  perish  I  will  pray, 

And  porish  only  there. 

"  I  can  but  perish  if  I  go, 
I  am  resolv'd  to  try, 
For  if  I  stay  away,  I  know 
1  shall  for  ever  die." 

IT  The  thought,  &c.  Your  purpose,  oi 
wish.  Thoughts  may  be,  therefore,  evil, 
and  need  forgiveness.  It  is  not  open  sin 
only  that  needs  to  be  pardoned ;  it  is  the 
secret  purpose  of  the  soul. 

23.  For' I  perceive.  That  is,  by  the  act 
which  he  had  done.  His  offer  had  shown 
a  state  of  mind  that  was  wholly  incon- 
sistent with  true  religion.  One  single  sin 
mny  as  certainly  show  that  there  is  no 
true  piety  as  many  acts  of  iniquity.  It 
may  be  so  decided,  so  malignant,  so  utterly 
inconsistent  with  just  views,  as  at  once  to 
determine  what  the  character  is.  The  sin 
of  Simon  was  of  this  character.  Peter 
here  does  not  appear  to  have  claimed 
the  power  of  judging  the  heart;  but  he 
judged,  as  all  other  men  would,  by  the 
act.  H  In  the  gall.  This  word  denotes 
properly  bde,  or  that  bitter,  yellowish- 
green  fluid  that  is  secreted  in  the  liver. 
Hence  it  means  any  thing  very  bitter, 
and  also  any  bad  passion  of  the  mind,  aa 
anger,  malice,  &c.  We  speak  o( bdternest 
of  mind,  &c.  IT  Of  bitterness.  This  is  a 
Hebraism ;  the  usual  mode  of  expressing 
the  superlative,  and  means  excessive  bitter' 
7iess.  The  phrase  is  used  respecting  tdo- 
latry  (Deut.  xxix.  18),  "Lest  there  should 
be  among  vou  a  root  that  bearelh  gall  and 
wormwoo*!."'  A  similar  expression  occuni 
in  Heb  xii.  If),  "  Lest  any  root  of  bitter- 
ness  springing  up,  trouble  you,"  Are.  Sin 
is  thus  represented  as  a  bitter  or  jioigonoui 
thing!  a  tiling  not  only  unjiUasant  in  its 
conKe(|uences,  but  ruinous  in  its  charac. 
ter,  as  a  poisonous  })lant  would  bo  in  Ifil 
niidtit  o'-dhfi'-  plants.   J»r    '.  19.  "  It  ia  til 


\.  D.  33.] 


CHAP'iEU  Viij 


139 


24  Then  answered  Simon,  and 
said,  Pray  *  ye  to  the  Lord  for  me, 
thit  none  of  these  things  which  ye 
aave  spoken  come  upon  me. 

25  And  they,  when  they  had  tes- 
tified and  preached  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and 

a  Ex.8.8.  Nu.21.7.  lKi.13.6.  Job  42.8.  Ja.5.16. 


evil  and  bitter  thing  that  thou  hast  for- 
saken the  Lord  thy  God."  iv.  18  Rom.  iii. 
14,  "  Whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and 
bitterness."  Eph.  iv.  31.  The  meaning 
here  is,  that  the  heart  of  Simon  was  full 
of  dreadful,  malignant  sin.  IT  Bond  of 
iniquity.  Or,  that  thou  art  bound  by  ini- 
quity. That  is,  that  it  has  the  rule  over 
you,  and  birids  you  as  a  slave.  Sin  is 
often  thus  represented  as  bondage  and 
captivity.  Sinners  are  represented  as 
chained  to  it,  and  kept  in  hard  servitude. 
Ps.  cxvi.  16  Prov.  v.  22,  "He  shall  be 
holden  with  the  cords  of  his  sins."  Rom. 
vii.  23,  24.  These  expressions  prove  con- 
clusively that  Simon  was  a  stranger  to 
religion. 

24.  Pray  ye,  &c.  Here  remark,  (1.) 
That  Simon  was  directed  to  pray  for  him- 
self (v«r.  22),  but  he  had  no  disposition  to 
do  that.  Sinners  will  often  ask  others  to 
oray  for  them,  when  they  are  too  proud, 
or  too  nruch  in  love  with  sin,  to  pray  for 
themselves.  (2.)  The  main  thing  that 
Peter  wished  to  impress  on  him  was  a 
sense  of  his  sin.  Simon  did  not  regard 
this,  but  looked  only  to  the  punishment. 
He  was  terrified  and  alarmed ;  and  he 
sought  to  avoid  future  punishment ;  but 
he  had  no  alarm  about  his  sins.  So  it  is 
often  with  sinners.  So  it  was  with  j^^i- 
raoh  (Ex.  viii.  28.  32),  and  with  JeroltOTmi 
(1  Kings  xiii.  6).  And  so  sinners  often 
quiet  their  own  consciences  by  asking 
ministers  and  Christian  friends  to  f>ray  for 
them,  wh.le  they&XlW  purpose  to  persevere 
in  iniquity.  If  men  expect  to  be  saved, 
they  must  pray /or  themselves  ;  and  pray 
not  chiefly  to  be  freed  from  punishment, 
but  from  the  sin  which  deserves  hell. — 
This  is  all  that  we  hear  of  Simon  in  the 
Vevv  Testament;  and  the  probability  is, 
that,  like  many  other  sinners,  he  did  not 
pray  for  himself  but  continued  to  live  in 
the  gal)  of  bitterness,  and  died  in  the 
bond  of  iniquity.  The  testimony  of  an- 
tiquity is  decif.ed  on  that  point.  See 
Note,  ver.  9. 

25.  Li  many  villages,  <fec.  They  went 
at  first  directly  to  the  city  of  Samaria.  On 
their  return  to  Jerusalem,  they  travelled 
nooro  at  leisure,  and  preached  in  the  vil- 


preached  the  gospel  in  many  vil- 
lages of  the  Samaritans. 

26  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
spake  unto  Philip,  saying,  Arise, 
and  go  toward  the  south,  unto  tha 
way  that  goeth  down  from  Jerusa- 
lem unto  Gaza  ^  which  is  desert 

b  Jo3.15.47. 

lages  also — a  good  example  for  the  mini*- 
tors  of  the  gospel,  and  for  all  Christians, 
when  travelling  from  place  to  place. — 
The  reason  why  they  returned  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  made  that  their  permanent 
abode,  might  have  been,  that  it  was  im- 
portant  to  bear  witness  to  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  in  the  very  city  where  he  had 
been  crucified,  and  where  his  resurrec- 
tion had  occurred.  If  the  doctrine  was 
established  there,  it  would  be  more  easy 
to  establish  it  elsewhere. 

26.  Aiid  tlie  angel  of  the  Lord.  The 
word  angel  is  used  in  the  Scriptures  in  a 
great  variety  of  significations.  See  Note, 
Matt.  i.  20.  Here  it  has  been  supposed  by 
some  to  mean  literally  a  celestial  messen- 
ger sent  from  God ;  othei-s  have  supposed 
that  it  means  a  dream,  others  a  vision,  &c. 
The  word  properly  means  a  messenger ; 
and  all  that  it  can  be  shown  to  signify 
here  is,  that  the  Lord  sent  a  message  to 
Philip  of  this  kind.  It  is  most  probable, 
I  think,  that  the  passage  means  that  God 
communicated  the  message  by  his  Spirit; 
for  in  ver.  29,  39,  it  is  expressly  said  that 
the  Spirit  spake  to  Philip,  &c.  Thus  in 
Acts  xvi.  7,  the  Spirit  is  said  to  have  for 
bidden  Paul  to  preach  in  Bythinia ;  and 
in  ver.  9,  the  message  on  the  subject  i.s 
said  to  have  been  conveyed  in  a  vision 
There  is  no  absurdity,  however,  in  sup 
posing  that  an  angel  literally  was  employ 
ed  to  communicate  this  message  to  Philip- 
See  Heb.  i.  14.  Gen.  xix.  1 ;  xxii.  11.  Judg 
vi.  12.  11  Spake  unto  Philip.  Comp.  Malt, 
ii.  13.  IT  Arise.  See  Note,  Luke  xv.  18 
IT  And  go.,  &c.  Philip  had  been  employed 
in  Samaria.  As  God  now  intended  to 
send  the  gospel  to  another  place,  he  gave 
a  special  direction  to  Philip  to  go  and 
convey  it.  It  is  evident  that  God  design- 
ed the  conversion  oi i\\is  eunuch;  and  the 
direction  to  Philip  shows  how  he  accom- 
plishes his  designs.  Tt  is  not  by  miracle, 
j  but  by  the  use  of  means.  It  is  not  by  di- 
rect power  withcut  truth,  but  it  is  by  e 
message  fitted  to  the  end.  The  salvation 
of  a  single  sinner  is  an  object  worthy  the 
attention  of  God.  When  such  a  ainrier  n 
converted,  it  is  because  God  forms  a  plan. 
or  purpose  to  do  it.     When  it  is  done  he 


140 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  b.  33 


ii7  And  he  arose  and  went:  and, 
behold,  a  man  of  Ethiopia,  "  an 
''  eunuch  of  great  authority  under 
Candace  queen  of  the  Ethiopians, 

a  Ze?h.3.10.  6  Iii».5«.3-5. 


mchnes  his  servants  to  labour;  he  directs 
sheir  labours ;  he  leads  his  ministers ;  and 
he  prepares  tiie  way  (ver.  28)  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  truth,  f  Toivard  the  south. 
That  is,  south  of  Samaria,  where  Philip 
was  then  labouring.  If  Unto  Gaza.  Gaza, 
or  AzzAH  (Gen.  x.  19),  was  a  city  of  ^the 
Philistines,  given  by  Joshua  to  Jutiah 
'Josh.  XV.  47.  1  Sam.  vi.  17).  It  was  one 
of  the  fve  princnal  cities  of  the  Philis- 
tines, it  was  ibniierly  a  large  place;  was 
situated  on  an  eminence,  and  commanded 
a  beautiful  prospect.  It  was  in  this  place 
that  Samson  took  away  the  gates  of  the 
city,  and  bore  them  offi  Judg.  xvi  2,  3.  It 
was  near  Askelon,  about  sixty  miles 
southwest  from  Jerusalem.  U  Which  is 
desert.  This  may  refer  either  to  the  way 
or  to  the  plarfi..  The  natural  construction 
is  the  latter.  In  explanation  of  this,  it  is 
to  be  observed  that  there  were  two  towns 
of  that  name,  Old  and  New  Gaza.  The 
oropfief  Zepha-niah  (ii.  4)  said  that  Gaza 
shr)iild  be /orsaAen,  i.  e.  destroyed.  "This 
was  partly  accomplished  by  Alexander  ihe 
Great.  (Jos.  .AntKj.  o.  xi.  ch.  viii.  ^  3,  4 ;  b. 
xiii.  ch.  xiii.  $  3.)  Another  town  was  after- 
wards huiliof  the  same  name,  but  at  some 
distance  from  the  former;  and  Old  Gaza 
was  abandoned  to  desolation.  Strabo  men- 
tions 'Gaza  the  desert,'  and  Diodorus  Sicu- 
lus  speaks  of  'Oid  Gaza.'  "  {Robin.  Cal- 
met.)  Some  have  supposed,  however,  that 
Luke  refers  h«;re  to  the  road  leading  to 
Gaza,  as  being  desolate  and  uninhabited. 
But  I  regard  the  former  interpretation 
as  most  natural  and  obvious.  "  In  this 
place,  in  1823,  the  American  missiona- 
ries, Messrs.  Fisk  and  King,  found  Gaza, 
a  town  built  of  stone,  making  a  very  mean 
appearance,  and  containing  about  five 
thou.9and  inhabitants."  (Hall  on  ihe 
A  ris.) 

27.  A  man  of  Ethiopia.  Gaza  was  near 
the  confines  between  Palestine  and  Egypt. 
It  was  in  the  direct  road  from  Jerusalem 
Ui  Kcypt-  Ethiopia  Mas  one  of  the  great 
Kingdoms  of  Africa,  part  of  which  is  novv 
railed  Abyssinia.  It  is  frequently  men- 
tioned in  Scripture  under  the  name  of 
Cnsh.  But  Citsh  com|irehended  a  much 
larger  region,  including  thesoutJiern  part 
of  Arabia,  and  even  snmeliines  the  coiui- 
tries  adjacent  to  the  Tigris  and  Hnphra- 
tes.  Kihiopia  proper  lay  south  of  Kgypt, 
on  the  Nile,  and  wan  bounded  north  by 


who  had  iht  cl  arg«  of  all  her  trea- 
sure, and  had  come  *  to  Jerusalerr 
for  to  worship, 

28  Was  returning;  and,  sitting 


Egypt,  that  is,  by  the  cataracts  near  Sy 
ene;  east  by  the  Red  sea,  and  perhsj* 
part  by  the  Indian  Ocean ;  south  by  un- 
Icnown  regions  in  the  interior  of  Africa  ; 
and  west  by  Lybia  and  the  deserts.  I^ 
comprehended  the  moderii  kingdoms  oi 
Nubia  or  Sennaar,  and  Abyssinia.  The 
chief  city  m  it  was  the  ancient  Meroe, 
situated  on  the  island  or  tract  of  the  same 
name,  between  the  Nile  and  Ashtaboras, 
not  far  from  the  modern  Shendi.  {Robin- 
son's Calntet.)  V  An  eunuch,  &c.  See 
Note,  Matt.  xix.  12.  Eunuchs  were  com- 
monly employed  in  attendance  on  the  fe- 
males of  the  harem ;  but  the  word  is  often 
used  to  denote  any  confidential  officer,  or 
counsellor  of  state.  It  is  evidently  so  used 
here.  ^  O/artat autlioritt/.  Of  high  rank; 
an  officer  of  the  court.  It  is  clear  from 
what  follows  that  this  man  was  a  Jew. 
But  it  is  known  that  Jews  were  often 
raised  to  posts  of  high  honour  and  distinc- 
tion in  foreign  courts,  as  in  the  case  of 
Joseph  in  Egypt,  and  of  Daniel  ii^Baby- 
lon.  1^  Under  Candace,  &c.  Candace  is 
said  to  nave  been  the  common  name  of 
the  qneens  of  Ethiopia,  as  Pharaoh  was 
of  the  sovereigns  of  Egypt.  This  is  ex- 
pressly stated  by  Pliny.  ("Nat.  Hist.  vii.  29.; 
His  words  are,  "The  edifices  of  the  city 
were  few;  a  woman  reigned  there  of  the 
nameof  Cand.-vce,  which  name  had  been 
transmitted  to  these  queens  for  many 
years."  Strabo  mentions  also  a  (luoen  of 
Eyuopia  of  the  name  of  Candace.  Speak 
inPbf  an  insurrection  against  the  Romans, 
he  says,  "Among  these  were  the  oflicers 
ofqueenCANUACF),  who  in  our  days  reign- 
ed over  the  Ethiopian.s."  As  this  could 
not  have  been  the  Candace  mentioned 
here,  it  is  plain  that  the  name  was  com- 
mon to  these  queens — a  sort  of  royal  title. 
She  was  probably  (pieen  of  Meroe,  an 
important  part  of  Ethiopia.  (Bruce's  Tra- 
vels, vol.  ii.  p.  4'3\— Clarke.)  ^  Who  had 
Ihe  charge,  Arc.  The  treasurer  was  an 
officer  o?  high  trust  and  responsibility 
H  And  had  come,  Ac.  This  proves  that 
he  was  a  Jew,  or  at  least  a  Jevvi.'^h  prose- 
lyte. It  was  customary  for  the  Jews  in 
foreign  lands,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  at- 
teni!  the  great  feasts  at  Jerusalem.  H« 
had  gone  up  to  attend  the  Passover,  &c 
See  Note,  ch.  ii.  6. 

28.  And  sittinf!  in  his  Chariot.   His  car 
riape:  his  vehicle     The  '<>rra  of  the  cat 


V  D.  33.  j 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


41 


in  his  cliariot,  read  Esaias  the  pro- 
phet. 
29  Then  «  the   Spirit  said   unto 

a  Isa.65.21  Ho3.6.3. 

riage  is  not  known.  In  some  instances 
the  carriages  of  the  ancients  were  placed 
on  wheels  ;  in  others,  were  borne  on  poles 
in  the  form  of  a  litter  or  palanquin,  by 
men,  or  mules,  or  horses.  (See  Calmet, 
art.  Chariot..)  H  Reading  Esaias,  &c. 
Lsaiah.  Reading  doubtless  the  transla- 
tion of  Isaiah  called  the  Septuagint.  This 
translation  was  made  i-n  Egypt,  for  the 
special  use  of  the  Jews  in  Alexandria  and 
throughout  Egypt,  and  was  that  which 
was  commonly  used.  Why  he  was  reading 
the  Scriptures,  and  especially  this  prophet, 
is  not  certainly  known.  It  is  morally  cer- 
tain, however,  that  he  was  in  Judea  at 
the  time  of  the  crucifixion  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus :  that  he  had  heard  much 
of  him;  that  this  would  be  a  subject  of 
discussion ;  and  it  was  natural  for  him,  in 
returning,  to  look  at  the  prophecies  re- 
specting the  Messiah,  perhaps  either  to 
meditate  on  them  as  a  suitable  subject  of 
inquiry  and  thought,  or  perhaps  to  exa- 
mine the  claims  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  to 
this  office.  The  prophecy  in  Isa.  liii.  was 
so  striking,  and  coincided  so  clearly  with 
the  character  of  Jesus,  that  it  was  natural 
for  a  candid  mind  to  examine  whether  he 
might  not  be  the  person  intended  by  the 
prophet. — On  this  narrative  we  may  re- 
mark, (1.)  It  is  a  proper  and  profitable 
employment  on  returning  from  worship  to 
examine  the  sacred  Scriptures.  (2.)  It  is 
well  to  be  in  the  habit  of  reading  the 
Scriptures  when  we  are  on  a  journey.  It 
may  serve  to  keep  the  heart  fiom  worldly 
objects,  and  secure  the  affections  for  God. 
(3.)  It  is  well  at  all  times  to  read  the  Bi- 
ble. It  is  one  of  the  means  of  grace.  And 
it  is  when  we  are  searching  his  wdl,  that 
we  obtain  light  and  comfort.  The  sinner 
should  examine  with  a  candid  mind  the 
sacred  volume.  It  may  be  the  means  of 
conducting  him  in  the  true  path  of  salva- 
tion. (4.)  God  often  gives  us  light  in  re- 
gard to  the  meaning  of  the  Bible  in  unex- 
pected modes.  How  little  did  this  eunuch 
sxpect  \o  be  enlightened  ir  the  manner  in 
which  he  actually  was.  Vet  God,  who 
intended  to  instruct  and  save  him,  sent 
the  living  teacher,  and  opened  to  him  the 
sacred  "scriptures,  and  led  him  to  the  Sa- 
viour. It  is  probable  (ver.  30)  that  he  was 
reading  it  aloud. 

29.  The  Spirit.  See  Note,  ver.  26.  The 
{t)ly  Spirit  is  here  evidently  intended. 
The   'ijought   in  Philip's  mind   is   here 


Philip,  Go  near,  and  join  thyself  to 
this  chariot. 

S^And  Philip  ran  thither  to  hirn^ 

traced  to  his  suggestion.  All  good 
thoughts  and  designs  have  the  same 
origin.  IT  Join  thyself.  Join  him  in  his 
chariot.    Go  and  sit  with  him. 

30.  And  Philip  ran,  &c.  Indicating  his 
haste,  and  his  desire  to  obey  thu  sugges- 
tions of  the  Spirit.  A  thousand  difficulties 
might  have'  been  started  in  the  mind  of 
Philip  if  he  had  reflected  a  little.  The 
eunuch  was  a  stranger;  he  had  the  .^^ 
pearance  of  a  man  of  rank ;  he  was  en- 
gaged in  reading ;  he  might  be  indisposed 
to  be  interrupted  or  to  converse,  &c.  But 
Philip  obeyed  without  any  hesitation  the 
monitions  of  the  Spirit,  and  raii  to  him. — 
It  is  well  to  follow  the  frst  suggestions 
of  the  Spirit;  to  yield  to  the  clear  indica 
tions  of  duty,  and  to  perform  it  at  once. 
Especially  in  a  deed  of'  benevolence,  and 
in  conversing  with  others  on  the  subject 
of  religion,  our  Jir-ft  thoughts  are  com- 
monly safest  and  best.  If  we  do  not  fol- 
low them,  the  calculations  of  avarice,  or 
fear,  or  some  worldly  prudence,  are  very 
apt  to  come  in.  VVe  become  alarmed, 
we  are  afraid  of  the  rich  and  the  great ; 
and  we  suppose  that  our  conversation 
and  admonitions  will  be  unacceptable. — 
We  may  learn  from  this  case,  (1.)  To  do 
our  duty  at  once,  without  hesitation  or 
debate.  (2.)  We  shall  often  be  disap- 
pointed in  regard  to  subjects  of  this  kind 
We  shall  find  candid,  humble.  Christian 
conversation  far  more  acceptable  to  stran 
gers,  to  the  rich,  and  to  the  great,  than 
we  commonly  suppose.  If,  as  in  this  case, 
they  are  alone;  if  we  approach  thera 
kindly ;  if  we  do  not  rudely  and  harshly 
address  them,  we  shall  find  most  men 
willing  to  talk  OJi  the  subject  of  religion. 
I  have  conversed  with  some  hundreds  ot 
persons  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  do 
not  now  recollect  but  two  instances  in 
which  I  was  rudely  treated,  and  in  which 
it  was  not  easy  to  gain  a  respectful  and 
kind  attention  to  Christian  conversation 
IT  And  heard  him  read.  He  was  reading 
loud — sometimes  the  best  way  of  impress- 
ing truth  on  the  mind  in  our  private  read 
ing  the  Scriptures.  '!^  And  said,  &c.  Thif* 
question,  there  tnighthave  been  reason  to 
fear,  would  not  be  kindly  received.  But 
the  eunuch's  mind  was  in  such  a  state 
that  he  took  no  offence  from  such  an  in^ 
quiry,  though  made  by  a  footman,  an(i  a 
stranger.  He  doubtless  recognised  hiw 
as  a   brother  Jew.— It  is  an   important 


143 


THE  ACT.S. 


,  A.  D.  33 


and    heard    him    read    the   prophet 
Ksaias,  and   said,  Understandest " 
'thou  what  thou  readest]         ^ 

31  And  he  said,  How  ''  caoff ex- 
cept some  man  should  guide  '  me  ] 
And  he  desired  Philip  that  be  would 
come  up  and  sit  with  him. 

32  The   place   of    the   scripture 

a  >Utt.l3.23,51.  Ep^.lT.        t  Ho.  10. 14.        e  Pi.25.9. 


question  to  a«k  ourselves  when  we  read 
the  sacred  Scriptures. 

31.  And  he  said,  &c.  Thi«  was  a  gene- 
ftt.  acknowledgment  of  his  need  of  direc- 
lion.  It  evinced  a  humble  slate  of  rnind. 
It  was  an  acknowledgment,  also,  origi- 
nating pmtebly  from  this  [>articular  pas- 
fcof^e-wnich  he  was  reading.  He  did  not 
understand  how  it  could  f>e  applied  to  the 
Messiah;  how  the  description  of  his  hu- 
miliation and  condemnation  (ver.33j  could 
he  reconciled  to  the  prevalent  ideas  of 
his  l^eing  a  prince  and  a  conqueror.  The 
Bame  sentiment  is  expressed  by  Paul  in 
Rr>rn.  X.  14.  The  circurastances,  the  state 
of  mind  in  the  eunuch,  and  the  result, 
strongly  remind  one  of  the  declaration  in 
Ps.  XXV.  y,  "The  meek  will  he  guide  in 
judgment,  and  the  meek  will  he  teach  his 
way."  1i  And  he  denired,  &/:.  lie  was 
willing  to  receive  instruction  even  from 
a  stranger. — The  rich  and  the  great  may 
often  receive  valuaiile  instruction  from  a 
Btranger,  and  from  a  jyxjr,  unknown  man. 

32.  'lliepUire,  A:c.  Isa.  liii.  7,  8.  IF  lie 
vMf  led,  &Lt:.  This  quotation  is  taken  lite- 
rally frrjm  the  SeptuaginL  It  varies  very 
little  from  the  Hebrew.  It  has  U^en  al- 
mf>st  universally  understrxjd  that  this 
place  refers  to  the  Messiah;  and  Philip 
expressly  applies  it  to  hirn.  'J'he  word 
"  was  led"  V-r/.i'.)  implies  that  he  was 
conducted  by  others;  that  he  W!i«  led 
Bs  a  sheep  is  led  to  be  killed.  The 
{general  idea  ia  that  of  meekness  and  suli- 
rnissif/n  when  he  was  led  to  be  put  to 
death;  a  description  that  applies  in  a 
very  striking  manner  to  the  lyjrd  Jesus. 
IT  To  the  sl/iiighter.  To  be  killed.  The 
cliaracteristic  here  recorded  is  more  re- 
markable in  the  sheep  than  in  any  other 
anirnals.  H  And  like  a  Inmh  dumb,  &cr,. 
8riH  j>alient,  unresisting.  IT  So  he  openeA 
not  his  moiilh.  He  fiid  not  complain,  or 
murmur;  he  oflcred  no  resistance,  but 
yielded  [>atiently  U)  what  was  done  by 
others. 

33  fn  his  humiliation.  ThJB  varies 
from  the  Hebrew,  but  is  copied  exactly 
Ojm  tfifvHepluagint,  showing  that  he  was 
readinf^  the  Scptuagint.     The  Hebrew  ia 


which  he  read  was  .his,  "  He  waa 
led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter; 
and  like  a  lamb  dumb  before  his 
shearer,  so  opened  he  not  his  mouth: 
33  In  his  humiliation  his  judg- 
ment was  taken  away :  and  who 
shall  declare  his  generation?  foi 
his  life  is  taken  from  the  earth. 


"he  was  taken  from  prison,  and  from 
judgment."  The  word  rendered  "  prison" 
denotes  any  kind  of  detention,  or  even 
oppression.  It  does  not  mean,  as  with  us, 
to  be  confined  in  a  prison  or  jail,  but  may 
mean  custody,  and  be  applied  to  the  de- 
tention or  cu.stody  of  the  Saviour  when 
his  hands  were  U>und,  and  he  was  led  to 
be  tried.  Note,  Matt,  xxvii.  2.  It  is  not 
known  why  the  LXX.  thus  translated  the 
expression  "  he  was  taken  from  prison," 
(fcc.  by  "in  his  humiliation."  ic.  The 
word  "  from  jiriwjn"  may  mean,  as  has 
been  remarked,  however,  from  fjppre$- 
sif/n,  and  this  does  not  differ  materially 
from  humdialum  ;  and  in  this  sense  the 
LXX.  understfxjd  it.  The  meaning  of  the 
expression  in  the  Septuagint  and  the  Acta 
is  clear.  It  denotes  that  in  his  state  of 
oppression  and  calamity,  when  he  was 
destitute  of  protectors  and  friends,  when 
al  the  lfnj;esl  state  of  his  humiliation,  and, 
thercfijre,  most  the  object  of  pity,  that  in 
ofldition  to  f//a/,  justice  was  denied  him, 
his  judgment — a  just  sentence — was  taken 
away,  or  withheld,  and  he  was  delivered 
to  be  put  to  death.  His  deep  humiliation 
and  friendless  state  was  followed  by  an 
unjust  and  cruel  conrlemnaliori,  when  no 
one  would  stand  forth  to  plead  his  cause. 
Every  circumstance  thus  goes  to  dce[)en 
the  view  of  his  sufferings.  H  His  judg- 
ment. Justice,  a  just  sentence,  was  de- 
nied him.  and  he  was  cruelly  condemned, 
IT  And  v:ho  shall  declare  his  generatirm? 
The  word  generatif/n  used  here,  properly 
denotes  posterity;  then  an  age  of  man- 
kind, comprehending  al>out  thirty  yearn, 
rts  we  speak  of  this  and  the  next  genera- 
tion ;  then  it  denotes  the  men  of  a  particu- 
lar age  or  time.  Very  various  interpro- 
tatioriH  have  been  given  of  this  expreBuion. 
lyjwth  translates  it,  "  h.fl  manner  of  li(« 
who  would  declare?"  referring,  as  h« 
supfioses,  to  the  fact  that  when  a  pri80i)«r 
was  condemned  and  led  to  execution,  it 
was  customary  f^r  a  proclamation  to  \m 
made  by  a  crier  in  these  words.  "  Who 
ever  knows  any  thing  afnuit  his  inno 
cencc,  let  him  come  ami  der-lare  it. 
This  pnswigo  is  taken  from  the  Gemars 


\.  if.  33. J 


CHAPTER  Vlij. 


14? 


34  And    the    eunuch    arswered 
Philip,   and   said,   I   pray  ihee,  of 


of  Babylon.  (Kennicott  as  quoted  hij 
Jj/wlh  ,  The  aame  Gemara  of  Baljylon 
on  lliis  paxsage  adds,  "  that,  before  the 
death  of  Jesus,  lhi:s  proclamation  was 
made  forty  days;  but  no  defence  could  be 
fiiund" — a  manifest  fixisehood  ;  and  a 
8'iory  strikingly  illustrative  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Jewish  writings.  The  Gemara 
was  written  sometime  after  Christ,  per- 
haps not  far  from  the  year  180  i IjirdneT), 
and  is  a  col.ection  of  commentaries  on  the 
traditional  laws  of  the  Jews.  Tiiat  this 
custom  existed  :3  very  probable ;  but  it  is 
cerLain  that  no  such  thing  was  done  on  the 
trial  of  the  Saviour.  But  instances  are 
wanting  where  the  word  "generation" 
has  this  meaning.  The  Chaldee  para- 
phra-se  translates  the  passage  in  Isaiah, 
"  He  shall  collect  our  captivity  from  in- 
firmities and  vengeance  ;  and  who  can 
declare  what  wonderful  things  shall  \ni 
done  for  us  i-n  his  days  ?"  Others  have 
referred  this  question  to  his  Deity,  or  di- 
vine generation  ;  intimating  that  no  one 
could  explain  the  mystery  of  his  eternal 
generation.  But  the  word  in  the  Scrip- 
tures hfis  no  such  signification  ;  and  such 
a  sense  would  not  suit  the  connexion. 
(See  Calvin  in  loco.;  Others  have  rofi'-r- 
rod  it  to  his  omn  spiritual,  posteriti/,  his 
disciples,  his  family;  'the  number  of  his 
friends  and  followers  who  could  enume- 
rate?' {Calvin,  Bf.za,  &c.)  But  this  as 
little  suits  the  connexion.  Another  sense 
which  the  word  has,  is  to  denote  the  men 
of  any  particular  age  or  time.  Matt.  xi.  10  ; 
xxiii.  36.  LuKe  xvi.  8,  A;c.  And  it  has 
been  supfKJsed  that  the  question  here 
means,  '  Who  can  describe  the  character 
and  wickedness  of  the  generation  when 
he  shall  live — the  enormous  crime  f/f  that 
age,  in  pi;!ting  him  to  death  ?'  This,  per- 
hafjs,  is  the  most  probable  interpretation 
of  the  question,  for  these  rea.sons:  (\  )  It 
i«  the  most  usual  signification  of  the  word 
(see  Schleusner;,  and  would  be  it>!  obvi- 
ous meaning  in  any  other  cor..'^;exion. 
;2.;  It  suits  the  connexion  here,  for  the 
prophet  imrnedialebj  adds  as  a  re/ison  for 
the  fact  that  no  one  can  describe  that 
generaliin,  that  he  was  put.  to  death — a 
leed  r.()  enormous,  as  to  make  it  impossi- 
'Je  t.r.  df-scrihe  the  wickedness  of  the  pawft- 
mi!or.  that  would  do  it-  This  wa.s  the 
•urn,  the  crowning  act  of  human  guilt — 
i  deed  so  enormous  as  Xf>  AcA'y  all  attempt 
if  description.  The  rn order  of  the  Mes- 
siah ;  tlie  f;rucifiTion  of  the  Sfjn  of  God  ; 
die  killing  of  the  highe«l  iiutmcnuer  that 


whom  speakelh  Ihe  prophet  Oiial 
of  himself,  or  of  some  other  m  in  ] 


heaven  could  send,  was  the  conHumma- 
tion  of  all   earthly  wickedness.     'I'here 
was  no  other  deed  so  enormous  that  could 
be  i)erfbrmed  ;  and  there  w ere  no  words 
to  (ie.sf;ribe  this.     Ttie  same  thing  is  im- 
plied in  wtiat  the  Saviour  himself  said 
(^."vlatt.  xxiii.  37,  38,  and  Luke  xiii.  31,  '.'/o, 
xix.  42),  "O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,"  Ac 
The  idea  in  these  places  is,  that  notwith 
standing  their  sin  in  killing  the  prcjjhetn, 
and  stoning  those  that  had   been  sent  to 
them,  he  would  still  have  been  willing  to 
receive  and    pardon   them,   but  ior   this 
enormous  act  of  wickedness  in   juitting 
the  Messiah  to  death — a  deed  which  they 
were    afjout   to   accom[)lisli^   and    which 
should  be  attended  with  the  destruction 
of  their  state  and  nation.     The  Heb-  w 
i  word  "declare"  (Inn.  liii.  8j,  means   j  jo- 
I  perly  to  meditate,  to  tldnk  r/,  and  thf;ii,  to 
j  speak,  to  declare.     It  ni(N'uis  f)robably  in 
that  place,  'Who  can  think  ofj  who  can 
conceive  the  enormity  of  the  crimea  of 
that  age,  so  as  fully  to  publish  or  df  nlaro 
them.'     1i  For  his  Life,  A,c.     This  is  the 
:  act  of  wickedness  just  referred  to — puf- 
\  ting  the  Messiah  to  death,     'i'he  Hebrew 
:  is,  "  For  he  was  cut  off  from  Ihe  land  oi 
'  the  living,"  i.  e.  ho  was   put   to  death 
The   expression    used    in    the  Act«    v\a8 
j  taken  from  the  Sepluagint,  and    means 
I  substantially  the  same  as  the  Hebrew. 
I       Wt.  Answered  Philip.  'V\>Mi\H,addres}'ed 
I  Philip.   7'he  Hebrews  often  use  the  word 
'  answer  as  synonymous   with   addressing 
i  one,  whether  lie  had  s[joken  or  not.  H  (if 
I  hini?elf,  Ace.    This  was  a  natural  inquiry 
for  there  was  nothing  in  the  t(^xt  ilsell 
that  would  determine  expressly  to  whom 
the    reference   was.     The  ancient  Jews 
expressly  applied  ihe  passage  to  the  MeH- 
siah.     Thus  the  Targurn  of  Jonathan  on 
Isa.  lii.  13,  "  Beholrl,  my  servant  shall  deal 
j  prudently,"  Ac,  renders  it,  "Behold,  my 
servant,  the  Messiah,  shall  be  prospered," 
A:c.     But  we  should  remember  that  the 
eunuch  was  probably  not  deeply  versed 
in  the  Scriptures.    We  should  remember, 
further,  that  he  had  just  been  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  that  the  public  mind  was  agi- 
tated about  the  proceedings  of  the  uanhe- 
drirn  in  putting  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who 
claimed  \m  be  the  Messiah,  to  death.     It 
is  by  no  means  improbable  that  this  pas- 
sage had   been  urged  as  a  proof  that  he 
was  the  Messiah;  and  that  the  Jews,  tfl 
evade  the  force  of  it,  had  mr».intained  that 
it  referred  to  Isaiah  o- Jeremiah — as  they 
have  frnce  done.    Yel  the  subject  was  v 


'44 


THE  ACTS 


35  Tlier  Philip  opene(?  his 
mouth,  and  beg-an  »  at  the  same 
scri^Hure,  and  *  preached  anto  him 
Jesus. 

30  And  as  they  wen;  on  their 
way,  they  came  unto  a  certain  wa- 
ter: and  the  eunuch  said,  See,  here 

aLu.24.27.         ic. 18.28.        cc.10.4T. 


irnjwrtant  and  .so  difTicult,  that  it  had  oc- 
cupied the  attention  of  the  traveller  dur- 
ing liis  journey  ;  and  his  question  shows 
that  he  had  been  deeply  pondering  the 
mqniry  whether  it  coiild  refer  to  Isaiah, 
or  whether  it  must  have  reference  to  the 
Messiah.  In  this  state  of  suspense  Pnd 
agitation,  when  his  mind  was  just  fitted 
to  receive  instruction,  God  sent  a  messen- 
ger to  guide  him. — He  often  thus  pre- 
pares, by  his  providence,  or  by  a  train  of 
affecting  and  solemn  events,  the  minds  of 
men  for  a  reception  of  the  truth ;  and  then 
he  sends  his  messengers  to  guide  the  mind 
thoughtful  and  anxious,  in  the  way  of 
peace  and  salvation. 

35.  Opened  his  mouth.  See  Matthe%v. 
/.  2.  II  At  the  same  scripture.  Taking 
this  as  a  text  to  be  illustrated.  IT  Preached 
unto  him  Jesus.  Showed  him  that  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  exactly  answered  to  Uie  de- 
Bcription  of  the  prophet;  and  that  there- 
fore Mie  prophet  referred  to  the  Messiah, 
and  that  that  Messiah  was  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth. How  far  Philip  detailed  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  life  and  death  of  Christ 
is  unknown.  \Vhat  follows  shows  also 
that  he  stated  the  design  of  baptism,  and 
the  duty  of  being  baptized. 

36.  As  they  went  on  their  way.  In  their 
journey.  H  A  certain  water.  The  expres- 
sion used  here  does  not  determine  whe- 
Iher  this  wis  a  river,  a  brook,  or  a  pond 
or  standing  pool.  And  there  are  no  cir- 
cumstances to  determine  that.  It  is  well 
known,  however,  that  there  is  no  large 
river,  or  very  considerable  stream  in  this 
vicinity.  All  that  is  intimated  is,  that 
there  was  water  enough  to  perform  the 
rite  of  baptism,  whether  that  was  by 
Bjirir/kling,  pouring,  or  imme'^ion.  It 
miwi  be  admitted,  I  think,  that  there 
mighi  have  been  water  enough  for 
either.  Grotiun  says  they  came  "to  a 
ftnivfain  which  was  in  the  neighbour- 
fioo*!  (tf  liethsora,  in  the  Irilie  of  Juda,  at 
the  I'Aentioth  milestone  from  ^Elia  {Jem-, 
ialem)  to  Hebron'  This  is,  however,  a 
'.radi'ioM  taken  from  Eustbius.  The  place 
A  n'jli  uh)\Mi.  (I'ococke.)  T  mint  doth 
\vidfr  m.",,  Stf.  This  shows  that  he  had 
i>»'.(-u  i^wirulcd  bv  Philin  in  the  nature 


[A.D.  35. 
hinder  me  l< 


IS  water ;  what  d  Dth 
be  baptized  ! 

37  And  Philip  said,  If''  thou  be- 
lievest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou 
mayest.  And  he  answered  and 
said,  I  '  believe  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God. 

d  Mar.l6.16.c.S.12.      «  Jno.Il.27.  ICor  12.3.  IJuo.  Hj. 


and  design  of  baptism.  It  evinces  a  leer 
a  purpose  at  once  to  give  himself  to  Christ, 
to  profess  his  name,  and  to  be  dedicated 
to  his  service.  H  To  bt  baptized.  On  the 
meaning  of  the  vvf  rd  baptize,  see  Note, 
Matt.  hi.  6. 

37.  And  Picilip  said,  &c.  Tliis  was 
then  stated  to  be  '.he  proper  qualification 
for  making  a  profession  of  religion.  The 
terms  are,  (1.)  Faith,  that  is,  a  reception 
of  Jesus  as  a  Saviour;  yielding  the  mind 
to  the  proper  influences  of  the  truths  of 
redemption.  See  Note,  Mark  xvi,  IG. 
(2.)  There  is  required  not  merely  the  as- 
sent of  the  understanding,  but  a  surrender 
of  the  heart,  the  will,  the  affections,  to  the 
truth  of  the  gospel.  As  these  were  the 
proper  qualifications  then,  so  they  are 
now.  Notliing  less  is  required  ;  and  no- 
thing but  this  can  constitute  a  proper 
qualification  for  the  Lord's  supper.  IT  1 
believe,  &c.  This  profession  is  more  than 
a  professed  belief  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah. The  name  C/<n>/  implies  that.  'I 
believe  that  Jesus  the  Messiah'  is.  &c.  In 
addition  to  this,  he  professed  his  belief 
that  he  was  (he  Son  of  God — showirfg 
either  tliat  he  had  before  supposed  that 
the  Messiah  would  be  the  Son  of  God,  or 
that  Philip  had  instructed  him  on  that 
point.  It  was  natural  for  Philip  in  dis^ 
coursing  on  the  humiliation  and  poverty 
of  Jesus,  to  add  also  that  he  sustained  n 
higher  rank  of  being  than  a  man,  and  waa 
the  Son  of  God.  What  precise  ideas  the 
eunuch  attached  to  this  expression  cannot 
be  now  determined.  This  verse  is  wan^ 
ing  in  a  very  large  number  of  manuscripts 
{Mill),  and  has  been  rejected  by  many 
of  the  ablest  critics.  It  is  also  omitted  in 
the  Syrisc  and  Ethiopic  versions.  It  is 
not  easy  to  conceive  why  it  has  been 
omitted  in  almost  all  the  Greek  MSS.  un- 
less it  is  sjturicus.  If  it  was  not  in  the 
original  copy  of  the  Acts,  it  was  probably 
inserted  by  some  early  transcriber,  and 
was  deemed  so  important  to  the  connex- 
ion, to  show  ,hat  the  eunuch  was  not  ad- 
mitted hastily  to  baptism,  that  it  waa  af 
torwards  retained.  It  contains,  howovcr, 
an  important  truth,  elsewhere  abundantly 
tauKhl  in  the  Scriptures,  thct  faith  ie  ne- 


A.  n.  33. J 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 


14S 


38  And  he  commanded  the  cha- 
not  to  stand  still  :  and  they  went 
down  both  into  the  water,  both 
Philip  ard  the  eunuch ;  and  he 
baptized  him. 


cessary  to  a  proper  profession  of  reU- 
gion. 

38.  And  they  went  down  both  into  the 
water.  This  passage  has  been  made  the 
subject  of  much  discussion  on  the  subject 
of  baptism.  It  has  been  adduced  in 
proof  of  the  necessity  of  immersion.  It  is 
not  proposed  to  enter  into  that  subject 
here.  See  Note,  Matt.  iii.  6.  It  may  be 
remarked  here  that  the  preposition  £'?, 
translated  here  "  into,"  does  not  of  neces- 
sity mean  that.  Its  meaning  would  be  as 
veil  expressed  by  "  to"  or  "  unto,"  or  as 
we  should  say,  '  they  went  to  the  water,' 
without  meaning  to  determine  whether 
they  went  into  it  or  not.  Out  of  twenty- 
^ix  significations  which  Schleusner  has 
given  the  word,  this  is  one.  John  xi.  38, 
"  Jesus  therefore  groaning  in  himselfj 
Cometh  to  (st,-)  the  grave" — assuredly  not 
into  the  grave.  Luke  xi.  49,  "  I  send  them 
prophets."  Greek,  'I  send  to  Ois)  them 
nr.)phets' — to  them,  not  into  them.  Comp. 
kom.  ii.  4.  1  Cor.  xiv.  36.  Matt.  xii.  41, 
"  They  repented  at  (iig)  the  preaching  of 
Jonas" — not  into  his  preaching.  John  iv. 
5,  "  Then  cometh  he  to  (fi%-)  a  city  of  Sa- 
maria," that  is,  near  to  it,  for  the  context 
shows  that  he  had  not  yet  entered  into  it. 
Comp.  ver.  6.  8.  John  xxi.  4,  "  Jesus  stood 
on  i=ii)  the  shore,"  that  is,  not  in,  but  near 
the  shore.  These  passages  show  that  the 
word  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  they 
entered  into  the  water.  But  (2.)  If  it  did, 
•t  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  the  eu- 
nuch was  immersed.  There  might  be 
various  ways  of  baptizing,  even  after  they 
iver'e  in  the  water,  besides  immersing. 
Sprinklmg  or  pouring  might  be  performed 
there  as  well  as  elsewhere.  (3.)  It  is  in- 
cumbent on  those  who  maintain  that  im- 
mersion is  the  07dy  valid  mode  of  baptism, 
to  prove  that  this  passage  cannot  possibly 
mean  any  thing  else,  and  that  there  v)as 
no  other  mode  practised  by  the  apostles. 
(4.)  It  would  be  still  incumbent  to  show 
that  if  this  were  the  common  and  even 
the  only  mode  then,  in  a  warm  climate, 
(fee.  that  it  is  indispensable  that  this  mode 
ehould  be  practised  every  where  else. 
No  such  positive  command  can  be  ad- 
duced. And  it  follows,  therefore,  that  it 
cannot  be  proved  that  immersion  is  the 
only  lawful  mode  of  baptism.  See  No*^, 
Matt  iii.  6. 

N 


39  And  when  they  were  come  up 
out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  "  caught  away  Philip,  that  the 
eunuch  saw  him  no  more  :  and  he 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing.* 

a  lKi.I?.12.  Eze.3.12,I4.  b  Fs.I19.14,lIl. 


39.  Out  of  the  water,  {Ik.)  This  preposp 
tion  stands  opposed  to  li^,  "  into ;"  and  sj 
that  may  mean  to,  so  this  may  mean  from, 
if  that  means  into,  this  means  here  out  of 
IT  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  See  ver.  29 
The  Spirit  had  suggested  to  Philip  to  go 
to  meet  the  eunuch  and  the  same  Spirit, 
now  that  he  had  fulfilled  the  design  of 
his  going  there,  diiected  his  departure. 
IT  Caught  away.  This  phrase  has  been 
usually  understood  of  a  forcible  or  mira- 
culous removal  of  Philip  to  some  other 
place.  Some  have  even  supposed  that 
he  was  borne  through  the  air  by  an  angel. 
(See  even  Doddridge.)  To  such  foolish 
interpretations  have  many  expositors  been 
led.  The  meaning  is,  clearly,  that  the 
Spirit,  who  had  directed  Philip  to  go  near 
the  eunuch,  now  removed  him  in  a  simi 
lar  manner.  That  this  is  the -meaning  is 
clear,  (1.)  Because  it  accounts  for  all  that 
occurred.  It  is  not  wise  to  suppose  the 
existence  of  a  miracle,  except  where  the 
effect  cannot  otherwise  be  accounted  for, 
and  except  where  there  is  a  plain  state- 
ment that  there  was  a  miracle.  (2.)  The 
word  "caught  away"  {'y.^7rx<rs)  does  not 
•imply  that  there  was  a  miracle.  The 
word  properly  means  to  seize  and  bear 
away  any  thing  violently,  without  the 
consent  of  the  ov/ner,  as  robbers  and 
plunderers  do.  Then  it  signifies  to  remove 
any  thing  in  a  forcible  manner  ;  to  make 
use  of  strength  or  power  to  remove  it 
Acts  xxiii.  10.  Matt  xiii.  19.  John  x.  28, 
2  Cor.  xii.  2,  4,  &c.  In  rjo  case  does  it  ever 
denote  that  a  miracle  is  performed.  And 
all  that  can  be  signified  here  is,  that  the 
Spirit  strongly  admonished  Philip  to  go  to 
some  other  place  ;  that  he  so  forcibly  cr 
vividly  suggested  the  duty  to  his  mind,  as 
to  tear  him  away,  as  it  were,  from  the  so 
ciety  of  the  eunuch.  He  had  been  deeply 
interested  in  tlie  case.  He  would  have 
found  pleasure  in  continuing  the  journey 
with  him.  But  the  strong  convictions  of 
duty  urged  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  impelled 
him,  as  it  were,  to  break  off  this  new  and 
interesting  acquaintanceship,  and  to  go  to 
some  other  place.  The  purpose  for  which 
he  was  sent,  to  instruct  and  baptize  the 
ennuch,  was  accomplished,  and  now  he 
was  called  to  some  other  field  of  labour.— 
A  similar  instance  of  interpretation  has 
been  considered  in  the  Notes  on  Matt 


146 


THfi  ACTS, 


A.  D.  aj 


40  Bnt  Philip  was  found  at 
Azotus  .   and  passing  through,  he 

IV.  5.  IT  And  he  v)€nt  on  his  way  rejoicing. 
His  mind  was  enlightened  on  a  perplex- 
mg  passage  of  Scripfure.  He  was  satis- 
fied respecting  the  Messiah.  He  was 
baptized  ;  and  he  experienced  that  which 
all  feel  who  embrace  the  Saviour  and  are 
baptized,  70//.  It  was  joy  resulting  from 
!he  fact  "that  he  was  reconciled  to  God  ; 
and  a  joy,  the  natural  effect  of  having 
done  his  duty  prompliij,  in  making  a  pro- 
fession of  religion. — If  we  wish  happiness, 
if  we  \vouid  avoid  clouds  and  gloom,  we 
shall  do  our  duty  at  once.  If  vve  delay 
till  to-morrow  what  vve  ought  to  do  to- 
day, we  may  expect  to  be  troubled  with 
melancholy  thoughts.  If  vve  find  peace, 
it  will  be  in  doing  promptly  jusf.  that 
which  God  requires  at  our  hands. — This 
is  the  last  that  we  hear  of  this  man.  Some 
have  supposed  that  this  eunuch  carried 
the  gospel  to  Ethiopia,  and  preached  it 
tiiere.  But  there  is  strong  evidence  to 
believe  that  the  gospel  was  not  preached 
there  successfully  until  about  the  year 
330,  when  it  was  introduced  by  Frumen- 
tius,  sent  to  Abyssinia  for  that  purpose  by 
Athanaspjs,  bishop  of  Alexandria. — From 
this-narrative  we  may  learn,  (1.)  That  God 
often  prepares  the  mind  to  receive  the 
truth.  (2.)  That  this  takco  place  some- 
times with  the  great  and  the  noble,  as 
well  as  the  [>oor  and  obscure.  (3.)  We 
should  study  the  Scriptures.  It  is  the 
way  in  which  God  usually  directs  the 
mind  in  the  truths  of  religion.  (4.)  They 
who  read  the  Bible  with  candour  and 
care,  may  expect  that  God  will,  in  some 
mode,  guide  them  into  the  truth.  It  will 
often  be  in  a  way  which  they  least  ex- 
pect ;  but  they  need  not  be  afraid  of  be- 
ing left  to  darkness  or  error.  (5.)  We 
should  be  ready  at  all  times  to  speak  to 
Binners.  God  often  prepares  their  minds, 
as  he  did  that  of  the  eunuch,  to  receive 
the  truth.  (G.)  We  should  not  be  afraid 
of  the  great,  the  rich,  or  of  strangers.  God 
often  jircparcs  their  minds  to  receive  the 
truth  ;  and  we  may  find  a  man  willing  to 
hear  of  the  Saviour  where  vve  least  ex- 
jKiCtcd  it.  (7.)  Wo  should  do  our  duty 
in  this  respect,  as  Philip  did,  promjitly. 
We  should  not  delay  or  hesitate;  but 
ehould  at  once  do  that  which  we  believe 
\a  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God. 
Soe  Y».  cxix.  f.O. 

40.  Bui  Philip  vxis found.  Tliat  is,  he 
came  to  Azotus,  or  he  was  not  heard  of 
until  he  reached  Azotus.  The  word  is 
oft<in  UJ»ed  in  (hia  tenBe.     See  1  Chron. 


preached  ki  all  the  cities,  till  hj 
came  to  Cesarea. 


xxix.  17,  margin.  2  Chron.  xxix.  29,  mtv^ 
gin.  Gen.  ii  20.  See  also  Luke  xvii.  18. 
Rom.  vii.  10.  In  all  these  places  the  wonJ 
is  used  in  the  seuKe  of  to  be,  or  to  be  pre 
itenl.  It  does  not  mean  hero  that  there 
was  any  miracle  in  the  case,  but  that  Phi- 
lip, after  leaving  the  eunuch,  came  to  or 
was  in  Azotus.  IT  Azotus.  This  is  the 
Greek  name  of  the  city  which  by  the 
Hebrews  was  called  Ashdod.  It  was  ono 
of  the  cities  which  were  not  taken  by  Jo 
shua,  and  which  remained  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Philistines.  It  was  to  this 
place  that  the  ark  of  God  was  sent  when 
it  was  taken  by  the  Philistines  from  the 
Israelites ;  and  here  Dagon  was  cast  dowTi 
before  it.'  1  Sam.  v.  2,  3.  Uzziah,  king  of 
Judah,  broke  down  its  wall,  and  built 
cities  or  watch-towers  around  it.  2  Chron. 
XX vi.  6.  It  was  a  place  of  great  strength 
and  consequence.  It  was  distant  about 
thirty  miles  from  Gaza.  It  was  situated 
on  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  and 
was  a  seaport.  The  distance  which  Phi- 
lip  had  to  travel,  therefore,  was  not  very 
great,  and  as  Azotus  lay  almost  directly 
north  of  Gaza,  it  shows  that  in  order  to 
reach  it,  he  must  have  parted  from  the 
eunuch,  vvho.se  route  was  almost  directly 
south  of  Gaza.  It  is  at  present  inhabited 
by  Arabs  chiefly,  and  is  by  them  called 
Mezdel.  Dr.  Wittman  describes  it  at  pre- 
sent as  being  entered  by  two  small  galea 
In  passing  through  it,  he  saw  several 
fragments  of  columns,  capitals,  &c.  In  the 
centre  of  the  town  is  a  handsome  mosque 
with  a  minaret.  The  surrounding  coun» 
try  is  represented  as  remarkably  verdasi' 
and  beautiful.  In  the  neighbourhood 
there  stands  an  abundance  of  fine  old 
olive-trees,  and  the  region  around  it  is  fer- 
tile: If  He  preached  in  all  the  cities.  Joj> 
pa,  Lydda,  Askalon,  Arimathea,  &:c.  lying 
along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean. 
IT  Cesarea.  This  city  was  formerly  called 
Strato\'i  Tower.  It  is  situated  on  the 
coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  at  the  mouth 
of  a  small  river,  and  has  a  fine  harbour 
It  is  thirty-six  miles  south  of  Acre,  and 
about  sixty-two  northwest  of  Jerusalem, 
and  about  the  same  distance  northeaal 
of  Azotus.  This  city  is  supposed  by  eotatt 
to  be  the  Iluzor  mentioned  in  Josh  xi.  1 
It  was  rebuilt  by  Herod  the  Great,  and 
named  ("(csarca  in  honour  of  Augu«tul 
CVsar.  The  city  was  dedicated  to  him' 
the  seaport  was  called  Sebaste,  the  Greek 
word  for  Augustus.  It  was  aiiorned  wilk 
roost  splendid  houses;  aiid  th*»  teirple  ol 


A.D.  33,1 


CHAPTER  IX. 


14? 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ND    Saul,   yet  "  breathing  out 
-     threatenings    and     slaughter 

ac.8.3.  Ga.1.13. 


Caesar  was  erected  by  Herod  over-against 
the  mouth  of  the  haven,  in  which  was 
placed  the  statue  of  the  Roman  emperor. 
It  became  the  seat  of  the  Roman  gover- 
nor while  Judea  was  a  Roman  province. 
Acts  xxiii.  33;  xxv.  6.  13.  Philip  after- 
wards resided  at  this  place.  See  Acts 
xxi.  8,  9.  Cesarea  at  present  is  inhabited 
only  by  jackals  and  beasts  of  prey.  "  Per- 
haps," says  Dr.Clarke,  "there  has  not  been 
in  the  history  of  the  world  an  example  of 
any  city  that  in  so  short  a  space  of  time 
rose  to  such  an  extraordinary  height  of 
splendour  as  did  this  of  Cesarea ;  or  that 
exhibits  a  more  awful  contrast  to  its  for- 
mer magnificence,  by  the  present  desolate 
appearance  of  its  ruins.  Not  a  single  in- 
habitant remains.  Of  its  gorgeous  pala- 
ces and  temples,  enriched  with  the  choic- 
est works  of  art,  scarcely  a  trace  can  be 
discerned.  Within  the  space  often  years 
after  laying  the  foundation,  from  an  ob- 
scure fortress,  it  became  the  most  flourish- 
ing and  celebrated  city  of  all  Syria."  Now 
It  is  in  utter  desolation.  (See  Robinson's 
Calraet,  Art.  Ccsmrea.) 

CHAPTER  IX. 

This  chapter  commences  a  very  impor- 
tant part  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles — the 
conversion  and  labours  of  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
The  remainder  of  the  book  is  chiefly  oc- 
cupied with  an  account  of  his  labours  and 
trials  in  the  establishment  of  churches, 
and  in  spreading  the  gospel  through  the 
Gentile  world.  As  the  fact  that  the  gos- 
pel v.'aa  to  be  thus  preached  to  the  Gen- 
hles  was  a  very  important  fact,  and  as  the 
toils  of  the  apostle  Paul  and  his  feliow- 
labourers  for  this  purpose  were  of  an  ex- 
ceedingly interesting  character,  it  was 
desirable  to  preserve  an  authentic  record 
of  those  labours;  and  that  record  we 
have  in  the  remainder  of  this  book.  _ 

1.  And  Smd.  Note,  ch.  vii.  58 ;  viii.  3. 
He  had  been  engaged  before  in  persecut- 
ing the  Christians,  but  he  now  sought  op- 
portunity to  gratify  his  insatiable  desire 
on  a  larger  scale.  IT  Yet  breathing.  Not 
satisfied  with  what  he  had  done.  ch.  viii. 
3.  The  word  breathing  out  is  expressive 
often  of  any  deep,  agitating  emotion  as 
we  then  breathe  rapidly  and  violently.  It 
s  thus  expressive  of  violent  anger.  The 
emotion  is  absorbing,  agitating,  exhaust- 
mg,  and  demands  a  more  rapid  circula- 
tion of  blood  to  supply  the  exhausted 
vitality,  und  this  demands  a;    nereased 


against  the  disciples  of  the.  Lord 
v/ent  unto  the  high-priest, 

2  And  desired  of  him  letters  tc 


supply  of  oxygen,  or  vital  air,  which  leads 
to  the  increased  action  of  the  lungs.  The 
word  is  often  used  in  this  sense  in  the 
classics.  {Schleusner.)  It  is  a  favourite 
expression  with  Homer.  Euripides  haa 
the  same  expression;  "Breathing  out  fire 
and  slaughter."  So  Theocritus;  "They 
came  unto  the  assembly  breathing  mutual 
slaughter."  Idyll,  xxii.  82.  IF  Threatening. 
Denunciation ;  threatening  them  with 
every  breath — the  action  oi  a  man  vio- 
lently enraged,  and  who  was  bent  on 
vengeance.  It  denotes  also  intense  acti- 
vity and  energy  in  persecution.  IT  Slaugh- 
ter. Murder.  Intensely  desiring  to  put 
to  death  as  many  Christians  as  possible. 
He  rejoiced  in  their  death,  and  joined  in 
condemning  them.  Acts  xxvi.  10, 11.  From 
this  latter  place  it  seems  that  he  had  been 
concerned  in  putting  many  of  them  to 
death.  IF  2%e  disciples  of  the  Lord. 
Against  Christians.  ^  Went  unto  the  high' 
priest.  Note,  Matt.  ii.  4.  The  letters 
were  written  and  signed  in  the  name, 
and  by  the  authority  of  the  sanhedrim,  oi 
great  council  of  the  nation.  The  high 
priest  did  it  as  president  of  that  council 
See  ver.  14,  and  ch.  xxii.  5.  The  high- 
priest  of  that  time  was  Theophilus,  son 
of  Ananus,  who  had  been  appointed  a 
the  feast  of  Pentecost,  A.  D.  37,  by  Vitel- 
lius,  the  Roman  governoi  His  brother 
Jonathan  had  been  removed  from  that 
ofiice  the  same  year.  {Kuinod.) 

2.  And  desired  of  him.  This  shows  the 
intensity  of  his  wish  to  persecute  tho 
Christians,  that  he  was  willing  to  ask  foi 
such  an  employment.  IT  Letters.  Epistles, 
implying  a  commission  to  bring  them  to 
Jerusalem  for  trial  and  punishment.  From 
this  it  seems  that  the  sanhedrim  at  Jeru- 
salem claimed  jurisdiction  over  all  syna 
gogues  every  where.  T^ey  claimed  the 
authority  of  regulating  every  where  the 
Jewish  religion.  H  To  Damascus.  This 
was  a  celebrated  city  of  Syria,  and  lone 
the  capital  of  a  kingdom  of  "that  name.  I 
is  situated  in  a  delightful  region  abou 
one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  northeast 
of  Jerusalem,  and  about  one  hundred  and 
ninety  miles  southeast  of  Antioch.  It  is 
in  the  midst  of  an  extensive  plain,  abound 
ing  with  cypress  and  palm-trees,  and  ey* 
tremely  fertile.  It  is  watered  by  the  ri'^ 
Barrady,  ancienrfy  called  Abana.  2  Kings 
V.  12.  About  five  miles  from  the  city  is 
?  place  called  tho  '  meeting  of  iJie  vva 


us 


THE  ACTS. 


f  A.  D.  33 


Damaschs  to  the  synagogues,  that, 
if  he  found  uny  of '  this  way,  whe- 
ther they  were  men  or  women,  he 

»  or,  the  way. 


tcrs,"  -Ahere  the  Barrady  is  joined  by  an- 
other river,  and  thence  is  divided  by  art 
into  several  streams  that  flow  through  the 
plain.  These  streams,  six  or  seven  in 
number,  are  conveyed  to  water  the  or- 
chards, farms,  &c.  and  give  to  the  vvhoUi 
fec-ene  a  very  picturesque  appearance. 
The  city,  situated  in  a  delightful  climate, 
"n  a  fertile  country,  is  perhaps  among  the 
most  pleasant  in  the  world.  It  is  called 
by  the  Orientals  themselves  the  paradise 
on  earth.  This  city  is  mentioned  often  in 
the  Old  Testament.  It  was  a  city  in  the 
time  of  Abraham.  Gen.  xv.  2.  By  whom  it 
was  founded  is  unknown.  It  vvis  taken  and 
garrisoned  by  David,  A.  M.  2992.  2  Sam. 
viri.  6.  1  Chron.  xviii.  6.  It  is  subsequently 
^  riiontioned  as  sustaining  very  important 
^  parts  in  the  conflicts  of  the  Jews  with  Syria. 
2  Kings  xiv.  25 ;  xvi.  5.  Isa.  ix.  11.  It  was 
taken  by  the  Romans,  A.  M.  3939,  or 
about  sixty  years  before  Christ ;  in  whose 
jxjssession  it  was  when  Saul  went  there. 
It  was  conquered  by  the  Saracens,  A.  D. 
713.  About  the  year  1250  it  was  taken 
by  the  Christians  in  the  crusades,  and  was 
captured  A.  D.  1517,  by  Selim,  and  has 
been  since  under  the  Ottoman  emperors. 
The  Arabians  call  this  city  Damasch,  or 
Demesch,  or  Schams.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
commercial  cities  in  the  Ottoman  empire, 
and  is  distinguished  also  for  manufactures, 
particularly  for  steel,  hence  called  Damas- 
cus stool.  The  population  is  estimated  by 
Ali  Bey  at  two  hundred  thousand ;  Vol- 
ney  states  it  at  eighty  thousand  ;  liassel, 
at  one  hundred  thousand.  Al)out  twenty 
thousand  are  Maronites  of  the  Catholic 
church,  five  thousand  Greeks,  and  one 
thousand  are  Jews.  The  road  from  Jeru- 
Balem  to  Damascus  lies  between  two 
mountains,  not  above  a  hundred  paces 
distant  from  each  other;  both  are  round 
lit  the  bottom,  and  terminate  in  a  point, 
rha  nearest  the  great  road  is  called 
Corah,  the  star,  in  memory  of  the  dazzling 
light  which  is  hero  said  to  have  appeared 
to  Saul.  IT  1\)  the  si/nagognes.  Note, 
Matt.  iv.  23.  T'he  Jews  were  scattered 
nilo  nearly  all  the  regions  surrounding 
Judea;  and  it  ).i  natural  to  sup|Kjse  that 
many  of  I  hem  would  be  found  in  Damas- 

KJosephuu  assures  us  that  ten  thou- 
d  were  massacred  there  in  one  hour; 
Hiid  !if  ano-!her  time  oighforn  thousand, 
ivitii  their  V.1VC9  and  children.  {Jewish 
War.  h.  ii.  ch.  xx.  6  2;  b  vii  ch.  viii.  t '.'.)  | 


might  bring  them  hound  unto.lera- 

&  to 

sal  em. 
3  And  •  as  he  journeyed,  he  camr 

a  lCor.15.8. 


See  Notes,  Acts  ii.  9 — 11.  By  whom  th« 
gospel  was  preached  there,  or  how  they 
had  been  converted  to  Christianity,  is  un- 
known. The  presumption  is,  that  some 
of  those  who  had  been  converted  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  had  carried  the  gospel 
to  Syria.  IT  That  if,  &c.  It  would  seem 
that  it  was  not  certainly  Jcnown  that  there 
were  any  Christians  there.  It  was  pre- 
sumed that  there  were;  and  probably 
there  was  a  report  of  that  kind.  U  Of 
this  way.  Of  this  way  or  mode  of  life ; 
of  this  kind  of  opinions  and  conduct;  that 
is,  any  Christians.  IF  He  might  bring  them, 
&c.  To  be  tried.  The  sanhedrim  at  Je- 
rusalem claimed  jurisdiction  over  reli- 
gious opinions  ;  and  their  authority  would 
naturally  be  respected  by  foreign  Jews. 

i).  A7ul  as  he  journeyed.  On  his  way , 
or  while  ho  was  travelling.  The  place 
where  this  occurred  is  not  luiown.  Tja- 
dition  has  fixed  it  at  the  mountain  now 
called  Cocab.  See  Note,  on  ver.  2.  All 
that  we  know  of  it  is  that  it  was  near  to 
Damascus.  IT  And  suddenly.  Like  a 
flash  of  lightning.  IT  There  shined  round 
about  hitn,  &c.  The  language  which  is 
expressed  here  would  be  used  in  describ- 
ing a  flash  of  lightning.  Many  critica 
have  supposed  that  God  made  use  O'f  a 
sudden  flash  to  arrest  Paul,  and  that  he 
was  thus  alarmed  and  brought  to  reflec 
tion.  That  God  viighl  make  use  of  such 
a  means  cannot  be  denied.  But  to  this 
supposition  in  this  case  there  are  some 
unanswerable  objections.  (1.)  It  was  de- 
clar'^d  to  be  the  appearance  of  the  Lord 
Jesus;  ver.  27,  "Barnabas  declared  unto 
them  how  thavhe  had  seen  the  Lord  in 
the  way.''  1  Cor.  xv.  8,  "And  last  of  all 
he  was  seen  of  me  also."  1  Cor.  ix.  Ij 
"  Have  1  not  seen  Jesus  Chri.=<t  our  Lord  V 
(2.)  Those  who  were  with  Saul  saw  the 
light,  but  did  not  hear  the  voice.  Act* 
xxii.  9.  See  Note.  This  is  incredibly  on 
the  supposition  that  it  was  a  flash  of  li'ght 
ning  near  them.  (3.)  It  was  manifestly 
regarded  as  a  message  to  Saul.  The  li^hi 
appeared,  and  the  voice  spake  to  hi"^ 
The  others  did  net  even  hear  the  addrciss 
Be.'iides,  (4.)  It  was  as  erusy  for  Jesus  to 
appear  in  a  supernatural  manner,  as  to 
ajijtcar  amidst  thunder  and  lightning. 
That  tlio  Lord  Jesus  appeared,  is  dis 
liiurtly  nflirmpd.  And  we  shall  see  thai 
it  is  probable  that  he  would  appear  in  ■ 
supernatural  manner 


A  D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


14  < 


near  Damascus ;  and  suddenly  there 
shined  round  about  him  a  light  from 
heaven : 
4  And  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and 


In  order  to  understand  this,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  make  the  following  remarks : 
(1.)  God  was  accustomed  to  appear  to  the 
Jews  in  a  cloud ;  in  a  pillar  of  smoke,  or 
of  fire  ;  in  that  peculiar  splendour  which 
they  denominated  the  Shechinak.  In  this 
wav  he  went  before  them  into  the  land 
of  Canaan.  Ex.  xiii.  21,  22.  Comp.  Isa.  iv. 
5,  6.  This  appearance  or  visible  mani- 
festation they  called  the  glory  of  Jeho- 
vah. Isa.  vi.  1—4.  Ex.  xvi.  7,  "In  the 
morning  ye  shall  see  the  glory  of  the 
Lord."  10.  Lev.  ix.  23.  Num.  xiv.  10;  xvi. 
19.  42 ;  xxiv.  16.  1  Kings  viii.  11.  Ezek.  x. 
4.  Note,  Luke  ii.  U  "  The  glory  of  the 
Lord  shone  round  about  tuem.*  {2.)  The 
Lord  Jesus,  in  his  transfiguration  on  the 
mount,  had  been  encompassed  with  that 
glory.  Notes,  Matt.  xvii.  1—5.  (3.)  He 
nad  spoken  of  similar  glory  as  pertaining 
to  him;  as  that  which  he  had  been  in- 
vested with  before  his  incarnation ;  and 
to  which  he  would  return.  John  xvii.  5, 
"And  now,  Father,  glorify  thou  me,  &c. 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  be- 
fore the  world  was."  Matt.  xxv.  31, 
"The  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his 
glory."  Comp.  Matt.  xvi.  27 ;  xix.  28.  To 
(his  glory  he  had  returned  when  he  left 
the  earth.  .''4.)  It  is  a  sentiment  which 
cannot  be  shown  to  be  incorrect,  that  the 
various  appearances  of  "  the  angel  of  Je- 
hovah," and  of  Jehovah,  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament,  were  appearances  of  the 
Messiah ;  the  God  who  should  be  incar- 
nate ;  the  peculiar  protector  of  his  people. 
See  Isa.  vi.  comp.  with  John  xii.  41. 
(5.)  If  the  Lord  Jesus  appeared  to  Saul, 
it  w  ould  be  in  this  manner.  It  would  be 
in  his  appropriate  glory  and  honour,  as 
the  ascended  Messiah.  That  he  did  ap- 
pear is  expressly  affirmed.  (6.)  This  was 
271  occasion  when,  if  ever,  such  an  appear- 
ance was  proper.  The  design  was  to  con- 
vert an  infuriated  persecutor,  and  to  make 
him  an  apostle.  To  do  this  it  was  neces- 
sary that  he  should  see  the  Lord  Jesus. 
1  Cor.  ix.  1,  2.  The  design  was  further 
to  make  him  an  eminent  instrument  in 
carrying  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  A 
eignal  miracle ;  a  demonstration  that  he 
was  invested  with  his  appropriate  glory 
(John  xvii.  5) ;  a  calling  up  a  new  witness 
to  the  fact  of  his  resurrection,  and  his 
solemn  investment  with  glory  in  the  hea- 
vens, seemed  to  be  required  in  thus  call- 
ing a  violent  persecutor  to  be  an  apostle 

N? 


heard  a  voice  saying  unto  him, 
Saul,  Saul,  why  perseeutest  thou 
meT* 

5  And  he  said.  Who  art  thou, 

a  Mitt.25.40,45. 


and  friend.  (7.)  We  are  to  regard  thii 
appearance,  therefore,  as  the  reappear- 
ance of  the  Shechinah,  the  Son  of  Gort 
invested  with  appropriate  glory,  appear- 
ing to  convince  an  enemy  of  1  is  ascen- 
sion, and  to  change  him  from  a  foe  to  a 
friend.  ^ 

It  has  been  objected  that  as  the  Lore 
Jesus  had  ascended  to  heaven,  that  it 
cannot  be  presumed  that  his  body  would 
return  to  the  earth  again.  To  this  we 
may  reply,  that  the  New  Testament  has 
thrown  no  light  on  this.  Perhaps  it  is  not 
necessary  to  suppose  that  his  body  re- 
turned, but  that  he  made  such  a  visible 
manifestation  of  himself  as  to  convince 
Saul  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  ^  From 
heaven.  From  above ;  from  the  sky.  In 
Acts  xxvi.  13,  Paul  says  that  the  light  was 
above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  at  mid- 
day. 

4.  And  he  fell  to  the  earth.  He  was  as- 
tonished and  overcome  by  the  sudden 
flash  of  light.  There  is  a  remarkable 
similarity  betvveen  wltf|toccurred  here, 
and  what  is  recorded  o^Vaniel  in  regard 
to  the  visions  which  he  saw.  Dan.  viii.  17. 
Also  Dan.  x.  8,  "Therefore  I  was  left 
alone,  and  saw  this  great  vision;  and 
there  remained  no  strength  in  me,  for  my 
comeliness  (vigour)  was  turned  into  cor- 
ruption, and  I  retained  no  strength."  The 
effect  was  such  as  to  overpower  the  body. 
IF  And  -heard  a  voice.  The  whole  com- 
pany heard  a  voice  (ver.  7),  but  did  nol 
distinguish  \y  as  addressed  particularly  to 
Saul.  He  heard  it  speaking  to  himself. 
IT  Saying  unto  him,  &c.  This  shows  that  it 
was  noi  thunder,  as  many  have  supposed. 
It  was  a  distinct  articulation  or  utterance, 
addressing  him  by  name.  IF  Saul,  Soul. 
A  mode  of  address  that  is  emphatic.  The 
repetition  of  the  narnewould  fix  his  at- 
tention. Thus  Jes^Mtadresses  Martha 
(Luke  X.  41),  and  ^|Hr(Luke  xxii.  31), 
and  Jerusalem  (MattTx^iii.  37).  IT  Why 
For  what  reason.  Jesus  had  done  hira 
no  injury ;  had  given  him  no  provocation. 
All  the  opposition  of  sinners  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  and  his  church,  is  without  cause 
See  Note,  John  xv.  25,  "  They  hated  me 
without  a  cause."  IT  Perseeutest.  Note, 
Matt.  V.  11.  IT  TJiou  me?  Christ  and  hia 
people  are  one.  John  xv.  1 — 6.  To  per 
secute  them,  tliorefore,  was  to  persecute 
him.  Matt.  xxV.  40.  45. 

5.  And  he  said,  who  art  thou    Lor^ 


dO 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  33. 


r.ord  ?  And  the  Lord  w^aid,  I^  am 
Jesus,  Avhom  thou  persecutest :  it  is 
nard  for  thee  to  kick  °  against  the 
pricks. 

a  c.5.39. 


The  word  Lord  here,  as  if  frequently  the 
case  in  the  IS'ew  Testament,  means  no 
more  than  sir.  John  iv.  19.  It  is  evident 
that  Saul  did  not  as  yet  know  that  this 
\va.s  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  heard  the  voice 
as  of  a  man  ;  he  heard  himself  addressed  ; 
■R  by  whom  the  words  were  spoken, 
Aas  to  him  unknown.  In  his  amazement 
and  confusion,  he  naturally  a.sked  who  it 
was  that  was  thus  addressing  him.  ^  And 
the  luord  said.  In  this  place  the  word 
Lord  is  used  in  a  higher  sense,  to  denote 
the  Saviour.  It  is  his  usual  appellation. 
See  Note,  Acts  i.  24.  H  /  am  Jesus.  It 
e  clear  from  this,  that  there  was  a  per- 
sonal appearance  of  the  Saviour;  that  he 
was  present  to  Saul ;  but  in  what  particu- 
iar  form — whether  seen  as  a  man,  or  only 
appearing  by  the  manifestation  of  his 
glorj',  is  not  affirmed.  It  was  a  personal 
appearance,  however,  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
designed  to  take  the  work  of  converting 
Buch  a  persecutor  into  his  own  hands, 
without  the  ordu|^y  means.  Yc*  he  de- 
eigned  to  convwPnim  in  a  natural  way. 
He  arrested  his  attention;  fdled  him  with 
alarm  at  his  guilt;  and  then  presented  tlie 
truth  respecting  himself  In  ch.  xxii.  8, 
the  expression  is  thus  recorded :  "  I  am 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  <i'C.  There  is  no 
contradiction,  as  Luke  here  records  only 
a  j)art  of  what  was  said  ;  Paul  afterwards 
stated  the  whole.  This  declaration  was 
fitted  peculiarly  to  humble  and  mortify 
Saul.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  he 
nad  often  blasphemed  his  name,  and  pro- 
fanely derided  the  notion  that  the  Mes- 
siiih  could  come  out  of  Nazareth.  Jesus 
here  uses,  however,  that  very  designation. 
'I  am  Jesus  t/ie  Nazarene,  the  object  of 
your  contempt  and  scorn.'  Yet  Saul  saw 
him  now  invested  wilh  peculiar  glory. 
Tl  //  is  hard,  <V'c.  J|fci8  is  evidently  a  pro- 
verbial expressi^^Htuinoel  has  quoted 
numerous  placea^Which  a  similar  mode 
of  expression  occurs  in  (ireek  writers. 
Thus  Kuripides,  Bacch.  791,  "I,  who  am 
a  frail  mortal,  shftuld  rather  sacritice  to 
him  who  is  a  fJod,  than  by  giving  place 
to  anger,  kick  naninst  the  pofids."  So  Pin- 
dar, Pylh.  ii.  173,  "It  is  profitable  to  bear 
willingly  the  assimied  yoke.  To  kick 
figainst  the  goad  is  pernicious  conduct." 
K«i  Terence,  Phome.  1.  2.  27.  "It  is  fbol- 
ishnesH  fnr  thee  to  kick  against  a  goad." 
Ovid  has  the  same  /oeo,  Trist.  b.  ii  15. 


6  And  he,  trembling  and  asto- 
nished, said,  Lord,  Avhat ''  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  1  And  the  Lord  saia 
unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  tho 

te. 16.30, 


The  word  translated  "  pricks"  here 
(x£VTf  x),  means  properly  anv  sharp  point 
which  will  pierce  or  perforate,  as  the 
sting  of  a  bee,  &c.  But  it  commonly 
means  an  ox-goad,  a  sharp  piece  of  iron 
stuck  into  the  end  of  a  slick,  with  which 
the  ox  \s  urged  on.  These  goads  am«  ng 
the  Hebrews  were  made  very  large 
Thus  Shamgar  slew  six  hundred  n  in 
with  one  of  them.  Judg  iii.  31.  Comp. 
1  Sam.  xiii.  21.  The  expression  To  kick 
agaijist  the  prick,  or  the  goad,  is  derived 
from  ii.v  action  of  a  stubborn  and  unyield- 
ing ox,  kicking  against  the  goad.  And  as 
the  ox  would  injure  no  one  by  it  but  him- 
self; as  he  would  gain  nothing;  it  comes 
to  denote  an  obstinate  and  retractory  dis- 
position »nd  course  of  conduct,  opposing 
motir  »  :o  good  conduct;  resisting  the 
authrhity  of  him  who  has  a  right  to  com- 
mand ;  and  opposing  the  leadings  of  Pro- 
vJence,  to  the  injury  of  him  who  makes 
'iie  resistance.  It  denotes  rebellion  against 
lawful  authorit}-,  and  thus  getting  into 
greater  difficulty  by  attempting  to  opjwse 
the  commands  to  duty.  This  is  the  con- 
dition of  every  sinner.  If  men  wish  to  be 
happy,  they  should  cheerfully  submit  to 
the  authority  of  God.  They  should  not 
rebel  against  the  dealings  of  Providence. 
They  should  not  murmur  against  their 
Creator.  They  should  not  resist  the 
claims  of  their  consciences.  By  all  this 
they  would  only  injure  themselves.  No 
man  can  resist  God  or  his  own  conscience 
and  be  happy.  And  nothing  is  more  dif- 
ficult than  for  a  man  to  pursue  a  course 
of  pleasure  and  sin  against  the  admoni- 
tions of  God  and  the  reproofs  of  his  own 
conscience.  Men  evince  this  temper  in 
tho  following  ways:  (1.)  By  violating 
plain  aws  of  God.  (2.)  By  attempting  to 
resist  his  claims.  (3.)  By  refusing  to  do 
what  their  conscience  requires.  (4.)  By 
grieving  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  attempting  to 
free  themselves  f"rom  serious  impressions 
and  niarms.  They  will  return  with  ro 
doubled  frequency  and  jiower.  (f).)  B\ 
pursuing  a  course  of  vice  and  wicked 
ness  against  what  they  know  to  be  right 
(fi.)  By  refusing  to  submit  to  the  dealii>g8 
of  Providence.  And  (7.)  In  any  way  by 
opposing  (!od.  and  refusing  to  submit  to 
his  authority,  and  to  do  what  is  right, 

G.  And  hetrcmhlitif^.     Alarmed  at  what 
he  saw  and  heard  and  at  tho  conscioua- 


D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


151 


fity,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what 
thou  must  do. 


ness  of  his  o»vi  evil  course.  It  is  not 
remarkable  that  a  sinner  trembles  when 
he  sees  his  guilt  and  danger.  IF  And  as- 
tonished. At  what  he  saw.  ^  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  This  iiidicates  a 
Bubdued  soul;  a  humbled  spirit.  Just 
before,  he  had  sought  only  to  do  his  own 
will ;  now  he  inquired  what  was  the 
will  of  the  Saviour.  Just  before  he  was 
acting  under  a  commission  from  the  San- 
hedrim; now  he  renounced  their  su- 
preme autho^itJ^  and  asked  what  the 
Lord  Jesus  would  have  him  to  do.  Just 
before  he  had  been  engaged  in  a  career 
of  opposition  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  now  he 
sought  at  once  to  do  his  will.  This  indi- 
cates the  usual  change  in  the  sinner. 
The  great  controversy  between  him  and 
God  is,  whose  will  shall  be  followed.  The 
sinner  follows  his  own ;  the  first  act  of 
the  Christian  is  to  surrender  his  own  will 
to  that  of  God,  and  to  resolve  to  do  that 
which  he  requires.  We  may  farther  re- 
mark here,  that  this  indicates  the  true 
nature  of  conversion.  It  is  decided, 
prompt,  immediate.  Paul  did  not  debate 
the  matter  (Gal.  i.  16) ;  he  did  not  in- 
quire what  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
would  j^ay ;  he  did  not  consult  his  ovm 
reputation;  he  did  not  ask  what  the 
world  would  think.  With  characteristic 
promptness  ;  with  a  readiness  which 
showed  what  he  would  yet  be  ;  he  gave 
himself  up  at  once,  and  entirely,  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  ;  evidently  with  a  purpose  to 
io  his  will  alone.  This  was  the  case 
ilso  with  the  jailer  at  Philippi.  Acts'xvi 
^0.  Nor  can  there  be  any  real  conver- 
ijion  where  the  heart  and  will  are  not 
given  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  be  directed 
and  moulded  by  him  at  his  pleasure. 
We  may  test  our  conversion  then  by  the 
example  of  the  apostle  Paul.  If  our 
hearts  have  been  given  up  as  his  was, 
we  are  true  friends  of  Christ.  ^  Go  into 
She  city.  Damascus.  They  were  near  it. 
7er.  3.  IF  And  it  shall  be  told  thee.  It  is 
remarkable  that  he  was  thus  directed. 
But  we  may  learn  from  it^  (1.)  That  even 
in  the  most  striking  and  remarkable  cases 
of  conversion,  there  is  not  at  once  a  clear 
view  of  dut".  What  course  of  life 
should  be  followed ;  what  should  be 
done  ;  nay,  what  should  be  believed,  is  not 
at  once  apparent.  (2.)  The  aid  of  others, 
and  especially  of  ministers,  and  of  expe- 
rienced ChriBtiaiis,  is  often  very  desira- 
ble to  aid  even  those  who  are  converted 
K   »he  raosi  remarkable  manner.     Saul 


7  And  the  men  which  lourneyeil 
with    him  stood  speechless,  h ear- 


was  converted  by  a  miracle :  the  Savioui 
appeared  to  him  in  his  glory ;  of  tho 
truth  of  his  Messiahship  he  had  no  doubt, 
but  still  he  was  dependent  on  an  humble 
disciple  in  Damascus  to  be  uistructed|^ 
what  he  should  do.  (3.)  Those  who^ro 
converted,  in  hoWever  striking  a  manner 
it  may  be,  should  be  willing  to  seek  the 
counsel  of  those  who  are  in  the  church 
and  in  the  ministry  before  them.  The 
most  strikuig  evidence  of  their  conver- 
sion will  not  prevent  their  deriving  im- 
portant direction  and  benefit  from  the 
aged,  the  experienced,  and  the  wise  in 
the  Christian  church.  (1.)  Such  remark- 
able conversions  are  fitted  to  induce  the 
subjects  of  the  change  to  seek  counsel 
and  direction.  They  produce  humility, 
a  deep  sense  of  sin  and  of  un worthiness ; 
and  a  willingness  to  be  taught  and  di- 
rected by  any  one  w'ho  can  point  out  the 
way  of  duty  and  of  life. 

7.  And  the  men  which  journeyed  with  him. 
Why  these  men  attended  him  is  unknown. 
They  might  have  been  appointc<l  to  aid 
him,  or  they  may  have  been  travellers 
with  whom  Saul  had  accidentally  fallen 
in.  ^  Stood  speechless.  In  Actsxxvi.  14,  it 
is  said  that  they  all  fell  to  the  earth  at  the 
appearance  of  the  light.  But  there  is  no 
contradiction.  The  narrative  in  that 
place  refers  to  the  immediate  effect  of 
the  appearance  of  the  light.  They  were 
immediately  smitten  to  the  ground  to- 
gether. This  was  before  the  voice  spako 
to  Saul.  Acts  xxvi.  14.  In  this  place 
(ix.  7)  the  historian  is  speaking  of  vi'hat 
occurred  after  the  first  alarm.  There  is 
no  improbability  that  they  rose  from  the 
ground  immediately,  and  surveyed  the 
scene  with  silent  amazement  and  alarm. 
The  word  speechless  (iwiu)  properly  do 
notes  those  who  are  so  astonished  or  stupi 
fied  as  to  be  unable  to  speak.  In  the  Greek 
writers  it  means  those  who  are  deaf  and 
dumb.  IT  Hearing  a  voice.  Hearing  a  sound 
or  noise.  The  word  here  rendered  voice  is 
thus  frequently  used,  as  in  Gen.  iii.  8 
1  Sara.  xii.  18.  Ps.  xxix.  3, 4.  Matt.  xxiv. 
31.  (Greek,)  1  Thess.  iv.  16.  In  Acts  xxii. 
9,  it  is  said,  "  They  which  were  with  me 
(Paul)  saw  indeed  the  light,  and  were 
afraid,  but  they  heard  not  the  voice  of  him 
that  i^ake  to  me."  In  this  place,  the 
words,  "  heard  not  the  voice,"  must  be 
understood  in  the  sense  of  understanding 
the  words,  of  hearing  the  address,  the 
distinct  articulation,  which  Paul  heard 
They  heard  a  noise,  they  were  amazed 


152 


THE  ACTS. 


LA.  D.  33 


tn^  a  voice,  bui  "■  seeing  no  man. 
8  And  Saul  arose  from  the  earth  ; 
nnd  when  his  eyes  Avere  opened,  he 
«aw  no  man  :  but  they  led  him  by 
'uhe  hand,  and  brought  him  into  Da- 
mascus. 

a.Da.10.7, 

■■alarmed,  but  they  did  not  hear  the 
diTO^nct  words  addre^ed  to  Saul.  A 
similar  instance  we  ha\e  in  Tohn  xii.  28, 
29,  when  ihe  voice  of  God  came  from 
heaven  to  Jesus.  "The  people  who 
Btood  by  and  heard  it  said  it  thundered." 
They  heard  the  sound,  the  noise ;  they 
did  710^  distinguish  the  words  addressed  to 
him.  See  also  Dan.  x.  7,  and  1  Kings 
xix.  11—13. 

8.  When  his  eyes  were  opeiied.  lie  na- 
turally closed  them  at  the  appearance  of 
the  light ;  and  in  his  fright  kept  them 
closed  for  some  time.  H  He  saw  no  man. 
This  darkness  continued  three  days.  ver. 
9.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
there  was  a  miracle  in  this  blindness,  for 
in  ch.  xxii.  11,  it  is  expressly  said  to  have 
been  caused  by  tho  intense  light.  "  And 
when  1  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of 
that  light,"  &c.  The  intense,  sudden  light 
had  so  affected  the  optic  nerve  of  the 
eye  as  to  cause  a  temporary  blinduoss. 
This  olTect  is  not  uncommon.  The  dis- 
ease of  the  eye  which  is  thus  produced 
is  called  amaurosis,  or  more  commonly 
gutta  Serena.  It  consists  in  a  loss  of  sight 
without  any  apparent  defect  of  the  eye. 
Sometimes  the  disease  is  periodical,  com- 
ing on  suddenly,  continuing  for  three  or 
four  days,  and  then  disapjjearing.  {Web- 
sfer.)  A  disease  of  this  kind  is  often  caus- 
ed by  excessive  light.  Wiien  we  look  at 
the  sun,  or  into  a  (iirnace,  or  into  a  cruci- 
ble, with  fused  metal,  we  are  conscious 
of  a  temporary  pain  in  the  eye,  and  of  a 
momentary  blindness.  "  In  northern 
and  tropical  climates,  from  the  glare  of 
tne  sun  or  snow,  a  variety  of  amaurosis 
(gutta  Serena)  occurs,  which,  if  it  pro- 
duces blindness  during  the  day,  is  named 
nyctalopia,  if  during  the  night,  hemera- 
h.pift.  Another  variety  exists  in  which 
the  individual  is  blind  all  day,  until  a 
certain  hour,  when  he  sees  disUnctly,  or 
he  sees  and  in  blind  every  alternate  day, 
or  is  only  blind  one  day  in  the  week, 
fortnight,  or  month."  (Kilin.  Enc-yc.  Art. 
Surgery.)  A  total  loss  of  sight  ha||  been 
the  consequence  of  looking  at  me  sun 
during  an  edijjse,  or  of  watching  it  as  it 
■eta  in  the  vvcKt.  This  eflrct  is  caused  by 
the  intense  action  of  tho  light  on  the  o{>- 
tic  nerve  or  sonnetinies  fro.n  a  disorder 


9  And  he  was  three  days  with- 
ont  si^ht,  and  neither  did  eat  noi 
drink." 

10  And  there  was  a  certain  dis- 
ciple at  Damascus,  named  Anani- 
as ;'  and  to  him  said  the  Lord  in  a 

ic.  22.12. 


oTthe  brain.  A  case  is  mentioned  by 
Michaelis  {Kuinoel  in  loco)  of  a  man  who 
was  made  blind  by  a  bright  flash  of  light- 
ning, and  who  continued  so  foi  foui 
weeks,  who  was  again  restored  to  sigh 
in  a  tempest  by  a  similar  flash  of  light 
ning.  Electricity  has  been  found  one  of 
the  best  remedies  for  restoring  sight  in 
such  cases 

9.  And  neither  did  eat  nor  drink.  Pro 
bably  because  he  was  overwhelmed  with 
a  view  of  his  sins,  and  was  thus  indis- 
posed to  eat.  All  the  circumstances 
would  contribute  to  this.  His  past  life  5 
his  great  sins  ;  the  sudden  change  in  his 
views  ;  his  total  absorption  in  the  vision ; 
perhaps  also  his  grief  at  the  loss  of  his 
sight,  would  all  fill  his  mind,  and  indis- 
pose him  to  partake  of  food.  Great  grief 
always  produces  this  effect.  And  it  is 
not  uncommon  now  for  an  av\'akened  and 
convicted  sinner,  in  view  of  his  past  sins 
and  danger,  to  be  so  pained,  as  to  destroy 
hi-s  inclination  for  food,  and  to  produce  in 
voluntary  fasting.  We  are  to  refnembei 
also  that  Paul  had  yet  no  assurance  offer 
giveness.  He  was  arrested ;  alarmed  ;  con- 
vinced that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  ;  and 
humbled,  but  he  had  not  comfort.  He  was 
brought  to  the  dust,  and  left  to  three  pain- 
ful days  of  darkness  and  suspense,  before 
it  was  told  him  what  he  was  to  do.  In 
this  painful  and  perplexing  state,  it  was 
natural  that  he  should  abstain  from  food. 
This  case  should  not  be  brought  now, 
however,  to  prove,  that  convicted  sin- 
ners must  remain  in  darkness  and  under 
conviction.  Saul's  case  was  extraordi 
nary.  His  blindness  was  literal.  This 
state  of  darkness  was  nece.s.sary  to  hum- 
ble him  and  fit  him  for  his  work.  But 
the  moment  a  sinner  will  give  his  herirl 
to  Christ,  he  may  find  peace.  If  he  re- 
sists, and  rebels  longer,  it  will  be  his  own 
fault.  By  the  nature  of  the  case,  as  well 
as  by  the  promises  of  the  Bible,  if  a  sin- 
ner will  yield  himself  at  v^/ice  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  he  may  oI)tain  peace.  That  f'ln 
ners  do  not  sooner  obtain  jieace,  is  bo 
cause  they  do  not  sooner  sjubmit  them* 
selves  to  God. 

10.  A  certain  disciple.  A  Christian. 
Many  have  supjwsed  that  he  was  one  of 
the  seventy  di.scii)les.     But  nothing  more 


A.  D.  33.1 


CHAPTER  IX. 


153 


vision,  Ananias,  And  he  said,  Be- 
hold, I  am  here^  Lord. 

1 1  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him, 
Arise,  and  go  into  the  street  which 

is  certainly  known  of  him  than  is  related 
here.  He  had  very  probably  been  some 
time  a  Christian  (ver.  13),  and  had  heard 
of  Saul,  but  v\  ai  personally  a  stranger  to 
him.  In  ch.  xxii.  12,  it  is  said  that  he  was 
a  devout  man  according  to  the  law,  hav- 
ing a  good  report  of  all  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  there.  There  was  wisdom  in  send- 
ing such  a  Christian  to  Saul,  as  it  might 
do  much  to  conciliate  the  minds  of  the 
Jews  there  towards  him.  IT  Said  the  Lord. 
The  Lord  Jesus  is  alone  mentioned  in  all 
this  transaction.  And  as  he  had  com- 
menced the  work  of  converting  Saul,  it 
is  evident  that  he  is  intended  here.  See 
Note,  ch.  i.  24.  IT  /n  a  vision.  Perhaps 
Dy  a  dream.  The  main  idea  is,  that  he 
-evealed  his  will  to  him  in  the  case.  The 
word  vision  is  often  used  in  speaking  of 
die  communications  made  to  the  prophets, 
and  commonly  means  that  future  events 
were  made  to  pass  in  review  before  the 
mind,  as  we  look  upon  a  landscape.  See 
Isa.  i.  1.  Gen.  xv.  1.  Num.  xii.  6.  Ezek. 
XI.  24.  Acts  X.  3;  xi.  5;  xvi.  9.  Dan.  ii.  19; 
vii.  2;  viii.  1,  2.  26,-  x.  7.  Note,  Matt, 
xvii.  9. 

1 1.  Lito  the  street  lohich  is  called  Straight. 
This  street  extends  now  from  the  eastern 
to  the  western  gate,  about  three  miles, 
crossing  the  whole  city  and  suburbs  in  a 
direct  line.  Near  the  eastern  gate  is  a 
house,  said  to  be  that  of  Judah,  in  which 
Paul  lodged.  There  is  in  it  a  very  small 
closet,  where  tradition  reports  that  the 
apostle  passed  three  days  without  food, 
till  Ananias  restored  him  to  sight.  Tra- 
dition also  says  that  he  had  here  the 
vision  recorded  in  2  Cor.  xii.  2.  There  is 
nlso  in  this  street  a  fountain  whose  water 
IS  drunk  by  Christians,  in  remembrance 
of  that  which,  they  suppose,  the  same 
fcuntain  produced  for  the  baptism  of  Paul. 
(Rob  Caimet.)  IT  Of  Tarsus.  This  city 
was  the  capital  of  Cilicia,  a  province  of 
Asia  Minor.  It  was  situated  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  Cydnus.  It  was  distinguished 
ht  the  culture  of  Greek  philosophy  and 
iterature,  so  that  at  one  time  in  its 
schools,  and  in  the  number  of  its  learned 
men,  it  was  the  rival  of  Athens  and  Alex- 
andria. In  allusion  to  this,  perhaps,  Paul 
Bays  that  he  was  "  born  in  Tarsus,  a  citi- 
zen of  no  mean  city."  Acts  xxi.  39.  In 
reward  fcr  its  exertions  and  sacrifices 
during  the  civil  w.ars  of  Rome,  Tarsus 
w.-as  made  a  free  city  hv  Augustus.     See 


is  called  Straiirht,  and  invjuire  io 
the  house  of  Judas  for  one  called 
Saul  of  Tarsus :  for  behold,  he 
prayeth, 


Note,  Acts  xxii.  28.  24;  xxi.  39;  xvi.  37. 
Ii  BehUd  he  prayeth.  This  gives  us  a  fuU 
mdication  of  the  manner  in  which  Saul 
passed  the  tnree  days  mentioned  in  ver  9. 
t  is  plain  from  what  follows,  that  Anani- 
as regarded  Saul  as  a  foe  to  Christianity, 
and  that  he  would  have  been  apprehen- 
sive of  danger  if  ^e  were  with  him.  ver. 
13,  14.  This  remark,  "behold  he  pray- 
eth," is  made  to  him  to  silence  his  fears, 
and  to  indicate  the  change  in  the  feelings 
and  views  of  Saul.  Before,  he  was  a  per- 
secutor; now  his  change  is  indicated  by 
his  giving  himself  to  prayer.  That  Saul 
did  not  pray  before,  ;s  not  implied  by  this ; 
for  he  fully  accorded  with  the  customs  oi 
the  Jews.  Phil.  iii.  4 — 6.  But  his  prayers 
then  were  not  the  prayers  of  a  saint. 
They  were  then  the  prayers  of  a  Phari- 
see (comp.  Luke  xviii.  10,  &c.);  now  they 
were  the  prayers  of  a  broken-hearted  sin- 
ner; then  he  prayed  depending  on  his 
own  righteousness;  now,  depending  on 
the  mercy  of  God  in  the  Messiah. — We 
may  learn  here,  (1.)  That  one  indication 
of  conversion  to  God  is  real  prayer.  A 
Christian  may  as  well  be  characterized 
by  that  as  by  any  single  appellation — 'a 
man  of  prayer.'  (2.)  It  is  always  the  at- 
tendant of  true  conviction  for  sin,  that  we 
pray.  The  convicted  sirmer  feels  his  dan- 
ger, and  his  need  of  forgiveness.  Con- 
scious that  he  has  no  righteousness  him- 
self, he  now  seeks  that  of  anot'^er,  and 
depends  on  the  mercy  of  God.  Before 
he  was  too  proud  to  pray ;  now,  he  is  will- 
ing to  humble  himself  through  Jesus 
Qirist,  and  ask  for  mercy.  (3.)  It  is  a  suf- 
ficient indication  of  the  character  of  any 
man  to  say,  '  behold,  he  prays.'  It  at  once 
tells  us,  better  than  volumes  would  with> 
out  this,  his  real  character.  Knowing 
this,  we  know  all  about  him.  We  at  once 
confide  in  his  piety,  his  honesty,  his  hu- 
mility, his  willingness  to  do  good.  It  ia 
at  once  the  hidicotion  of  his  state  with 
God,  and  the  pledge  that  he  will  do  his 
duty  to  men.  We  mean,  of  course,  reed 
prayer.  Knowing  that  a  man  is  sincere, 
and  humble,  and  faithful  in  his  private 
devotions,  and  in  the  devotions  of  his 
family,  we  confide  in  him,  and  are  will- 
ing at  once  t^  trust  to  his  readiness  to  do 
all  that  he  is  cc^vinced  that  he  oiisht  ta 
do.  Ananias,  apprized  of  this  in  Saul,  had 
full  evidence  of  the  change  of  his  charao 
Jer.  and  was  cnn    "^iced  that  he  ought  4»» 


k54 


12  And  liath  seen  in  a  vision  a 
man  named  Ananias  coming  iii,  and 
putting  his  hand  on  him,  that  he 
might  leceive  his  sight. 

13  Then  Ananias  answered,  Lord, 
1  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man  " 
how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy 
saints  at  Jerusalem : 

14  And  here  he  *  hath  authority 
IVom  the  chief  priests  to  bind  all 
that  call  '^  on  thy  name. 

a  lTim.1.13.  fc  ver.2I.  c  ICor.1.2.  2Tim.2.22. 
dc.13.2.  Ro.1.1.  lCor.15.10.  Gal. 1.15.  Eph.3.7,8. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.D   33 

15  Bui,  cliC  Lord  said  unto  hufi, 
Go  thy  way  :  for  '^  he  is  a  chosen 
vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name 
before  ^  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  ^ 
and  the  ^  children  of  Israel. 

16  For  I  will  shew  him  how 
great  thingg  he  must  sufTer ''  for  my 
name's  sake. 

17  And  Ananias  went  his  way, 
and  entered  into  the  house;  and 
putting  *  his  hands   on   him,  ssdd, 

eRo.n.13.  Gal.2.7,8.      / C.25.23.&.C.      g- c.28,17,*b., 
h  c.20.23.  2Cor.l  1.23-27.  2Tim.l.lI,12.  t  c.8.17. 


lay  aside  all  his  former  views,  and  at  once 
to  seek  him,  and  to  acknowledge  him  as 
a  broliier. 

12.  And  he  hath  seen  in  a  vision,  &.c. 
When  this  was  shown  U)  Saul,  or  how,  is 
not  recorded.  The  vision  was  shown  to 
Saul  to  assure  him  when  he  came  that 
he  was  no  impostor.  He  was  thus  pre- 
pared to  receive  consolation  from  this  dis- 
ciple. He  was  even  apprized  of  his  name, 
that  he  might  be  more  confirmed. 

13,14.  I  have  heard  by  many,  &LC.  This 
\as  in  the  Vision,  ver.  10.  The  passage 
{  such  a  train  of  thoughts  through  the 
mind  was  perfectij'  natural  at  the  com- 
Tiand  to  go  and  search  out  Saul.  There 
jiould  instantly  occur  all  that  had  been 
*eard  of  his  fury  in  persecution;  and  the 
expression  here  may  indicate  the  state  of 
a  mind  amazed  that  such  an  one  should 
/leed  his  counsel,  and  afraid,  perhaps,  of 
I'atrusting  himself  to  one  thus  bent  on 
persecution.  All  this  evidently  passed  in 
the  dream  or  vision  of  Ananias  ;  and  per- 
haps cannot  be  considered  as  any  delibe- 
rate unwilHngness  to  go  to  him.  It  is 
clear,  however,  that  sucfi  thoughts  should 
have  been  banished,  and  that  he  should 
have  gone  at  once  to  the  praying  Saul. 
When  Christ  commands,  we  should  suffer 
no  suggestion  of  our  own  thoughts,  and 
no  apprehension  of  our  own  danger,  to 
interfere.  IT  By  many.  Probably  many 
who  had  fled  from  persecution,  and  had 
taken  refuge  in  Damascus.  It  is  also  evi- 
dent (ver.  14),  that  Ananias  had  been  ap- 
lirized,  perhaps  by  letters  from  the  Chris- 
tians at  Jerusalem,  of  the  purpose  which 
Saul  had  in  view  in  now  going  to  Dama.s- 
CU8.  ^  To  thy  saints  Christians;  called 
Baints  (XT'! oi)  "because  they  are  holy,  or 
consecrated  to  God. 

15.  Go  thy  imy.  This  is  often  the  only 
answer  that  we  obtain  to  the  Ruggesiion 
of  our  doubts  and  hesitations  about  duly. 
Go<l  tells  us  still  to  do  what  he  requires, 
with  an  as.Hurance  only  that  his  commands 


are  just,  and  that  there  are  good  reasons 
for  them.  IT  A  chosen  vessel.  The  usua. 
meaning  of  the  word  vessel  is  well  kno\vn 
It  usually  denotes  a  cup  or  basin,  such  aa 
is  used  in  a  house.  It  then  denotes  any 
instrument  which  may  be  used  to  accom- 
plish a  purpose,  perhaps  particularly  with 
the  notion  of  conveying  or  communicating. 
In  the  Scriptures  it  is  used  to  denote  the 
instrument  or  agent  which  God  employs 
to  convey  his  favours  to  mankind  ;  and  is 
thus  employed  to  represent  the  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  or  the  body  of  the  minister. 
2  Cor.  iv.  7.  1  Thess.  iv.  4.  Comp.  Isa. 
X.  5.  Paul  is  called  chosen  because 
Christ  had  selected  him,  as  he  did  his 
other  apostles,  for  this  service.  Note, 
John  XV.  16.  IT  To  bear  my  vame.  To 
communicate  the  knowledge  of  me.  IT  Be 
fore  the  Gentiles.  The  nations ;  all  who 
were  not  Jews.  This  was  the  prijicipai 
employment  of  Paul.  He  spent  his  life 
in  this,  and  regarded  himself  as  peculiarly 
called  to  be  the  apostle  f)f  the  Gentiles. 
Rom.  xi.  13;  xv.  10.  Gal.  ii.  8.  '^  And 
kings.  This  was  fulfilled,  Acts  xxv.  23, 
&c.  xxvi.  32;  xxvii.  24.  it  Arid  the  chil- 
dren oj  Israel.  The  Jews.  Tliis  was  dona 
He  immediately  began  to  preach  to  them, 
ver.  20 — 22.  Wherever  he  went,  h« 
preached  the  gospel  first  to  them,  and 
then  to  the  Gentiles.  Acts  xiii.  4G;  xxviii 
17. 

16.  Far  I  will  shew  him,  &c.  IVi. 
seems  to  be  added  to  encourage  Ananias 
He  had  feared  Saul.  The  Lord  now  in 
f()rms  him  that  Saul,  hitherto  his  enemy 
would  ever  after  be  his  friend.  He  would 
not  merely  profess  repentance,  but  would 
manifest  the  sincerity  of  it  by  encounter- 
ing trials  and  reproaches  for  his  sake. 
The  predirtion  here  was  fully  accom- 
jilished,  ch.  XX.  23.  2  Cor.  xi.  23—27 
2  Tim.  i.  11.12 

17.  Putting  his  hands  on  him.  This 
v\a8  not  ordination,  but  was  the  usua 
mode^jf  imparting    or    oommunif  atin# 


\    0.  35.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


155 


Br,)ther  Saul,  the  Lord,  eveii  Jesus, 
that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way 
as  thou  earnest,  hath  sent  me,  that 
thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight, 
Hnd  *»  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 


blessings.  See  Note  Matt.  xix.  13;  ix.  18. 
f  Brother  Saul.  An  expression  recog- 
nising him  as  a  fellow-ciiristian.  IT  Be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Note,  Acts  ii.4. 
18.  As  it  had  been  scales.  Jxnl  KirrlSig, 
Tne  word  <i3-s/,  "as  it  had  been,"  is  de- 
signed to  qualify  the  following  word.  It 
is  not  said  that  scales  literally  fell  from 
his  eyes ;  but  that  an  effect  followed  as 
if  scales  had  been  suddenly  taken  off 
Evidently  the  whole  expression  is  design- 
ed to  mean  no  more  than  this.  The 
effect  was  such  as  would  take  place  if 
6ome  dark,  impervious  substance  had 
been  placed  before  the  eyes,  and  had 
been  suddenly  removed.  The  cure  was 
ns  sudden,  the  sight  was  as  immediate, 
as  if  such  an  interposing  substance  had 
been  suddenly  removed.  This  is  all  that 
the  expression  fairly  implies,  and  this  is 
all  that  the  nature  of  the  case  demands. 
As  the  blindness  had  been  caused  by  the 
natural  effect  of  the  light,  probably  on 
the  optic  nerve  (ver.  8,  9,  Note),  it  is  mani- 
fest that  no  literal  removing  of  scales 
would  restore  the  vision.  We  are  there- 
fore to  lay  aside  the  idea  of  literal  scales 
falling  to  the  earth ;  no  such  thing  is 
affirmed,  and  no  such  thing  would  have 
met  the  case.  The  word  translated  scales 
s  used  nowhere  else  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. It  means  properly  the  small 
crust  or  layer  which  composes  a  part  of 
the  covering  of  a  fish,  and  also  any  thin 
layer  or  leaf  exfoliated  or  separated  ;  as 
scales  of  iron,  bone,  or  a  piece  of  bark, 
(fee.  (Webster.)  An  effect  similar  to  this 
is  described  inTobit  xi.  8. 13.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  there  was  a  miracle  in  the 
healing  of  Saul.  The  blindness  was  the 
natural  effect  of  the  light.  The  cure  was 
by  miraculous  power.  This  is  evident,  (1.) 
because  there  were  no  means  used  that 
would  naturally  restore  the  sight.  It 
may  be  remarked  here  that  gutta  serena 
has  been  regarded  by  physicians  as  one 
of  the  most  incurable  of  diseases.  Few 
eases  are  restored ;  and  few  remedies 
are  efficacious.  (See  Ed.  Encyc.  Art.  Sur- 
gery, on  Amaurosis.)  (2.)  Ananias  was  sent 
pjrthis  very  purpose  to  heal  him.  ver.  17. 
(3.)  The  immediate  effeS^  shows  that  this 
was  miraculous.  Had  h  been  a  sloro  re- 
i-ovorv,  it  might  have  been  doubtful, 
but  here  it  was  instantaneous,  and  thus  put 


18  And  immediately  there  felJ 
from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales  ; 
and  he  received  sight  forthwith 
and  arose,  and  was  baptized. 

19  And   when   he  had  received 


beyond  a  question  that  it  was  a  miracle. 
IT  Arid  was  baptized.  In  this  he  followeo 
the  example  of  all  the  early  converts  te 
Christianity.  They  were  baptized  irarae 
diately.     See  Acts  ii.  41 ;  viii.  12.  3G— 39 

19.'  Had  received  meal.  Food.  Tho 
■word  meat  has  undergftie  a  change  since 
our  translation  was  made.  It  then  meant, 
as  the  original  does,  food  of  all  kinds- 
IT  With  the  disciples.  With  Christians. 
Comp.  Acts  ii.  42.  IT  Certain  days.  How 
long  is  not  known.  It  was  long  enough, 
however,  to  preach  the  gospel.-  ver.  22. 
ch.  xxvi.  20.  It  might  have  been  for  some 
months,  as  he  did  not  go  to  Jerusalem 
under  three  years  from  that  time.  He 
remained  some  time  at  Damascus,  and 
then  went  to  Arabia,  and  returned  again 
to  Damascus,  and  then  went  to  Jerusa- 
lem. Gal.  i.  17.  This  visit  to  Arabia 
Luke  has  omitted,  but  there  is  no  contra- 
diction.  He  does  not  affirm  that  he  did 
not  go  to  Arabia. 

We  have  now  passed  through  the 
account  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
conversions  to  Christianity  that  has  ever 
occurred — that  of  the  apostle  Paul. 
This  conversion  has  always  been  just- 
ly considered  as  a  strong  proof  of  the 
Christian  religion.  For,  (1.)  This  change 
could  not  have  occurred  by  any  want 
of  fair  prospects  of  honour.  He  was 
distinguished  already  as  a  Jew-.  He 
had  had  the  best  opportunities  for  edu- 
cation that  the  nation  afforded.  He  had 
every  prospect  of  rising  to  distinction 
and  office.  (2.)  It  could  not  have  been 
produced  by  any  prospect  of  wealth  or 
fame,  by  becoming  a  Christian.  Chris- 
tians were  poor;  and  to  be  a  Christian 
then  was  to  be  exposed  to  contempt,  per 
secution,  and  death.  Saul  had  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  he  would  escape  the  com- 
mon lot  of  Christians.  (3.)  He  was  as 
firmly  opposed  to  Christianity  before  his 
conversion  as  possible.  He  had  already 
distinguished  himselffor  his  hostility.  Infi- 
dels often  say  that  Christians  are  preju- 
diced in  favour  of  their  religion.  But  here 
was  a  man,  at  first,  a  bitter  infidel,  and 
foe  to  Christianity.  All  the  prejudices  of 
his  education,  and  his  prospects,  all  his 
former  views  and  feelings,  were  opposed 
to  the  gospel  of  Christ.  He  became 
however,  one  of  its  most  firra  advocate* 


156 


THE  ACTS. 


[A,  D.  35. 


meat,  he  was  strcRgthened.  Then 
was  Saul  »:;ertaii  days  with  th3 
disciples  which  were  at  Damas- 
cus.* 

20  And  straightway  he  preach- 
ed Christ  in  the  synagogues,  that 
he  is  the  Son  of  God. 

Ql  But  all  that  heard  him  were  * 
aicazed,  and  said.  Is  not  this  he  * 

•  C.26.20.  Ga.1.17.  b  Ga.  ..13,23.       e  c.S.3. 


nd  friends ;  and  it  is  for  infidels  to  ac- 
c<)i.int  for  this  chaise.  There  must  have 
been  some  cause,  some  motive  for  it; 
and  is  there  any  thing  more  raUonal  than 
the  supposition,  that  Saul  was  convinced 
in  a  most  striking  and  wonderful  manner 
of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ?  (4.)  His  sub- 
sequent Jife  showed  that  his  change  was 
sincere  and  real.  He  encountered  dan- 
ger and  persecution  to  evince  his  at- 
fachment  to  Christ ;  he  went  from  land 
to  land,  and  exposed  himself  to  every 
danger,  and  everv  mode  of  obloquy  and 
scorn,  always  rejoicing  that  he  was  a 
(Christian,  and  was  permitted  to  suffer  as 
a  Christian;  and  has  thus -given  the 
highest  proofs  of  his  sincerity.  If  these 
sufferings,  and  if  the  life  of  Paul  were 
not  evidences  of  sincerity,  then  it  would 
be  impossible  to  fix  on  any  circumstances 
if  a  man's  life  that  would  furnish  proof 
Lhat  he  was  not  a  deceiver.  (5.)  If  Paul 
was  sincere ;  if  this  conversion  was  ge- 
nuine, the  Christian  religion  is  true. 
Nothing  else  but  a  religion  from  heaven 
could  prf)duce  this  change.  There  is 
here,  therefore,  the  independent  testimo- 
ny of  a  man,  who  was  once  a  persecutor  ; 
converted,  not  by  the  preaching  of  the 
apostles;  changed  in  a  wonderful  man- 
ner ;  his  whole  life,  views,  and  feelings 
revolutionized,  and  all  his  subsequent 
days  evincing  the  sincerity  of  his  feel- 
ings, and  the  reality  of  the  change.  He 
13  just  such  a  witness  as  infidels  ought  to 
DC  satisfied  with  ;  whose  testimony  can- 
not be  impeached ;  who  had  no  interested 
motives,  and  who  was  willing  to  stand 
f'^rth  any  w'here,  and  avow  his  change  of 
feeling  and  purpose.  We  adduce  him  as 
iuch  a  witness;  and  infidels  are  homid  to 
dispose  of  his  testimony,  or  to  embnue 
the  r^.igion  which  he  embracod.  (G.)  The 
example  of  Saul  does  not  stand  alone. 
Hundreds  nnd  thousands  of  enemies, 
^rseculors,  nnd  slanderers  have  beer. 
';hanged,  and  each  one  becomes  a  living 
witnoKS  of  the  power  and  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion.  The  Hcoffer  bocoirics 
fpvoront;    the    profane    man    loarna   to 


that  destroyed  them  which  called 
on  this  name  in  Jerusalem,  and 
came  hither  for  that  intent,  that  hfl 
might  bring  them  bound  unto  the 
chief  priests  1 

22  But  Saul  increased  the  more 
in  strength,  **  and  confounded  the 
*  Jews,  which  dwelt  at  Damascus, 
proving  that  this  is  very  Christ. 

dPs.S4.7.        ec.lS.28. 

speak  the  praise  of  God  ;  the  sullen,  hil- 
ter  foe  of  Christ  becomes  his  friend,  and 
lives  and  dies  under  the  influence  of  hi* 
religion.  Could  better  proof  be  asked 
that  this  religion  is  from  God  ? 

20.  And  straightway.  Immediately 
This  was  an  evidence  of  the  genuine- 
ness of  his  conversion,  that  he  wa.s  willing 
at  once  to  avow  himself  to  be  the  friend 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  IT  He  preached  Chriat. 
He  proclaimed  and  proved  that  Jesua 
was  the  Christ.  See  ver.  22.  Many  ma- 
nuscripts read  here  Jesus  instead  ol 
Christ.  Griesbach  has  adopted  this  reaa- 
ing.  Such  is  also  the  Syriac,  the  Vulgate 
and  the  Ethiopic.  This  reading  accords 
much  better  with  the  subject  than  the 
common  reading.  That  Christ,  or  the 
Messiah,  was  the  son  of  God,  all  admitted. 
In  the  New  Testament  the  names  Christ 
and  Son  of  God  are  used  as  synonymous 
But  the  question  was,  whether  Jesus  was 
the  Christ,  or  the  Son  of  God,  and  this 
Paul  showed  to  the  Jews  Paul  con 
tinued  the  practice  of  attending  the  syna 
gogues;  and  in  the  synagogues  anyone 
had  a  right  to  speak,  who  was  invited  by 
the  officiating  minister.  See  ch.  xiii.  15 
H  That  he  is  the  Son  of  God.  That  be  i» 
the  Messiah. 

21.  Were  amazed.  Amazed  at  his  sud 
r.cn  and  remarkable  change.  IT  That- 
destroyed.  That  opposed  ;  laid  waste ; 
or  persecuted.  Comp.  Gal.  i.  13.  H  Fof 
that  intent.  With  that  design,  that  ne 
might  destroy  the  church  at  Damascua. 

22.  Increased  the  more  in  strength.  Hw 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion became  stronger  every  day.  Henc« 
his  moral  strengtli  or  boldness  incroau- 
c{].  11  Arid  confounded.  See  Acts  ii.  h 
'I'he  word  here  means  confuted.  It  mean* 
also  occasionally  to  produce  a  tumuit, 
or  excitement.  Acts  xix.  32;  xxi.  3] 
Perhaps  the  idea  of  producing  such  a 
tumult  is  intended  to  bo  conveyed  hero. 
Paul  confuteil  t^  Jews,  and  by  so  doing 
he  was  the  octwion  of  their  tumultuoui 
f)roceedings,  or  he  ho  enraged  them  as  to 
lead   to  treat  agitation  and   exciicrr.ont 


A.  D.  -35.] 

23  And  after  (liat  many  days 
were  fulfilled,  the  Jews  took  coun- 
ficl  "  to  kill  him. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


157 


o  c.23.12:  25.1 


\  very  common  effect  of  close  and  con- 
chisive  argumentation.  IT  Proving  that 
this.  This  Jesus.  IT  Is  very  Christ. 
Greek  That  this  is  the  Christ.  The 
word  ve  y  means  here  simply  the.  Greek, 
»  JCfio-To,,  It  means  that  Paul  showed  by 
?troj;g  and  satisfactory  arguments,  that 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  true  Messiah. 
The  arguments  which  he  would  usetnay 
s>e  easily  conceived  ;  but  the  evangehst 
aas  not  seen  fit  to  record  them. 

23.  A7id  after  that  many  days,  &c.  How 
long  a  time  elapsed  before  this,  is  not  re- 
corded in  this  place  ;  but  it  is  evident 
that  the  writer  means  to  signify  that  a 
considerable  time  intervened.  There  is, 
therefore,  an  interval  here  which  Luke 
has  not  filled  up;  and  if  this  vvere  the 
only  narrative  which  we  had,  we  should 
be  at  a  loss  how  to  understand  this.  From 
all  that  we  know  now  of  the  usual  con- 
duct of  the  Jews  towards  the  apostles, 
and  especially  towards  Paul,  it  would 
seem  highly  improbable  that  this  interval 
would  be  passed  peaceably  or  quietly. 
Nay,  it  would  be  highly  improbable  that 
he  would  be  allowed  to  remain  in  Da- 
mascus many  days  without  violent  perse- 
nurion.  Now  it  so  happens  that  by  turn- 
ing to  another  part  of  the  New  Testament, 
we  are  enabled  to  ascertain  the  manner 
in  which  this  interval  was  filled  up.  Turn 
then  to  Gal.  i  17,  and  we  learn  from  Paul 
himself  that  he  went  into  Arabia,  and 
spent  some  time  there,  and  then  returned 
again  to  Damascus.  The  precise  time 
;^  which  would  be  occupied  in  such  a  jour- 
ney is  not  specified  ;  but  it  would  not  be 
performed  under  a  period  of  some  months. 
In  Gal.  i.  18,  we  are  informed  that  he  did 
not  go  to  Jerusalem  until  three  years 
after  his  conversion ;  and  as  there  is  rea- 
son to  believe  that  he  went  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem directly  after  escaping  from  Damas- 
cus the  second  time  (Acts  ix.  25,  26),  it 
seems  probable  that  the  three  years  were 
spent  ehiefly  in  Arabia.  We  have  thus 
an  account  of  the  '  many  days"  here  re- 
ferred to  by  Luke.  And  in  this  instance 
we  have  a  striking  example  of  the  truth 
and  honesty  of  the  sacred  writers.  By 
comparing  these  tivo  accounts  together, 
vve  arrive  at  the  whole  state  of  the  case. 
Neither  seems  to  be  complete  without 
the  other.  Lukc  has  left  a  chasm  wVuch 
fie  has  nowhere  else  supplied.  But  that 
'ihaam  we  are  enabled  to  fill  up  from  the 
O 


24  Bu*.  their  laying  await  was 
known  of  Saul.  And  they  watched  * 
the  gates  day  and  night,  to  kill  him. 

b  2Cor.ll.2G,&c.  P8.21.ll;  37.32,33. 

apostle  himself  in  a  letter  written  long 
after,  and  without  any  design  to  amend 
or  complete  the  history  of  Luke  :  for  the 
introduction  of  this  history  into  the  epistle 
to  the  Galahans  was  for  a  very  different 
purpose — to  show  that  he  received  liis 
commission  directly  from  the  Lord  Jesub, 
and  in  a  manner  independent  of  the  other 
apostles.  The  two  accounts,  therefor? 
are  like  the  two  parts  of  a  tally  ,•  neither 
is  complete  without  the  other;  and  yet 
being  brought  together,  they  ^  exactly 
fit  as  to  show  that  the  one  is  precisely  adf- 
justed  to  the  other.  And  as  the  two  parts 
were  made  by  different  individuals,  and 
without  design  of  adapting  them  to  each 
other,  they  show  that  the  writers  had 
formed  no  collusion  or  agreement  to  ir^ 
pose  on  the  world  ;  that  they  are  separate 
and  independent  witnesses;  that  they  are 
honest  men ;  that  their  narratives  are  true 
records  of  what  actually  occurred ;  and 
the  two  narratives  constitute,  therefore, 
a  strong  and  very  valuable  proof  of  the 
correctness  of  the  sacred  narrative.  V 
asked  why  Lu7:e  has  omitted  this  in  the 
Acts,  it  may  be  replied,  that  there  are 
many  circumstances  and  facts  omitted  in 
all  histories  from  the  necessity  of  the  case. 
Comp.  John  xxi.  25.  It  is  remarkable 
here,  not  that  he  has  omitted  this,  but  that 
he  has  left  a  chasm  in  his  own  history 
which  can  be  so  readily  filled  up. 
IF  Werefulfdled.  Had  elapsed.  1l  Took 
counsel,  &c.  Laid  a  scheme  ;  or  designed 
to  kill  him.  Comp.  ch.  xxiii.  12;  xxv.  3. 
His  zeal  and  success  would  enrage  them, 
and  they  knew  of  no  other  way  in  which 
they  could  free  themselves  from  the  ef- 
fects of  his  arguments  and  influence. 

24.  But  their  laying  aivait.  Their  coun- 
sel ;  their  design.  H  Was  known  of  Saul. 
Was  made  known  to  him.  In  what  way 
this  w'as  communicated,  we  do  not  know. 
This  design  of  the  Jews  against  Saul  ia 
referred  to  in  2  Cor.  xi.  32,  33,  where  it  is 
said,  "  In  Damascus,  the  governor  under 
Aretas  the  king  kept  the  Damascenes 
with  a  garrison,  desirous  to  apprehend 
me ;  and  through  a  window  in  a  basket 
was  I  let  down  by  the  wall,  and  escaped 
their  hands."  IT  And  they  watched  the 
gates.  Cities  were  surrounded  by  high 
walls ;  and  of  course  the  gates  were  pre- 
sumed to  be  he  only  places  of  escape 
As  they  supposed  that  Saul,  apprized  of 
their  designs  would  make  an  attemi>t  tf 


ib^ 


THE  ACTS. 


LA.  D.  35 


25  Thoj  the  disciples  took  him 
by  nijfht,  aid  let"  Am  down  by  the 
»v-all,  in  a  basket. 

*20  And  when  Saul  was  come  ^ to 
Jerusalem,  he  assayed  to  joinYiim- 
self  to  the  disciples  :  but  they  were 


Bstape,  they  stationed  guards  at  the  gates 
tc  intercept  him.  In  2  Cor.  xi.  32,  it  is  said 
that  the  governor  kept  the  city  for  the  pur- 
pose of  apprehending  him.  It  is  possible 
that  the  governor  might  have  been  a  Jew, 
and  one,  therefore,  who  would  enter  into 
their  views.  Or  if  not  a  Jew,  the  Jews 
who  wdre  .there  might  easily  represent 
Saul  as  "an  offender,  and  demand  his  be- 
ing secured  ;  and  thus  a  garrison  or  guard 
might  be  furnished  them  for  their  purpose. 
See  a  similar  attempt  made  by  the  Jews 
recorded  in  Matt,  xxvui.  14. 

25.  Took  him  by  night,  &c.  This  was 
done  through  a  window  in  the  wall. 
2  Cor.  xi.  33.  H  In  a  bas^Tiet.  This  word 
IS  iipod  to  denote  commonly  the  basket  in 
Mi-it-h  food  was  carried.  Matt.  xv.  37. 
Mark  viii.  8.  20.  This  conduct  of  Saul 
was  in  accordance  with  the  direction  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  (Matt.  x.  23),  "  When  they 
persecute  you  in  one  city,  f.ee  ye  into  an- 
other," &c.  Saul  was  certain  of  death  if 
he  remained  ;  and  as  he  could  secure  his 
life  by  flight  without  abandoning  any 
principle  of  religion,  or  denying  his  Lord, 
it  was  his  duty  to  do  so.  Christianity  re- 
quires us  to  sacrifice  our  lives  only  when 
we  cannot  avoid  it  without  denying  the 
Saviour,  or  abandoning  the  principles  of 
our  holy  religion. 

26.  Was  come  to  Jerusalem,  It  is  pro- 
bable that  he  then  went  immediately  to 
Jerusalem.  Gal.  i.  18.  This  was  three 
years  after  his  conversion.  IT  He  assayed. 
lie  attempted  ;  he  endeavoured.  iT  To 
join  himself.  To  become  connected  with 
them  as  their  fellow-chrishan.  IT  But  they 
ivere  all  afraid  of  him.  Their  fear,  or  sus- 
picion, was  excited  probably  on  these 
grounds:  (1.)  They  remembered  hi.'i  for- 
mer violence  against  Christians.  They 
had  an  instinctive  shrinking  from  hin), 
and  suspicion  of  the  man  that  had  been 
BO  violent  a  persecutor.  (2.)  He  had  been 
absent  tnree  years.  If  they  had  riot  heard 
of  h-m  during  that  time,  they  would  natu- 
rally retain  much  of  their  old  feelings  to- 
wards him.  If  they  had,  they  might  rus- 
aect  the  man  w'.io  had  not  returned  to 
Jerusalem  ;  who  had  not  before  soutrht 
tlie  »^ji'.iety  of  other  Christians  ;  and  who 
nad  sj»eiit  that  time  in  a  distant  country, 


all  afraid  of  him,  and  believed  not 
that  he  was  a  disciple. 

27  But  Barnabas  *=  took  him,  anu 
brought  /u77i  to  the  apostles,  and  de- 
clared unto  them  how  he  had  seen 
the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he 

e  c.4.36. 


and  among  strangers.  It  would  seem  re- 
markable that  he  had  not  at  once  returned 
to  Jerusalem  and  connected  himself  with 
the  apostles.  But  the  sacred  writer  doea 
not  justify  the  fears  of  the  apostles.  He 
simply  records  the  fact  of  their  apprehen- 
sion. It  is  not  unnatural,  however,  to 
have  doubts  respecting  an  open  and  viru- 
lent enemy  of  the  gospel  who  suddenly 
professes  a  change  in  favour  of  it.  The 
human  mind  does  not  easily  cast  off  sus- 
picion  of  some  unworthy  motive,  and  open 
Itself  at  once  to  entire  confidence.  When 
great  and  notorious  sinners  profess  to  be 
converted — men  who  have  been  violent, 
or  artful,  or  malignant — it  is  natural  to 
ask  whether  they  have  not  some  unwor- 
thy motive  still  in  their  professed  change. 
Confidence  is  a  plant  of  slow  growth,  an<? 
starts  up  not  by  a  sudden  profession,  but 
by  a  course  of  life  which  is  worthy  of  af- 
fection and  of  trust.  IF  A  disaple.  A 
sincere  Christian. 

27.  But  Barnabas.  See  Note,  ch  iv 
30.  Barnabas  was  of  Cyprus,  not  fax  from 
Tarsus,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he 
had  been  before  acquainted  with  Saul. 
IT  To  the  apostles.  To  Peter  a^id  James. 
Gal.  i.  18,  19.  Probably  the  other  apos- 
tles were  at  that  time  absent  from  Jerusa- 
lem. H  And  declared  vnto  them,  &c.  It 
may  seem  remarkable  that  the  apostles  at 
Jerusalem  had  not  before  heard  of  the  ^ 
conversion  of  Saul.  The  following  con-  ^ 
siderations  may  serve  in  some  degree  to 
explain  this.  (1.)  It  is  certain  that  inter- 
course between  different  countries  was 
then  much  more  difficult  than  if  is  now. 
There  were  no  posts;  no  public  convey- 
ances; nothing  that  corrres|K)nded  with 
our  modes  of  intercourse  between  one 
part  of  the  world  and  another.  (2.)  There 
was  at  this  time  a  state  of  animosity 
amounting  to  hostility  subsisting  between 
Herod  and  Arctas.  Herod  the  tetrarch 
had  married  the  daughter  of  Aretas  king 
of  Arabia,  and  had  pi:t  her  away-  'v'ose- 
l)hus,  Antiq.  b.  xviii.  ch.  v.  <i>  1,  "2">  The 
result  of  this  was  a  long  misunderstanding 
bnween  them,  and  a  war;  and  the  rffectfj 
of  that  war  might  have  been  to  uilcrrupt 
the  communication  verv  much  throughoui 
all  that  country.    ^3.)  Tlxough  the  Jnts  v 


V.  O.  37.] 


CHAPTER  IX 


153 


nad  spoken  to  him,  and  how  he 
had  preached  boldly  *  at  Damascus 
m  the  name  of  Jesus. 

28  And  he  was  with  them  com- 
mg-  in  and  going  out  at  Jerusalem. 

29  And  he  spake  boldly  in  the 
name  o^  the  I^ord  Jesus,  and  dis- 


\crusalem  might  have  heard  of  the  con- 
version of  Saul,  yet  it  was  for  their  inte- 
rest to  keep  it  a  secret,  and  not  to  mention 
it  to  Christians.  But,  (4.)  Though  the 
Christians  who  were  there  had  heard  of 
it,  yet  it  is  probable  that  they  were  not 
fully  informed  on  the  subject ;  that  they 
nad  not  idtd  all  the  evidence  of  his  con- 
version which  they  desired  ;  and  that  they 
looked  with  suspicion  on  him.  It  was 
therefore  proper  that  they  should  have  a 
full  statement  of  the  evidence  of  his  con- 
version ;  and  this  was  made  by  Barnabas. 

28.  A7id  he  was  with  them,  <^c.  That 
is,  he  was  admitted  to  their  friendship, 
and  recognised  as  a  Christian  and  an 
apostle.  The  time  during  which  he  then 
remained  at  Jerusalem  was,  however, 
only  fifteen  days.    Gal.  i.  18. 

29  And  spake  boldly.  He  openly  de- 
fended the  doctrine  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah.  IT  In  the  name,  ^c.  By  the 
authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  IT  Against 
the  Grecians.  See  the  word  Grecians  ex- 
plained in  the  note  on  Acts  vi.  1.  It 
means  that  he  not  only  maintained  that 
Jesus  was  the  Christ  in  the  presence  of 
those  Jews  who  resided  at  Jerusalem, 
Qud  who  spoke  the  Hebrew  language, 
but  also  before  those  foreign  Jews,  who 
spoke  the  Greek  language,  and  who  had 
come  up  to  Jerusalem.  They  would  be 
as  much  opposed  to  the  doctrine  that 
Jesus  was  the  Christ,  as  those  who  re- 
sided in  Jerusalem.  ^  They  went  about. 
They  sought  to  slay  him  ;  or  they  formed 
a  purpose  or  plan  to  put  him  to  death  as 
an  apostate.     See  ver.  23. 

30.  To  Cesarea.  Note  ch.  viii.  40. 
IT  A  nd  sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus.  This 
was  his  native  city.  Note  ver.  11.  It  was 
in  Cilicia,  where  Paul  doubtless  preach- 
ed the  gospel.  Gal.  i.  21,  "Afterwards 
I  came  into  the  regions  of  Syria  and  Ci- 
licia." 

31.  Then  had  the  churches  rest.  That 
is,  the  persecutions  against  Christians 
ceased.  Those  persecutions  had  been 
excited  by  the  opposition  made  to  Ste- 
phen (Acts  xi.  19) ;  they  had  been  great- 
ly promoted  by  Saul  (Acts  viii.  3) ;  and 
iiad  extended  "doubtless   throughout  the 


puted  against  the  Grecians  :  but  * 
they  went  abodt  to  slay  him. 

30  Which  when  the  brethren 
knew,  they  brought  him  df)wn  to 
Cesarea,  and  sent  him  forth  to  Tar- 
sus. 

3 1  Then  *=  had  the  churches  rest « 

h  ver.23.  c  Zec.9.h  c.8.1  4  Ps.94.t » 


whole  land  of   Palestine.    The  preciiwr 
causes  of  this  cessation  of  the   persecu- 
tion are  not  known.     Probably  they  were 
the  following.     (1.)  It  is  not  improbable 
that  the    great  mass  of  Christians  had 
been  driven  into  other  regions  by  these 
persecutions.      (2.)    He   who  had  been 
most  active  in  exciting  the  persecution 
who  was,  in  a  sort,  its  leader,  and  who 
was  best  adapted  to  carry  it  on,  had  been 
converted.    He  had   ceased  his  opposi. 
tion ;  and   even  he  now   was  removed 
from  Judea.     All  this  would  have  some 
effect  in  causing  the  persecution  to  sub- 
side.    (3.)  But  it  is  not  improbable  thai 
the  civil  state  of  things  in  Judea  contri- 
buted much  to  turn  the  attention  of  the 
Jews  to  other  matters.     Dr.  Lardner  ac 
counts  for  this  in  the  following  manner 
"  Soon    after  Caligula's    accession,    the 
Jews  at  Alexandria  suffered  very  much 
from  the  Egyptians  in  that  city,  and  at 
length  their  oratories  there  were  all  de 
stroyed.     In  the   third  year  of  Caligula. 
A.  D.  39,  Petronius  was  sent  into  Syria, 
with  orders  to  set  up  the  emperor's  sta- 
tue  in  the   temple  at  Jerusalem.     This 
order  from  Caligula  was,  to  the  Jews,  a 
thunder-stroke.      The  Jews  must  have 
been   too   much   engaged    after  this   la 
mind  any  thing  else,  as  may  appear  from 
the  accounts  which  Philo  and  Josephua 
have  given  us  of  this  affair.     Josephua 
says,  'That  Caligula  ordered  Petronius  ic 
go  with  an  army  to  Jerusalem,   to  set 
up  his  statue  in  the  temple  there  ;  en 
joining  him  if  the  Jews  opposed  it  to  out 
to  death  all  who   made  any  resistam  e, 
and   to  make  all  the  rest  of  the  ration 
slaves.      Petronius,    therefore    marched 
from  Antioch  into  Judea,  with  three  le- 
gions  and   a   large   body   of   auxiliaries 
raised  in  Syria.      All  were  ?iereup<Ai filed 
with  consternation,  the  army  being  come 
as   far  as  Ptolemais.'  "     See    Lardner's 
Works,  vol.  i.   p.   101,   102.    Lond.   Ed 
1829.     Philo  gives  the  same  account  of 
the  consternation  as  Josephus.     Philo  de 
legat.  ad  Cai.   p.   1024,  "1025       He   de 
scribes   the  Jews  "  as  abandoning   theii 
cities,  villages,  and  open  country,  as  go 
ing  to  Petronius  in   Phenicia.  bo<h  mef. 


160 


THE  ACTb\ 


[A.  1).  3"i 


throuorhoiit  all  Judea  and  Galilee 
and  Samaria,  and  were  edified ;  " 
and  walking-  ^  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  "  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  were  multiplied.'' 

32  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Peter 
passed  throughout  all  quarters,  he 
v'ame  down  also  to  the  saints  which 
^welt  at  Lydda 

33  And  there  he  found  a  certain 

jRo.J4.19.  tPs.  86.11    Col.1.10.  cJno.14. 

JC  17.        d  Zec.8.20.22. 


a-ld  women,  the  old,  the  young,  the  mid- 
dle aged ;  as  throwing  themselves  on 
the  ground  before  Petronius  with  weep- 
ing and  lamentation,"  &c.  The  effect  of 
this  consternation  in  diverting  their  minds 
from  the  Christians  can  be  easily  con- 
ceived. The  prospect  that  the  images 
of  the  Roman  emperor  were  about  to  be 
set  up  by  violence  in  the  temple,  or,  that 
in  case  of  resistance,  death  or  slavery 
was  to  be  their  portion ;  the  advance  of 
a  large  army  to  execute  that  purpose; 
all  tended  to  throw  the  nation  into  alarm. 
By  the  providence  of  God,  therefore,  this 
event  was  permitted  to  occur  to  divert 
the  attention  of  bloody-minded  persecut- 
ors from  a  feeble  and  a  bleeding  church. 
Anxious  for  their  own  safety,  the  Jews 
would  cease  to  persecute  the  Christians, 
and  thus  by  the  conversion  of  the  main 
instrument  in  persecution,  and  by  the 
universal  alarm  for  the  welfare  of  the 
nation,  the  trembling  and  enfeebled 
church  was  permitted  to  obtain  repose. 
Thus  ended  the  first  general  persecution 
against  Christians,  and  thus  effectually 
did  God  show  that  he  had  power  to 
guard  and  protect  his  chosen  people. 
^  All  Judea,  &c  These  three  places 
included  the  land  of  Palestine.  See 
Note  '}n  Matt.  ii.  22.  The  f()rmation  of 
churches  in  Galilee  is  not  expressly  men- 
tioned before  this ;  but  there  is  no  impro- 
bability in  supposing  that  Christians  had 
travelled  there, and  had  preached  the  gos- 
pel. Comp.  Acts  xi.  19.  The  formation 
of  churches  in  Samaria  is  expressly  men- 
tioned, ch.  viii.  IT  Were  edified.  Were 
built  up,  increased,  and  strengthened. 
See  Rom.  xiv.  19  ;  xv.  2.  1  Cor.  viii.  1. 
f  And  xmlk'nifT.  Proceeding.  Living.  The 
word  is  often  used  to  denote  Christian 
conduct,  or  manner  of  life.  Col.  i.  10. 
J.uke  :.  fi.  1  Thess.  iv.  1.  1  John  ii.  G.  The 
idea  is,  that  of  travellers  who  are  going 
to  any  place,  and  who  walk  in  the  right 
path.  Christians  are  thus  travellers  to 
.another  country, an  heavenly.     If  In  the 


man  named  Eneas,  which  \iad  kepi 
his  bed  eight  years,  and  was  sict 
of  the  palsy. 

34  And  Peter  said  unto  him, 
Eneas,  Jesus  Christ  maketh  thee* 
whole  ;  arise,  and  make  thy  bed. 
And  he  arose  immediately. 

35  And  all  that  dwelt  in  Lydda « 
and  f  Saron  saw  him,  and  turned 
to  the  Lord 

e  c.3.6,16;4.10.     /lCh.5.16.      ^  c.11.21.  2Cor.S.16 


fear  of  the  Lord.  Fearing  the  Lord  ;  with 
re'  arence  for  him  and  his  command 
ments.  This  expression  is  often  used  to 
denote  piety  in  general.  2  Qjaron.  xix 
7.  Jobxxviu.  28.  Ps.  xix.  9  ;  cxi.  10; 
Prov.  i.  7;  ix.  10;xiii.  13.  IT  In  the  com 
fort  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  the  consola- 
tions which  the  Holy  Ghost  produced. 
John  xiv.  16,  17.  Rom.  v.  1 — 5.  IT  Were 
multiplied.    Were  increased. 

32.  To  the  sai7its.  To  the  Christians 
IT  Which  dwelt  at  Lydda.  This  town 
was  situated  on  the  road  from  Jerusalem 
to  Cesarea  f  hilippi.  It  was  about  fifteen 
miles  east  of  Joppa,  and  belonged  to  the 
tribe  of  Ephraim.  It  was  called  by  the 
Greeks  Diospolis,  or  city  of  Jupiter,  pro- 
bably because  a  temple  was  at  some  pe- 
riod erected  to  Jupiter  in  that  city.  It  la 
now  so  entirely  ruined  as  to  be  a  miserable 
village.  Since  the  crusades,  it  has  been 
called  by  the  Christians  St.  George,  on 
account  of  its  having  been  the  scene  of 
the  martyrdom  of  a  saint  of  that  name. 
Tradition  says  that  in  this  city  the  em- 
peror Justinian  erected  a  church. 

33.  Eneas.  This  is  a  Greek  name ; 
and  probably  he  was  a  Hellenist.  •  Notri 
ch.  vi.  1.  IT  Sick  of  the  palsy.  See  Note. 
Matt.  iv.  24. 

34.  Maketh  thee  vthole.  Cures  thee. 
Peter  claimed  no  power  to  do  it  himself 
Comp.  cli.  iii.  6.  16;  iv.  10.  IT  Make  thv 
hed.  This  would  show  that  he  was  truly 
healed.  Comp.  Matt.  ix.  6.  Mark,  it 
9.  11.     John  V.  11,  12. 

3.3.  And  all.  The  mass,  or  body  of 
the  people.  The  affliction  of  the  man 
had  been  bug,  and  was  probably  well 
known;  the  miracle ^'ould  be  celebrated, 
and  the  effect  was  an  extensive  revival 
of  religion.  IT  Saron.  This  was  the 
champaifrn,  or  open  country,  usually 
mentioned  by  the  name  of  Sharon  m  th« 
Old  Teslament.  1  Chron.  v.  16;  xxvii 
29.  (^ant.  ii.J.  Isa.  xxxjii.  9. It  was  a  re 
gion  of  extraordinary  fertility,  and  the 
namn  was  almost   proveibial  to  denow 


A.D.  37.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


16> 


36  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a 
certain  disciple  named  Tabitha, 
which  by  interpretatiDn  is  called 
I  Dorcas  :  this  woman  was  full  "■  of 
good  works  and  almsdeeds  which 
she  did. 

37  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those 
days,  that  she  was  sick,  and  died  : 
wliora,  when  they  had  washed,  they 
laid  her  in  an  ^ipper  chamber. 

38  And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  was 
nigh  to  Joppa,  and  the  disciples  had 
heard  that  Peter  was  there,  they 


or,  Doe,  or,  Roe. 


a  lTim.2.10.  Tit.2.7. 


any  country  of  great  beauty  and  fertility. 
Comp. Isa.  xxxiii,  9; XXXV.  2;  Ixv.  10.  It 
was  situated  south  of  mount  Carmel, 
along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  ex- 
tending to  Cesarea  and  Joppa.  Lydda 
was  situated  ki  this  region,  it  Turned  to 
the  Lord.  Were  converted ;  or  received 
ihe  Lord  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  ch.  xi.  21. 
2  Cor.  iii.  16. 

36.  At  Joppa.  This  was  a  seaport  town 
situated  on  the  Mediterranean,  in  the 
tribe  of  Dan,  about  thirty  miles  south  of 
Cesarea,  and  forty-five  northwest  of  Jeru- 
salem. It  was  the  principal  seaport  of 
Palestine ;  and  hence,  though  the  harbour 
was  poor,  it  had  considerable  celebrity. 
It  was  occupied  by  Solomon  to  receive 
the  timber  brought  for  the  building  of  the 
temple  from  Tyre  (2  Chron.  ii.  16),  and 
was  used  for  a  similar  purpose  in  the  time 
of  Ezra.  Ezra  iii.  7.  The  present  name 
of  the  town  is  Jaffa.  It  is  situated  on  a 
promontory  jutting  out  into  the  sea,  rising 
to  the  height  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  above  its  level,  and  offering  on 
all  sides  picturesque  and  varied  prospects. 
The  streets  are  narrow,  uneven,  and  dirty. 
The  inhabitants  are  estimated  at  between 
four  and  five  thousand,  of  whom  the 
greater  part  are  Turks  and  Arabs.  The 
Christians  are  stated  to  be  about  six 
hundred,  consisting  of  Roman  Catholics, 
Greeks,  Maronites,  and  Arminians.  It  is 
several  times  mentioned  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. Acts  X.  5.  23 ;  xi.  5.  IF  Tabitha. 
This  word  is  properly  Syriac,  and  means 
literally  ihe  gazelle  or  antelope.  The  name 
became  an  appellation  of  a  female  proba- 
bly on  account  of  the  beauty  of  its  form. 
"  It  is  not  unusual  in  the  East  to  give  the 
aaraes  of  beautiful  animals  to  youn^  wo- 
men." {Clark.)  Comp.  Cant.  ii.  9  ;  iv.  5. 
H  Dorcas.  A  Greek  word  signifying  the 
same  as  Tabitha.  Our  word  doe  or  roe 
answers  to  it  in  signification.  IF  Fall  of 
^i,od  works.  Distinguished  for  good  worlis 

Q  9 


sent  unto  hirn  tv/c  men,  de&iring 
him  that  he  w  Duld  not  -  delay  to 
come  to  them. 

39  Then  Peter  arose,  and  went 
with  them.  When  he  was  come, 
they  brought  him  into  the  uppej 
chamber  :  and  all  the  widows  stood 
by  him  weeping,  and  shewing  the 
coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas 
made  while  *  she  was  with  them. 

40  But  Peter  putnhem  all  forth, 
and  kneeled  down,  and  prayed :  and 
turning  him  to  the  body,  said,  Ta- 

2  or,  be  grieved.        b  Ec.9.n.          c  Matt.9.25. 


Comp.  1  Tim.  ii.  10.  Titus  ii.  7.  IT  Ajid 
almsdeeds.  Acts  <^  kindness  to  the 
poor. 

37.  Whom,  when  they  had  washed 
Among  most  people  it  has  been  cus 
tomary  to  wash  the  body  before  it  ia 
buried  or  burned.  They  prepared  her 
in  the  usual  manner  for  interment.  IT  In 
an  upper  chamber.  See  J^M^  Acts  i.  13 
There  is  no  evidence  that  llfy  expected 
that  Peter  would  raise  her  up  to  life. 

38.  Was  nigh  unto  Joppa.  It  was  abouJ 
six  miles.  'A  They  sent  unto  him,  &c 
Why  they  sent  is  not  affirmed.  It  is  pro 
bable  that  they  desired  his  presence  to 
comfort  and  sustain  them  in  their  aflflic- 
tion.  It  is  certainly  possible  that  they  ex 
pected  he  would  restore  her  to  life  ;  bu, 
as  this  is  not  mentioned ;  as  the  apostles 
had  as  yet  raised  up  no  one  from  the 
dead  ;  as  even  Stephen  had  not  been  re- 
stored to  life ;  we  have  no  authority  for 
assumhig,  or  supposing,  that,  they  had 
formed  any  such  expectation. 

39.  TJien  Peter  arose.  See  Note  on 
Luke  XV.  18.  IT  And  all  the  loidows. 
Whom  Dorcas  had  benefited  by  her 
kindness.  They  had  lost  a  benefactress  ; 
and  it  was  natural  that  they  should  recall 
her  kindness,  and  express  their  gratitude 
by  enumerating  the  proofs  of  her  benefi 
cence.  Each  one  would  therefore  natu 
rally  dwell  on  the  kindness  which  had 
been  shown  to  herself 

40.  But  Peter  put  them  all  forth.  From 
the  room.  See  a  similar  case  in  Matt.  ix. 
25.  Why  this  was  done  is  not  said.  Per 
haps  because  he  did  not  wish  to  appea. 
as  if  seeking  publicity.  If  done  in  the 
presence  of  many  persons,  it  might  seem 
like  ostentation.  Other?  suppose  it  was 
that  he  might  offer  more  fervent  and  ago- 
nizing prayer  to  God  than  he  would  be 
willing  they  should  witness.  Compare 
2  Kings  iv.  33.  If  Tabitha,  arise  Comp 
Mark  v.  41,  42. 


16% 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  41 


bitha,  *  arise.  And  she  opened  her 
eyes  :  and  when  slie  sav?  Peter,  she 
sat  up. 

41  And  he  g^ve  her  hi.i  hand,  and 
'ift  her  up  :  and  when  he  had  call- 
ed the  saints  and  widows,  he  ^pre- 
sented her  alive. 

42  And  it  was  known  throughout 

a  Mar.5. 41,42.  Juo.11.43.  I  lKi.17.23. 


41.  He  presented  her  alive.  He  exhibit- 
ed, or  showed  her  to  ihem  alive.  Comp. 
I  Kings  xvii.  23. 

42.  And  many  helteved,  &c.  A  similar 
effect  followed  when  Jesus  raised  up  La- 
earus.     See  John  xii.  11. 

This  was  the  first  miracle  of  this  kind 
that  was  performed  Ijy  the  apostles.  The 
effect  was  that  many  believed.  It  was 
not  merely  a  work  of  benevolence,  in  re- 
storing to  Lie  one  who  contributed  largely 
to  the  comfort  of  the  poor,  but  it  w-as  used 
as  a  means  of  extending  and  establishing, 
as  it  was  designed  doubtless  to  do,  the 
kingdom  ofllj^ Saviour. 

^iHAPTEfi  X. 

This  chapter  commences  a  very  impor- 
tant part  of  the  history  of  the  transactions 
of  the  apostles.  Before  this,  they  had 
preached  the  gospel  to  the  Jews  only. 
They  seemed  to  have  retained  the  feel- 
ings of  their  countrymen  on  this  subject, 
that  the  Jews  were  to  be  regarded  as  the 
peculiarly  favoured  people,  and  that  sal- 
vation was  not  to  be  offered  beyond  the 
limits  of  their  nation.  It  was  important, 
indeed,  that  the  gospel  should  be  offered 
to  them  first ;  but  the  w  hole  tendency  of 
the  Christian  religion  was  to  enlarge  and 
.iberalize  the  mind  ;  to  overcome  the  nar- 
row policy  and  prejudices  of  the  Jewish 
people ;  and  to  diffuse  itself  over  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  In  various  ways, 
and  by  various  parables,  the  Saviour  had 
taught  (he  apostles,  indeed,  that  his  gos- 
pel .should  be  spread  among  the  Gentiles. 
He  had  commanded  them  to  go  and 
preach  it  to  every  creature.  Mark  xvi. 
]'i.  But  he  had  told  them  to  tarry  in  Je- 
ruBalem  until  Ihey  were  endued  with 
pf>wer  from  on  high.  Luke  xxiv.  49.  It 
was  natural,  therefore,  that  they  should 
-ereivo  special  instructions  and  divine 
revelation  on  a  point  «o  important  as  this  ; 
anrl  God  selected  the  case  of  Cornelius 
as  the  instance  by  which  he  would  fully 
establish  his  purf)OKo  of  conveying  the 
gospel  to  the  Gentile  wnrld.  ll  is  worthy 
of  olwervation,  alw),  that  ho  Kclecied  Peter 
for  the  purpose  of  conveying  the  gospel 
first  to  the  Gentiles.  The  Savioiir  had 
told  him  tha>  on  him  ho  would  build  his 


all  Joppa ;  ana  many  belieTed  il 
the  Lord. 

43  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he 
tarried  many  days  in  Joppa,  witfc 
one  Simon  a  tanner. 

CHAPTER  X. 
npHERE  was  a  certain  man  m 
-*-     Cesarea,   called   Cornelius    a 

cJno.12.11. 

church ;  that  he  viould  give  to  him  firs 
the  key  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  that 
is,  that  he  should  be  the  agent  in  opening 
the  doors  of  the  church  to  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles.  See  J\otes  on  Matt.  xvi.  18,  19. 
Peter  had,  in  accordance  with  these  pre- 
dictions, been  the  agent  in  first  presenting 
the  gospel  to  the  Jews  (Acts  ii.) ;  and  the 
prediction  was  now  to  be  completely  ful- 
filled in  extending  the  same  gospel  to  the 
Gentile  world.  The  transaction  recorded 
in  this  chapter,  is  one,  therefore,  that  is 
exceedingly  important  in  the  history  of 
the  church ;  and  we  are  not  to  be  sur- 
prised that  it  is  recorded  at  length.  It 
should  be  remembered,  also,  that  this 
point  became  afterwards  the  source  of 
incessant  controversy  in  the  early  rhurch. 
The  converts  from  Judaism  insisted  on 
the  observance  of  the  whole  of  the  rites 
of  their  religion ;  the  converts  from  among 
the  Gentiles  claimed  exempdon  from  them 
all.  To  settle  these  disputes,  and  to  secure 
the  reception  of  the  gospel  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  to  introduce  them  to  the  church 
with  all  the  privileges  of  the  Jews,  requir- 
ed all  the  wisdom,  talent,  and  address  of 
the  apostles.  See  Acts  xi.  1 — 18;  xv. 
Rom.  xiv.  XV.  Gal.  ii.  11 — 16. 

1.  Ll  Cesarea.  Note,  ch.  viii.  40.  IT  Cor 
nelius.  This  is  a  Latin  name,  and  shows 
that  the  man  was  doubtless  a  Roman 
It  has  been  supposed  by  many  interpret- 
ers that  this  man  was  "  a  proselyte  of  the 
gate;"  that  is,  one  who  had  renounced  ido- 
latry, and  who  observed  some  of  the  Jew 
ish  rites,  though  not  circumcised,  and  no» 
called  a  Jew.  But  there  is  no  sufficienl 
evidence  of  this;  The  reception  of  the 
narrative  of  Peter -(ch.  xi.  1 — 3),  showa 
that  the  other  apostles  regarded  him  as  a 
Gentile.  In  ch.  x.  28,  Peter  evidently  re- 
gards him  as  a  foreigner;  one  who  did  not 
in  any  sense  esteem  himself  to  be  a  Jew 
In  ch.  xi.  1,  it  is  expressly  said  that  "the 
Gentiles"  had  received  the  word  of  God 
evidently  alluding  to  Cornelius  and  thoee 
who  were  with  him.  IT  A  centurion.  One 
who  was  the  commander  of  a  division  in 
the  Roman  army,  consisting  of  a  hundred 
men.  A  captain  of  a  hundred.  IS'ote. 
Matt.  viii.  5.    H  Of  Oie  Inind.     A  division 


A.  D.  41  J 


CHAPTER  X 


IGi 


centurion   of   the   band  called  the 
Italian  hand, 

2  .^  devout  "  man,  and  one  that 
feared  ''  God  with  all  "  his  house, 
which  g-ave  much  aims  to  "^  the 
oeoplft,  and  played* to  God  alway. 


1C.8.2;  23.12.         i  Ec.7.18. 
»-7.  C.IS.8.  dPs.41.1. 


cGen.lS.I9.  Ps.lOl. 


of  the  Roman  army,  consisting  of  from 
four  liundred  to  six  hundred  men.  Note, 
Matt,  xxvii.  27.  IT  The  Italian  band.  Pro- 
bably a  band  or  regiment  that  was  com- 
posed of  soldiers  from  Ilali/,  in  distinction 
from  those  which  were  comi)Osed  of  sol- 
diers born  in  provinces.  It  is  evident  that 
many  of  the  soldiers  in  the  Roman  army 
would  be  those  who  were  born  in  other 
part.s  of  the  world;  and  it  is  altogether 

!)robable  that  thrjse  who  were  born  in 
lome  or  Italy  would  claim  pre-eminence 
over  those  enlisted  in  other  places. 

2.  A  devout  man.  Pious ;  or  one  who 
maintained  the  worship  of  God.  See  Note, 
Luke  ii.  25.  Comp.  Acts  ii.  5;  viii.  2. 
IF  And  one  that  feared  God.  This  is  often 
a  designation  of  piety.  Note,  ch.  ix.  31. 
It  has  been  siipposed  by  many  that  the 
expressions  here  used  denote  that  Corne- 
lius was  a  Jew,  or  was  instructed  in  the 
Jewish  religion,  and  was  a  proselyte.  But 
this  by  no  means  follows.  It  is  probable 
that  there  might  have  been  among  the 
Gentiles  a  few  at  least  who  were  fearers 
of  God,  and  who  maintained  his  worship 
according  to  the  light  which  they  had. 
So  there  may  be  now  persons  found  in 
pagaa lands,  who,  in  some  unknown  way, 
nave  been  taught  the  evils  of  idolatry ; 
the  necessity  of  a  purer  religion  ;  and  who 
may  be  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel. 
The  Sandwich  Islands  were  very  much 
m  this  state  when  the  American  mission- 
aries first  vi.-iited  them.  They  had  thrown 
away  their  idols,  and  seemed  to  be  uiaiting 
for  the  message  of  mercy  and  the  word  of 
eternal  life,  as  CorneUus  was.  A  few 
other  instances  have  been  found  by  mis- 
sionaries in  heathen  lands,  who  have  thus 
been  prepared  by  a  train  of  providential 
event.s,  or  by  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit, 
for  the  gospel  of  Christ.  IT  With,  all  his 
house.  With  all  his  fimily.  It  is  evident 
here  that  Cornelius  instructed  his  family, 
and  exerted  his  influence  to  train  them 
in  the  fear  of  God.  True  piety  will  al- 
ways lead  a  rnan  to  seek  the  salvation  of 
his  fiimily.  ^  Much  alms.  Large  and  libe- 
ral charily.  This  is  always  an  effect  of 
piety.  See  James  i.  27.  Ps.  xli.  1.  ^  Prayed 
to  God  alway.  Constantly ;  meaning  that 
^le  wad  in  the  regular  habit  of  praying  to 


3  He  saw  in  a  vision  evidently^ 
about  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day,  ap 
ancrel  ^  of  God  cominfr  in  to  him, 
and  saying  unto  him,  Cornelius. 

4  And  when  he  looked  on  him, 
he  was  afraid,  and  said.  What  is  it, 


«P8.119.2.  Pr.2.3-5. 


/Heb.l.U. 


God.  Comp.  Rom.  xii.  12.  Luke  xviii.  1. 
Ps.  cxix.  2.  Prov.  ii.  2 — 5.  As  no  particu- 
lar kind  of  prayer  is  mentioned  except 
secret  prayer,  we  are  not  authorized  to 
aflh'm  that  he  offered  prayer  in  any  other 
manner.  It  may  be  ol)served,  however, 
that  he  who  prays  in  secret  will  usually 
pray  in  his  family ;  and  as  the  familij  of 
Cornelius  is  mentioned  as  being  also  un^ 
der  the  influence  of  religion,  it  is  perhaps 
not  a  forced  inference  that  he  observed 
family  worship. 

3.  He  saw  in  a  vision.  See  Note,  ch 
ix.  10.  IT  Evidently.  Openly;  manifestly 
IT  About  the  ninth  hour.  About  three 
o'clock,  P.  M.  This  was  the  usual  hour 
of  evening  worship  among  the  Jews. 
^  An  an^el  of  God.  Note,  Matt.  i.  20. 
Comp.  Ileb.  i.  14.  This  angel  was  sent 
to  signify  to  Cornelius  that  his  alms  were 
accepted  by  God  as  an  evidence  of  hia 
piety,  and  to  direct  him  to  send  for  Peter 
to  instruct  him  in  the  way  of  salvation. 
The  importance  of  the  occasion — the  in- 
Jroduction  of  the  gospel  to  a  Gentile,  and 
hence  to  the  entire  Gentile  world — was 
probably  the  chief  reason  why  an  angel 
was  commissioned  to  visit  the  Roman 
centurion.  Comp.  ch.  xvi.  9,  10. 

4.  And  when  he  looked  on  him.  Greek, 
Having  fixed  his  eyes  attentively  on  him 
IT  He  was  afraid.  At  the  suddenness 
and  unexpected  character  of  the  vision. 
IF  What  is  it.,  Lord.  ?  This  is  the  expres- 
sion of  surprise  and  alarm.  The  word 
Lord,  should  have  been  translated  sir,  as 
there  Is  no  evidence  that  this  is  an  ad- 
dress to  God,  and  still  less  that  he  regard- 
ed the  personage  present  as  the  Lord.  It 
is  such  language  as  a  man  would  natu- 
rally use  who  was  suddenly  surprised,  > 
who  should  witness  a  strange  form  ap-  ' 
pearing  unexpectedly  before  him;  and 
who  should  exclaim,  'Sir,  what  is  fh« 
matter  ?'  IT  Are  come  up  for  a  memon^d. 
Are  remembered  before  God.  Comp  7«, 
xlv.  19.  They  were  an  evidence  of  piety 
towards  God,  and  were  accepted  as  such 
Though  he  had  not  offered  sacnfice  ac 
cording  to  the  Jewish  laws;  though  hcL 
had  not  been  circumcised ;  yet,  havinf 
acted  according  to  the  light  which  ho 
had,  his  prayers  were  heard,  and  his  alnw 


164 


THE   ACTS. 


[A.D.  4 


Lord  1  And  he  said  \into  him,  Thy 
prayers  and  thine  alms  are  come  up 
'or  a  memorial  "  before  God. 

5  And  now  send  men  to  Joppa, 
and  call  for  o?ie  Simon,  whose  sur- 
name is  Peter. 

6  He  lodgeth  with  one  Simon 'a 
tanner,  whose  house  is  by  the  sea- 
side ;  he  shall  teU  thee  •=  what  thou 
oug-htest  to  do. 

7  And  when  the  angel  which 
spake  unto  Cornelius  A^as  depart- 


accepted.  This  was  done  in  accordance 
with  the  general  principle  of  the  divine 
administration^  that  God  prefers  the  offer- 
ing of  the  heart  to  external  forms ;  the 
expressions  of  love,  to  sacrifice  without 
it.  This  he  had  often  declared.  Isa.  i.  1 1 
—15.  Amos  V.  21,  22.  1  Sam.  xv.  22,  "  To 
obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hear- 
ken, than  the  fat  of  ranis."  Hos.  vi.  6. 
Eccl.  V.  1.  It  should  be  remembered, 
however,  that  Cornelius  was  not  depend- 
ing on  external  morality.  His  heart  was 
in  the  work  of  religion.  It  should  be  re- 
membered, further,  that  he  was  ready  to 
receive  the  gospel  when  it  was  offered  to 
him,  and  to  become  a  Christian.  In  this 
there  was  an  important  difference  be- 
tween him  and  those  who  are  depending 
for  salvation  on  their  morality  in  Christian 
lands.  iSuch  men  are  apt  to  defend  them- 
selves by  the  example  of  Cornelius,  and 
to  suppose  that  as  he  was  accepted  before 
he  embraced  the  gospel,  so  they  may  be 
vnthout  embracing  it.  But  there  is  an  im- 
portant difference  in  the  two  cases.  For, 
(1.)  There  is  no  evidence  that  Cornelius 
was  depending  on  external  moraliti/  for 
Bal"ation.  His  offering  was  that  of  the 
hearti  and  not  merely  an  external  offer- 
ing. Moral  men  in  Christian  lands  de- 
pend on  their  external  morality  in  the 
eight  of  men.  But  God  looks  upon  the 
heart.  (2.)  Cornelius  did  not  rely  on  his 
morality  at  all.  His  was  a  work  of  reli- 
gion.  He  feared  God  ;  he  prayed  to  him ; 
he  exerted  his  influence  to  bring  his 
family  to  the  same  state.  Moral  men  do 
neither.  "All  their  works  they  do  to  be 
Bcen  of  men ;"  and  in  iheir  heart  there  is 
'  no  good  thing  towards  the  Lord  God  of 
laraeT."  Comp.  1  Kings  xiv.  13.  2  (^hron. 
xii.  3.  Who  hears  of  a  man  tha  "  fears 
Go«l,"  and  that  prays,  and  that  instructs 
hia  fiousehold  in  rrligion,  that  icjjends  on 
his  morality  for  salvation  ?  (3.)  Cornelius 
was  disposed  to  do  the  wil.  of  God  as  far 


I  ed,  he  called  Avo  of  his  househol  J 
servants,  and  a  devout  soldier  of 
them  that  waited  on  kim  continu 
ally: 

8  And  when  he  had  declared  all 
these  things  unto  them,  he  sent 
them  to  Joppa. 

9  On  the  morrow,  as  they  went 
on  their  journey,  and  drew  nigli 
unto  the  city,  Peter  went '^  up  upoa 
the  house-top  to  pray,  about  the 
sixth  hour : 

dc.U.5,&c, 


as  it  was  made  known  to  him.  Where 
this  exists  there  is  religion.  The  moral 
man  is  not.  (4.)  Cornelius  was  willing  to 
embrace  a  Saviour  when  he  was  made 
known  to  him.  The  moral  man  is  not 
He  hears  of  a  Saviour  with  unconcern  \ 
he  listens  to  the  message  of  God's  mercy 
from  year  to  year  without  embracing  it. 
In  all  this  there  is  an  important  difference 
between  him  and  the  Roman  centurion , 
and  while  we  hope  there  may  be  many 
in  pagan  lands  who  are  in  the  same  state 
of  mind  that  he  was — disposed  to  do  the 
will  of  God  as  far  as  made  known,  and 
therefore  accepted  and  saved  by  his 
mercy  in  the  Lord  Jesus — yet  this  cannot 
be  adduced  to  encourage  the  hope  of  sal- 
vation in  those  who  do  know  his  will,  and 
yet  will  not  do  it. 

G.  He  lodgeth.  He  remains  as  a  guest 
at  his  house.  See  ch.  ix.  43.  IF  By  the 
seaside.  Joppa  was  a  seaport  on  the  Me- 
diterranean. Tanneries  are  erected  on 
the  margin  of  streams,  or  of  any  body  of 
water,  to  convey  away  tlie  filth  produced 
in  the  operation  of  dressing  skins. 

7.  A  devout  soldier.  A  pious  man.  Thia 
is  an  instance  of  the  effect  of  piety  in  a 
military  officer.  Few  men  have  more 
influence ;  and  in  this  case  the  effect  was 
seen  not  only  in  the  piety  of  his  family, 
but  of  this  attending  soldier.  Such  men 
have  usually  been  supposed  to  be  far 
from  the  influence  of  religion;  but  this  in- 
stance shows  that  even  the  labours  and 
disadvantages  of  a  camp  are  not  neces- 
sarily hostile  to  the  existence  of  piely 
Comp.  Luke  iii.  14. 

8.  And  when,  &c.  "It  has  '.^-en  re- 
marked that  from  Joppa,  Jonah  was  seni 
to  preach  to  the  Gentiles  at  Nineveh  , 
and  that  from  the  same  place  Peter  wa» 
sent  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles  at  Cesaren  ' 
{Clark.) 

9.  Peter  vent  up,  Arc.  The  small  room 
in  the  second  story   t  (iU  the  roof  of  tn« 


V.  1).  41. J 


CHAPTER  X. 


10  And  he  became  very  hungry, 
311(1  would  have  eaten ;  but  while 
they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a 
trance, 

11  And  saw  "  heaven  opened, 
and  u  certain  vessel  descending  un*' 
io  him,  as  't  had  been  a  great  sheet 

oc.7.56.  Re.  19.11. 


house,  was  tlie  usual  place  for  retirement 
and  prayer.  See  Note,  Matt.  vi.  6;  ix.  2. 
f  About  the  sixth  hour.  About  twelve 
o'clock  a*  noon.  The  Jews  had  two 
stated  seasons  of  prayer — morning,  and 
evening.  But  it  is  evident  that  the  more 
pious  of  the  Jews  frequently  added  a//;  irrf 
season  of  devotion  probably  at  noon.  Thus 
David  says  (Ps.  Iv.  17),  "  Evening  and 
morning,  and  at  noon,  will  1  pray,  and 
cry  aloud."  Thus  Daniel  "  kneeled  upon 
his  knees  three  times  a  day  and  prayed.'" 
Dan.  vi.  10.  13.  It  was  also  customary 
in  the  early  Christian  church  to  offer 
prayer  at  the  third,  sixth,  and  ninth 
hours.  (Clem.  Ale.x.  as  quoted  by  Dod- 
dridge.) Christians  will,  however,  have 
not  merely  stated  seasons  for  prayer,  but 
they  will  seize  upon  moments  ef  leisure, 
and  when  their  feelings  strongly  incline 
them  to  it,  to  pray. 

10.  And  he  became  very  hungry.  From 
tne  connexion,  where  it  is  sai'X  that  they 
were  making  ready,  tha^  is,  preparing  a 
meal,  it  w'ould  seem  that  this  was  the 
customary  hour  of  dining.  The  He- 
brews, Greeks,  and  Romans,  however, 
nad  but  two  meals,  and  the  first  was 
usually  taken  about  ten  or  eleven  o'clock. 
This  meal  usually  consisted  of  fruit, 
milk,  cheese,  &c.  Their  principal  meal 
was  about  six  or  seven  in  the  afternoon  ; 
at  which  hme  they  observed  their  feasts. 
See  Jahrfs  Bib.  Archaj.  §  145.  IT  He  fell 
into  a  trance.  Greek,  An  ecstasy,  e^ttx. 
<<;,  fell  upon  him.  In  ch.  xi.  5,  Peter 
says  that  in  a  trance  he  saw  a  vision. 
The  word  trance,  or  ecstasy,  denotes  a 
state  of  mind  when  the  attention  is  ab- 
sorbed in  a  particular  train  of  thought, 
90  that  the  external  senses  are  partially 
or  entirely  suspended.  It  is  a  high  spe- 
cies of  abstraction  from  external  objects  ; 
when  the  mind  becomes  forgetful  of  sur- 
rounding thmgs,  and  is  fixed  solely  on 
its  own  thoughts,  so  that  appeals  to  the 
external  senses  do  not  readily  rouse  it. 
The  soul  seems  to  have  passed  cut  of 
4he  body,  and  to  be  conversant  only  with 
spiritual  essences.  Thus  Balaam  is  said 
to  have  seen  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 
felling  into  a  trance  (Num.  xxiv  4.  16) ; 


knit   at  the   four   corners,  and  le 
down  to  the  earth ; 

12  Wherein  v/ere  all  manner  of 
four-footed  beasts  of  the  earth,  and 
wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things, 
and  fowls  of  the  air. 

13  And  there   came   a  voice  to 


thus  Paul,  in  praying  in  the  temple,  fell 
into  a  tranre  (Acts  xxii.  17);  and  per- 
haps a  similar  state  is  described  in  2  Cor. 
xii.  2.  This  effect  seems  to  be  caused  by 
so  intense  and  absorbing  a  train  of 
thought,  as  to  overcome  the  senses  of 
the  .body ;  or  wholly  to  withdraw  the 
mind  from  their  influence,  and  to  fix  it 
on  the  unseen  object  that  engrosses  it.     It 


is  often  a  hKjh  state  of  revery,  or  absence 
of  mind,  \mch  Dr.  Rush  describes  as 
"  induced  by  the  stimulus  of  ideas  of  ab- 
sent subjects,  being  so  powerful  as  to 
destroy  the  perce^on  of  present  ob- 
jects." (Diseases  of  the  Mind,  p.  310,  Ed. 
Phila.  1812.)  In  the  case  of  Peter,  how- 
ever, there  was  a  supernatural  influence 
that  drew  his  attention  away  from  pre 
sent  objects. 

11.  And  saw  heaven  opened,  ch.  vii.  56. 
Note,  Matt.  iii.  16.  This  language  is  de- 
rived from  a  common  mode  of  speaking 
in  the  HebrevV  scriptures,  as  if  the  sky 
above  us  w^as  a  sohd,  vast  expanse,  and 
if  it  were  opened  to  present  an  opportu- 
nity for  any  thing  to  descend.  It  is  lan- 
guage that  is  highly  figurative.  IT  And 
a  certain  vessel.  See  Note  on  ch.  ix.  15. 
IT  As  it  had  been.  It  is  important  to  mark 
this  expression.  The  sacred  writer  does 
not  say  that  Peter  literally  saw  such  an 
object  descending ;  but  he  uses  this  as 
an  imperfect  description  of  the  vision. 
It  was  not  a  literal  descent  of  a  vessel, 
but  it  was  such  a  kind  of  representation 
to  him,  producing  the  same  impression 
and  the  same  effect,  as  (/"such  a  vessel 
had  descended.  ^  K^it  at  the  four  cor- 
ners.  Bound,  united,  or  tied.  The  cor 
nei-s  were  collected,  as  would  be  natu'-a. 
in  putting  any  thing  into  a  great  sheet 

12.  Wherein,  ^c.  This*  particular  vi- 
sion was  suggested  by  Peter's  hunger, 
ver.  10.  It  was  designed,  hovy^ever,  to 
teach  him  an  important  lesson  in  regard 
to  the  introduction  of  all  nations  to  the 
gospel.  Its  descending  from  heaveh 
may  have  been  an  inrimation,  that  tha 
religion  which  was  about  to  abolish  the 
distinction  between  the  Jews  and  othei 
nations  was  of  divme  origin.  See  Rev 
xxi.  2. 


(56 


THE  ACTS. 


LA.  U.  41 


uim,   Rise,   Peter ;   kill,  and  eat. 

14  But  Peter  said,  Not  so,  Lord  ; 
for  I  have  never  eaten  any  thing 
that  is  "  common  or  unclean. 

15  And  the  voice  spake  unto  him 
again  the  second  time,  What  God 

aL«.11.2,&c  2P.25De.M.3,tc.  Eze.4.14. 

14.  1  have  never  eaten,  ^c.  In  the  Old 
'I'estament  God  had  made  a  distinction 
l)€t\veen  clean  and  unclean  animals. 
See  Lev.  xi.  2—27.  Dent.  xiv.  3—20. 
This  law  remained  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  Peter  plead  that  he  had  never  vio- 
lated it,  implying  that  he  could  not  now 
violate  it,  as  it  was  a  law  of  God,  and  as 
it  was  unrepealed,  he  did  not  dare  to  act 
in  a  different  manner  from  what  it  re- 
quired. Between  that  law,  tkiid  the  com- 
mand which  he  now  rec#rved  in  the 
vision,  there  was  an  apparent  variation, 
and  Peter  naturaUji:.referred  to  the  well- 
known  and  admi^lw  written  law.  One 
design  of  the  vision  was  to  show  him 
that  that  law  was  now  to  pass  away. 
IT  That  is  common.  Tliis  word  properly 
denotes  that  which  pertains  to  all,  but 
among  the  Jews,  who  were  bound  by 
special  laws,  and  who  were  prohibited 
from  many  tlungs  that  were  freely  in- 
dulged m  by  other  nations,  the  word 
common  came  to  be  opposed  to  the  word 
sacred,  and  to  denote  that  which  was  in 
common  use  among  the  heathens,  hence 
that  which  was  profane,  or  polluted. 
flere  it  means  the  same  as  profane,  or 
forbidden.  IT  Unclean.  Ceremonially  un- 
clean ;  i.  e.  that  which  is  forbidden  by 
the  ceremonial  law  of  Moses. 

15.  What  God  hath  cleansed.  What 
God  hath  pronounced  or  declared  pure. 
If  God  has  commanded  you  to  do  a  thing. 
It  is  not  impure  or  wrong.  Its  use  is 
lawful  if  he  has  commanded  it.  Per- 
haps Peter  would  have  supposed  that 
the  design  of  this  vision  was  to  instruct 
him,  that  the  distinction  between  clean 
and  unclean  food,  as  recognised  by  the 
Jews,  was  about  to  be  abolished,  ver.  17. 
But  the  result  showed  that  it  had  a  high- 
3r,  and  more  i^jiportant  design.  It  was  to 
ihow  him,  that  they  who  had  been  es- 
teemed by  the  Jews  as  unclean  or  pro- 
fane— the  entire  Gentile  world — might 
now  be  admitted  to  similar  privileges 
with  the  Jews.  That  barrier  was  to  be 
broken  down,  and  the  whole  world  was 
Uj  be  admitted  to  the  same  fellowship 
and  j)rivilcge8  in  the  gospel.  See  Eph. 
ri.  14-  Gal.  iii.  28  It  was  also  true  that 
•he  ceremonial  laws  ol'  the  Jews  in  re- 


hath  cleansed,  ^  that  call  not  thou 
common. 

IG  This  was   done   thri,;;e  :  and 
the  vessel  was  received  up  again 
into  heaven. 
4   17  Now  while  Peter  doubted  in 

b  Matt.15.ll.ver.28.  Ro.i4.I4,&e.  lCor.10.25.  1T".4.4 


gard  to  clean  and  unclean  beasts  was  ta 
pass  away,  though  this  was  not  directly 
taught  in  this  vision.  But  when  once 
the  barrier  was  removed  that  separated 
the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  all  the  laws  which 
supposed  such  a  distinction,  and  which 
were  framed  to  keep  up  such  a  distinc- 
tion, passed  away  of  course.  The  cere- 
monial laws  of  the  Jews  were  designed 
solely  to  keep  up  the  distinction  be- 
tween them  and  other  nations.  When 
the  distinction  was  abolished  ;  when 
other  nations  were  to  be  admitted  to  the 
same  privileges,  the  laws  which  weie 
made  to  keep  up  such  a  difference  re 
ceived  their  death-blow,  and  expired  of 
course.  For  it  is  a  maxim  of  all  law, 
that  when  the  reason  why  a  law  was 
made  ceases  to  exist,  the  law  becomes 
obsolete.  Yet  it  was  not  easy  to  con- 
vince the  Jews  that  their  laws  ceased  to 
be  binding.  This  point  the  apostles  la- 
boured to  establish  ;  and  from  this  point 
arose  most  of  the  difficulties  between  the 
Jewish  and  Gentile  converts  to  Chris- 
tianity.    See  Acts  xv.  and  Rom.  xiv.  xv 

16.  This  was  done  thrice.  Three  times, 
doubtless  to  impress  the  mind  of  Peter 
with  the  certainty  and  importance  of 
the  vision.     Comp.  Gen.  xli.  32. 

17.  Doubted  in  himself .  Doubted  in  his 
own  mind.  He  was  perplexed  to  under- 
stand it.  IT  Behold  the  men,  &c.  We 
see  here  an  admirable  arrangement  of 
the  events  of  Providence  to  fit  each 
other.  Every  part  of  this  transaction  is 
made  to  harmonize  with  every  other  part ; 
and  it  was  so  arranged,  that  just  in  the 
moment  when  the  mind  of  Peter  was 
filled  with  perplexity,  that  the  very 
event  should  occur  which  should  relieve 
him  of  his  embarrassment.  Such  a  coinri 
dence  is  not  uncommon.  An  event  of  di 
vino  Providence  may  be  as  clear  an  ex- 
pression of  his  will,  and  may  as  certainly 
serve  to  indicate  our  duty,  as  the  most  ma- 
nifest revelation  would  do,  and  a  state  of 
mind  may,  by  an  arrangement  of  circum- 
stances, be  produced,  that  shall  be  ex 
tremcly  perplexing  until  some  event  shal 
occur,  or  some  liold  of  usefulness  shall 
open,  that  shall  exactly  correspond  to  it, 
and  shall  indicate  to  us  the  will  olGod.  W  e 


\.  D,  41 


CHAPTER  X. 


167 


himself  what  this  vision  which  he 
had  seen  should  mean,  behold,  the 
men  which  were  sent  from  Corne- 
lius had  made  inquiry  "  for  Simon's 
house,  and  stood  before  the  gate. 

18  And  called,  and  asked  whe- 
ther Simon,  which  was  surnamed 
Peter,  were  lodged  there. 

19  While  Peter  thought  on  the 
rision,  the  Spirit  *  said  unto  him, 
Behold,  three  men  seek  thee. 

20  Arise, "  therefore,  and  get  thee 
down,  and  go  with  them,  doubting 
nothing :  for  I  have  sent  them. 

21  Then  Peter  went  down  to  the 
men  which  were  sent  unto  him 
from  Cornelius  ;  and  said.  Behold, 
I  am  he  whom  ye  seek  :  what  is 
the  cause  wherefore  ye  are  come  ? 

22  And  they  said,  Cornelius,  '^ 
the  centurion,  a  just  man,  and 
one  that  feareth  God,  and  of  good 
report  *  among  all   the   nation  of 

0  9.43.  6c.ll.12.  cc.13.7.  d  ver.l,&c. 

«c.22.12.  He.11.2. 


ehould  observe  then  the  events  of  God's 
providence.  We  should  mark  and  re- 
cord the  train  of  our  own  thoughts,  and 
we  should  watch  with  interest  any  event 
that  occurs,  when  we  are  perplexed  and 
embarrassed,  to  obtain,  if  possible,  an  ex- 
pression of  the  will  of  God.  IT  Before 
the.  gale.  The  word  here  rendered 
"gate,"  TTvKwva,  refers  properly  to  the 
vorch  or  principal  entrance  to  an  eastern 
house.  See  Note,  Matt.  ix.  2 ;  xxvi.  71. 
It  does  not  mean,  as  with  us,  a  gale,  but 
rather  a  door.     See  Acts  xii.  13. 

19,  The  Spirit.  See  Note,  Acts  viii. 
29.  Comp.  Isa.  Ixv.  24.  "  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  that  before  they  call  I  will 
answer,"  &c. 

22.  To  hear  words  of  thee.  To  be  in- 
structed by  thee. 

23.  And  lodged  them.  They  remained 
with  him  through  the  night.  Four  days 
were  occupied  before  Peter  met  Corne- 
lius at  Cesarea.  On  the  first  the  angel 
appeared  to  Cornelius.  On  the  second 
(he  messengers  arrived  at  Joppa,  ver.  9. 
On  the  third,  Peter  returned  with  them, 
ver.  23 ;  and  on  the  fourth  they  arrived  at 
Cesarea,  ver.  24.  30.  IT  And  certain  ire- 
Ihren.  Some  Christians.  They  were  six 
in  number,  ch.  xi.  12.  It  was  usual  for 
the  early  Christians  to  accompany  the 
tpostks  in  th3ir  journeys.    Seo  Rom.  xv. 


the  Jews,  was  warned  from  God 
by  an  holy  angel,  to  send  for  thee 
into  his  house,  and  to  hear  words 
of  thee. 

23  Then  ealled  he  them  in,  and 
lodged  them.  And  on  the  morrow 
Peter  went  away  with  them,  and 
certain  f  brethren  from  Joppa  ac- 
companied him. 

24  And  the  morrow  after  they 
entered  into  Cesarea.  And  Corner 
lius  waited  for  them,  and  had  call- 
ed together  his  kinsmen  and  near 
friends. 

25  And  as  Peter  was  coming  in 
Cornelius  met  him,  and  fell  down 
at  his  feet,  and  worshipped  him,. 

26  But  Peter  took  him  up,  say- 
ing, s  Stand  up  ;  I  myself  also  am 
a  man. 

27  And  as  he  talked  with  him 
he  went  in,  and  found  many  tha 
were  come  together. 

/ver.45.       g  c.14.14,15.  Re.l9.10;22.9. 


24.  Acts  XV.  3.  3  John  6.  1  Cor.  xvi 
6.  11.  As  this  was  an  important  event  in 
the  history  of  the  church — the  hearing 
of  the  gospel  to  a  Gentile — it  was  more 
natural  and  proper  that  Peter  should  be 
attended  with  others. 

24.  His  kinmnen.  His  relatives,  or  the 
connexions  of  his  family.  A  man  may 
often  do  vast  good  by  calling  his  kindred 
and  friends  to  hear  the  gospel. 

25.  Fell  down  at  his  feet.  This  was  an 
act  of  profound  regard  for  him  as  an  am- 
bassador of  God.  In  oriental  countries  it 
was  usual  to  prostrate  themselves  at 
length  on  the  ground  before  men  of  rank 
and  honour.  1  Worshipped  him.  Thi» 
does  not  mean  religious  homage,  but  ci 
vil  respect,  the  homage,  or  profound  re- 
gard which  was  due  to  one  in  honour 
See  Note,  Matt.  ii.  2. 

26.  Stand  up,  &c.  This  does  not  ira 
ply  that  Peter  supposed  that  Cornelius 
intended  to  do  him  religious  reverence 
It  was  practically  saying  to  him,  "  I  am 
nothing  more  than  a  man  as  thou  art,  and 
pretend  to  no  right  to  such  profound  re 
specls  as  these,  but  am  ready  in  civil  life 
to  show  thee  all  the  respect  that  i  due 
(Doddridge.) 

27.  Arid  as  he  talked  with  him.      He 
probably  met  him  at  the  door  or  ^t 
small   distance  ivom  the  aouse.    It 


(ti8 


THE  ACTS 


[A  D.  U 


28  And  he  said  unto  ihem,  Ye 
know  how  that  it  is  an  unlawful 
thing  "  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to 
keep  company,  or  come  unto  one 
of  another  nation  ;  but  God  hath 
shewed  me  *  that  I  should  not  call 
any  man  common  or  unclean. 

29  Therefore  came  I  unto  you 
frithout  gainsaying-,  as  soon  as  I 
was  sent  for.  I  ask,  therefore,  for 
what  intent  ye  have  sent  for  me? 

30  And  Cornelius  said.  Four 
days  ago  I  was  fasting  until  this 
hour  ;  and  at  the  ninth  hour  I  pray- 
ed in  my  house  ;  and,  behold,  a 
man  stood  before  me  ^  in  bright 
clothing. 

31  And  said,   Cornelius,  thy  ^ 

a  Jno.4.9.      6  c.15.8,9.  Ep.3.6.     c  Matt.2S.3.  c.1.10. 
d  yer.4,&c.  Da.10.12.  He.6.10. 


an  expresaion  of  joy  thus  to  go  out  to 
meet  him. 

28.  Il  is  an  unlawful  thing.  This 
was  not  explicitly  enjoined  by  Moses,  but 
It  seemed  to  be  implied  in  his  institutions, 
and  was  at  any  rate  the  common  under- 
standing of  the  Jews.  The  design  was 
to  keep  them  a  separate  people.  To  do 
this  Moses  forbid  alliances  by  contract, 
or  mrirriage,  with  the  surrounding  na- 
tions, which  were  idolatrous.  See  Lev. 
xviii.  24—30.  Dent.  vii.  3—12.  Comp. 
Ezra  ix.  11,  12.  This  command  the 
Jews  perverted  ;  and  explained  as  refer- 
ring to  intercourse  of  all  kinds,  even  to 
the  exercise  of  friendly  oflices  and  com- 
mercial transactions.  Comp.  John  iv.  9. 
IT  Of  anolher  nation.  Greek,  Another 
tribe.  It  refers  here  to  all  who  were  not 
Jews.  11  God  hath  shewed  me.  Comp. 
ch.  XV.  8,  9.  He  had  showed  him  by  the 
vis'oi),  ver.  11,  12.  IT  Any  man  common 
or  unclean.  See  Note,  ver.  14.  That  no 
man  wa.s  to  be  regarded  as  excluded 
from  the  opportunity  of  salvation;  or  bo 
despised  and  abhorred.  The  go.spcl  was 
to  be  preached  to  all ;  the  barrier  be- 
tween Jews  and  Gentiles  to  be  broken 
lowM ;  and  all  were  to  bo  regarded  as 
;apable  of  being  saved. 

29.  Without  gainsaying.  Without  say- 
tng  any  thing  against  it ;  without  hesita- 
iioij  or  reluctance.  IT  Task,  therefore,  A'c. 
The  main  design  for  which  ("'omelius 
had  sent  for  him  had  been  menticmed  to 
fetor  by  the  messenger,  ver.  22.  Rut 
Peter  now  desired  from  his  oww  li|i8  a 
moic  {w'lrlicular  Rtatomont  of  the  consi- 


prayer  is  iieard,  and  thine  alms  ate 
had  in  remembrance  in  the  sigh' 
of  God. 

33  Send  therefore  to  Joppa,  and 
call  hither  Simon,  whose  surrame 
is  Peter  :  he  is  lodged  in  the  house 
of  one  Simon  a  tanner,  by  the  sea- 
s  de ;  who,  when  he  cometh,  shall 
speak  unto  thee. 

33  Immediately  therefore  I  sent 
to  thee  :  and  thou  hast  well  done 
that  thou  art  come.  Now  *  theio- 
fore  are  we  all  here  present  before 
God,  to  hear  all  things  that  are 
commanded  thee  of  God. 

34  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth, 
and  said.  Of  a  truth,  I  perceive  that 
God  ■/"  is  no  respecter  of  persons  : 

e  De.5.27,     /De.10.17.  Ch.19.7.  Job  34—19.  Ro.2.1i 
Ga.2.6.  lPe.1.17. 


derations  which  had  induced  him  to 
send  for  him.  IT  For  what  intent.  For 
what  purpose  or  design. 

30.  Four  days  ago.  See  Note,  on  ver. 
23.  IT  Until  this  hour  The  ninth  hour, 
or  three  o'clock,  P.  M.  See  ver.  3.  ^  A 
man.  Called,  in  ver.  3,  an  angel.  He 
had  the  appearance  of  a  man.  Comp. 
Mark  xvi.  5.  IT  In  bright  clothing.  See 
Note,  Matt,  xxviii.  3. 

3'd.  Thou  hast  well  done.  This  is  an 
expression  of  grateful  feeling.  If  Before 
God.  In  the  presence  of  God.  It  is  im- 
plied, that  they  believed  that  God  saw 
them,  and  that  tliey  were  assembled  at 
bis  command,  and  that  they  were  dis- 
posed to  listen  to  his  instructions. 

34.  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth.  Be- 
gan to  speak.  Matt.  v.  2.  *!{  Of  a  truth. 
Truly,  evidently.  That  is,  I  have  evi- 
dcTice  here  that  God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons.  IT  /s  no  respecter  of  persons. 
The  word  used  here  denotes  the  act  of 
showing  favour  to  one  on  account  of 
rank,  family,  wealth,  or  partiality,  arising 
from  any  cause.  It  is  exjilained  in  James 
ii.  1 — 4.  A  judge  is  a  respecter  of  per- 
sons  when  he  favours  one  of  the  parlies 
on  account  of  private  friendship;  or  be- 
cause  he  is  a  man  of  rank,  influence,  of 
p(jwer ;  or  because  he  belongs  to  tho 
same  political  parly,  &c.  The  Jews  B«ip- 
posed  that  they  were  peculiarly  favoured 
by  (iod,  and  that  salvation  was  not  ex- 
tended toother  nations,  and  that  the  fact 
of  fieing  a  Jew  entitled  them  to  this  fa- 
vour. Peter  here  says  that  he  has  leani 
ed    the  error  of  this  doctrine      That  t 


1.  D.  41.) 


CHAPTER  X. 


16» 


35    But   in   «   every   nation    he 
chat    fearelh    him,     and    worketh 

a  Rom.2.13,J7,3.22,29:10.I2,13.  Eph.2.13-18. 


man  is  not  to  be  accepted  because  he  is  a 
Teu),  nor  is  hi  to  be  excluded  because  he 
IS  a  Gentile..  The  barrier  is  broken  down ; 
the  oiTer  ig  made  to  all ;  and  God  will 
save  all  on  the  same  principle  ;  not  by  ex- 
ternal privileges,  or  rank,  but  according  to 
rheir  character.  The  same  doctrine  is 
c;lsewhere  explicitly  stated  in  the  I\evv 
Pestaraont.  Rora.ii.  11,  Eph.  vi.  9.  Col.  iii. 
25.  It  may  be  observed  here  that  this 
does  not  refer  to  the  doctrine  of  divine 
sovereignty  or  elfection.  It  simply  af- 
firms that  God  will  not  save  a  man  be- 
cause he  is  a  Jew ;  nor  because  he  is 
rich,  or  learned,  or  of  elevated  rank  ; 
nor  by  any  external  privileges.  Nor 
will  he  exclude  a  man  because  he  is  des- 
titute of  these  privileges  But  this  does 
not  affirm  that  bie  will  not  make  a  differ- 
ence in  their  character,  and  then  treat 
them  accordiiig  to  their  character ;  uor 
that  ho  will  not  pardon  whom  he  pleases, 
which  is  a  different  question.  The  in- 
terpretation of  this  passage  should  be 
limited  strictly  to  the  case  in  hand — to 
mean  that  God  will  not  accept  and  save 
a  man  on  account  of  external  national 
rank  and  privileges.  That  by  receiving 
some,  and  leaving  others,  on  other 
grounds,  he  will  not  make  a  difference, 
is  not  any  where  denied.  Comp.  1  Cor. 
iv.  7.  Rom.  xii.  6.  It  is  worthy  of  re- 
mark further,  that  the  most  strenuous  ad- 
vocate for  the  doctrines  of  sovereignty 
and  election  in  the  New  Testament — 
the  apostle  Paul — is  also  the  one  that 
laboured  most  to  establish  the  doctrine 
that  God  was  no  respecter  of  persons, 
that  is,  that  there  was  no  difference  be- 
tween the  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  regard 
to  the  way  of  salvation ;  that  God  would 
not  save  a  man  because  he  was  a  Jew, 
nor  destroy  a  man  because  he  was  a 
Gentile.  Yet  in  regard  to  the  whole  race 
viewed  as  lyins  on  a  level,  he  maintained 
that  God  had  a  right  to  exercise  the  pre- 
rogatives of  a  sovereign,  and  to  have 
mercy  on  whom  he  would  have  mercy. 
The  doctrine  may  be  thus  stated.  (1.) 
The  barrier  between  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles was  broken  down.  (2.)  All  men 
thus  were  placed  on  a  lerel — none  to  be 
vaved  by  external  privileges,  none  to  be 
lost  by  the  want  of  them.  (3.)  All  were 
guilty  (Rom.  i.  ii.  ii.),  and  none  had  a 
claim  on  God.  (4.)  If  any  w^ere  saved,  it 
would  be  by  God's  showing  mercy  on 
'luch  of  this  common  mass  as   hi*  chose. 


righteousness, 
him. 


IS    accepted    witn 


See  Rom.  iii.  22 ;  x.  12 ;  ii.  11.      Gal.  i   6 
Compared  with  Rom.  ix.  and  Eph.  i. 

35.  But  in  every  nation,  &c.     This  u 
given  as  a  reason  for  what  Peter  had  just 
said,  that  God  was  no  respecter  of  persons. 
The  sense  is,  that    he     now    perceived 
that  the   favours  of  God  were  not  con- 
fined to  the  Jew,  but  might  be  extendec 
to  all  others  on  the  same  principle.    The 
remarkable  circumstances  here,  the  vi- 
sion to   him,  and  to   Cornelius,  and  the 
declaration   that  the  alms  of  Cornelius 
were    accepted,   now  convinced    Peier 
that  the  favours  of  God  were  no  longer 
to  be  confined  to  the  Jewish  people,  but 
might   be   extended    to  all.      This   was 
what  the  vision  was  designed  to  teach  ; 
and  to  communicate  this  to  the  apostles 
was  an  important  step  in  their  work  of 
spreading  the  gospel.     IT  In  every  nation. 
Among  all   people.      Jews  or  Gentiles. 
Acceptance  with  God  does  not  depend 
on    the   fict  of   being  descended   from 
Abraham,  or  of  possessing  external  privi- 
leges, but  on  the  state  of  the  heart.   IT  He 
thatfeareth  him     This  is   put  for  piety 
towards  God  in  general.     See  Note,  eh. 
ix.  31.     ft  means   that  he  that  honours 
God,  and  keeps  his  law ;  that  is  a  true 
worshipper   of  God,   according    to   the 
light  and  privileges  which  he  has,  is  aj> 
proved  by  him,  as  giving  evidence  that 
he  is  his   friend.     IT  And  worketh   right- 
eousness.    Does  that  wtiich  is  right  and 
just.     This  refers  to  his  conduct  tov,ard.s 
man.     He  that  discharges  conscientiously 
his  duty  to  his  fellow-men,  and  evinces 
by  his    conduct  that  he  is  a   righteous 
man.     These  two  things  comprehend  the 
whole  of  religion,  the  sum  of  all  the  re- 
quirements of  God— piety  towards  God, 
and  justice  towards  all  men  ;  and  as  Cor- 
nelius had  showed  these,  he  showed  that, 
though  a  Gentile,  he  was  actuated   by 
true  piety.     We   may  observe  here,  (1.) 
That  it  is  not  said  that  Cornelius  was  ac- 
cepted  on  account  of  his  good   works 
Those  works  were  simply  an  evidence 
of  true  piety  in  the  heart ;  a  proof  thai 
he  feared  and  loved  God,  and  not  a  me. 
ritorious  ground  of  acceptance.     (2.)  He 
improved   the  light  which  he  had.     (3.) 
He  embraced  the  Saviour  when  he  was  of- 
fered to  him.    This  circumstance  makes 
an  essential  diflference  between  the  case 
of  Cornelius,  and  those  who  depend  o» 
their  morality  in  Christian  lands.    They 
do  not  cmbraco  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thev 


170 


THE  ACTS. 


FA.  D.  i, 


36  The  word  which  God  sent 
unto  thfe  children  of  Israel,  preach- 
ing- peace  "  by  Jesus  Christ ;  (he 
is  ^  Lord  of  all ;) 

37  That  word,  J  say,  ye  know, 
which   was   published   throughout 

•   M.57  19.  Col. 1.20.  b  Ps.21.;  -10.  Matt.28.18. 

ft-  .11.9.  lCor.15.27.  Ei)b.l.20-22.  lPet3.22.  Rev  17.14. 


»ie,  therefore,  totally  unlike  the  Roman 
jenturion.  His  example  should  not  be 
plead,  therefore,  by  those  who  neglect  the 
Saviour,  for  it  furnishes  no  evidence 
that  thry  will  be  accepted,  when  they  are 
totally  unlike  him. 

36.  The  word.  That  is,  this  is  the  word, 
or  the  doctrine.  Few  passages  in  the  New 
Testament  have  perplexed  critics  more 
than  this.  It  has  been  difficult  to  ascer- 
tain to  v.hat  the  term  "  word"  in  the  ac- 
cusative case  (tov  K'.y^v)  here  refers.  Our 
translation  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that 
it  is  synonymous  with  what  is  said  in 
the  following  verse.  But  it  should  be 
remarked  that  the  term  used  there,  and 
translated  "  word,"  as  if  it  were  a  repeti- 
tion of  what  is  said  here,  is  a  different 
term.  It  is  not  xoyov,  butw5.ua — a  word, 
a  thing;  not  a  doctrine.  1  understand 
the  first  term  "  word"  to  be  an  introduc- 
tion 6f  the  doctrine  which  Peter  set  forth, 
and  to  be  governed  by  a  preposition  un- 
derstood. The  whole  passage  may  be 
thus  expressed  :  Peter  had  been  asked  to 
teach  Cornelius  and  his  assembled  friends. 
It  was  expected,  of  course,  that  he  would 
instruct  him  in  regard  to  the  true  doc- 
trines of  religion — the  doctrine  which  had 
been  communicated  to  the  Jews.  He 
commences,  therefore,  with  a  statement 
respecting  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Mes- 
Biah,  or  the  way  of  salvation  which  was 
now  made  known  to  the  Jews.  '  In  re- 
gard to  the  word,  or  the  doctrine  which 
God  sent  to  the  children  of  Israel,  pro- 
claiming peace  through  Jesus  Christ  (who 
18  Lord  of  all),  you  know  already  that 
which  was  done,  or  the  transactions 
which  occurred  throughout  all  Judea, 
from  Galilee,  where  he  commenced  after 
John  had  preached,  that  this  was  by  Je- 
ans Christ,  since  God  had  anointed  him, 
&c.  Peter  here  assumes  that  Cornelius 
hud  itomti  knowledge  of  the  principal 
oventnof  the  life  of  the  Saviour,  though 
it  was  oljscure  and  imperfect ;  and  his 
diRCourse  professes  only  to  state  this  more 
fnlly  and  riearhf.  He  ^ommcnces  his 
discourse  with  statint,'  the  true  doctrine 
onthe  subject;  find  explaining  more  per- 
fectly that  of  which  Cornelius  had  been 


all  Judea,  and  began  from  Gall 
lee,  after  the  baptism  which  JohR 
J.  reached : 

38  How  God  anointed*  Jesus  o! 
Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  power,  who  **  went  about  doing 

cLu.U.lS.  Heb.1.9.  cf  Mztt.l2.i5. 


only  imperfectly  informed  IT  Unto  tht 
children  of  Israel.  To  the  Jews.  The 
Messiah  was  promised  to  them,  and  spent 
his  hfe  among  them,  l  Preaching.  Thai 
is,  proclaiming,  or  announcing.  God  did 
this  by  Jesus  Christ.  IT  Peace.  This  word 
sometimes  refers  to  the  peace  or  union 
which  was  made  between  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, by  breaking  down  the  wall  of  divi- 
sion between  them.  But  it  is  here  used 
in  a  wider  sense,  to  denote  peace  or  re« 
conciliation  with  God.  He  announced 
the  way  by  which  man  might  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  and  might  find  peace.  IT  He 
is  Lord  of  all.  That  is,  Jesus  Christ.  He 
is  Sovereign,  or  Ruler  of  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles;  he  is  their  proprietor;  and 
hence  Peter  saw  the  propriety  of  preach- 
ing the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles  as  well  aa 
Jews.  See  John  xvii.  2.  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
Eph.  i.  20 — 22.  This  does  not  necessa- 
rily imply  divinity;  but  only  that  the 
Lord  Jesus,  as  Mediator,  had  been  consti- 
tuted or  appointed  1-ord  over  all  nations. 
It  is  true,  however,  that  this  is  a  power 
which  we  cannot  conceive  to  have  been 
delegated  to  one  that  was  not  divine 
Comp.  Rom.  ix.  5. 

37.  That  word.  Greek,  frj.^x — a  differ- 
ent word  from  that  in  the  previous  verse 
It  may  be  translated  thing  as  well  as  word 
IT  Which  was  published.  Greek,  Which 
was  do7ie.  '  You  know,  though  it  may  be 
imperfectly,  what  was  done  or  accom 
plished  in  Judea,'  &c.  V  Throughout  aU 
Judea.  The  miracles  of  Christ,  were  not 
confined  to  any  place,  but  were  wroughi 
in  every  part  of  I  he  land.  For  an  account 
of  the  divisions  of  Palestine,  see  INotes, 
Matt.  ii.  22.  '^  And  began,  &c.  Greek, 
Having  been  begun  in  Galilee.  Galilee 
was  not  far  from  Cesarea.  There  was, 
therefore,  the  more  probability  that  Cor 
nelius  had  heard  of  what  had  occurred 
there.  Indeed,  the  Gosjicls  themselvei 
furnish  the  highest  evidence  tiiat  lh« 
fame  of  the  miracles  of  Christ  spread  inlo 
ail  the  surrounding  regions. 

38.  How  God  anointed,  d'C.  That  ib. 
set  him  apart  to  ihis  work,  and  was  widi 
him,  acknowledg'ng  him  as  the  Messiah 
See  Note    Matl.  i.  1.    H  With  t).$  Hcl\ 


A.D.  41. 


CHAPTER  X. 


171 


go  3d,  and  healing  all  that  wore  op- 
pressed *  of  the  devil :  for  *  God 
was  with  him. 

39  And  we  "  are  witnesses  of  all 
things  which  he  did,  both  in  the 
land  of  the  Jews  and  in  Jerusalem  ; 
whom  they  slew  and  hanged  on  a 
tree. 

40  Ifim  God  raised  up ''  the  third 
day,  and  shewed  him  openly ; 

41  Not  ^  to  all  the  people,  but 
unto  witnesses  chosen  before  f  of 

a  1  Ino.3.8.  i  Jno.3.2.  c  Lu.24.48.  c.3.32. 

i  Matt.28.1,2..        e  Jno.14.22.  Jno.c.20&21.         /Jno. 


Ghost.  See  Note,  Luke  iv.  19.  The  act 
of  anointing  the  kings  and  priests  seems 
to  have  lieen  emblematic  of  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Here  it  means  that 
God  communicated  to  him  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  thus  setting  him  apart 
for  the  work  of  the  Messiah.  See  INIalt. 
lii.  16,  17.  John  iii.  34,  "God  giveth  not 
the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him."  'l  And 
wilh  power.  The  power  of  healing  the 
sick,  raising  the  dead,  &c.  IT  Who  went 
about  doing  good.  Whose  main  business 
it  was  to  travel  from  place  to  place  to  do 
gaxl.  He  did  not  go  for  applause,  or 
wealth,  or  comfort,  or  ease,  but  to  difliise 
happiness  as  far  as  possible.  This  is  the 
simple  but  sublime  record  of  his  life. 
This,  in  few,  but  most  affecting  words, 
tells  us  all  about  the  Saviour.  It  gives  us 
a  distinct  portrait  of  his  character,  as  he 
is  distinguished  from  conquerors  and 
kings,  and  false  prophets  and  the  mass  of 
men.  H  And  healing,  &c.  Restoring  to 
health.  IT  All  that  were  oppressed  of  the 
levil.  All  that  were  possessed  by  him. 
See  Note,  Matt.  iv.  23,  24.  IT  God  was 
with  him.  God  appointed  him,  and  fur- 
nished by  his  miracles  the  highest  evi- 
dence that  he  had  sent  him.  His  miracles 
were  such  that  they  could  be  wrought 
only  by  God. 

39.  And  we  are  witnesses.  We  who  are 
apostles.  See  Note,  Luke  xxiv.  48.  H  In 
Jie  land  oj  the  Jews.  In  the  country  of 
iudea.  H  Whom  they  slew,  &c.  Our 
franslation  would  seera  to  imply  that 
there  were  two  separate  acts — first  slay- 
ing him,  and  then  suspending  him.  Bu 
this  is  neither  according  to  truth  nor  to 
the  Greek  text.    The  original  is  simply, 

whom  they  put  to  death,  suspending  him 
m  a  tree'     ^  ^^n  a  tree.  On  a  cross.   See 

Note,  ch.  v.  30. 
40    Shewed  him  openly.     Manifestly; 


orod,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and 
drink  with  him  after  he  rose  Iroin 
the  dead. 

42  And  he  commanded  us  ^  tn 
preach  unto  the  people,  and  to  tes- 
tify that ''  it  is  he  which  was  ordain- 
ed of  God  to  be  the  Judge  of  quick 
and  dead. 

43  To  him '  give  all  the  prophets 
witness,  that  through  his  name 
whosoever  J  believeth  in  him  shall 
receive  remission  of  sms. 

g  Matt.28.19,30.         h  Jno.3.22,27.  c.17.31.  2Cor.5.10 
1  Pet. 4.5.  »  Lu.24.27,44.  Jno.5.a9.  ,  Jao.3.14 

17.  Rom.10,11. 


SO  that  there  could  be  no  deception,  no 
doubt  of  his  resurrection. 

41.  Not  to  all  the  people.  Not  to  the 
nation  at  large ;  for  this  was  not  necessary 
in  order  to  establish  the  truth  of  his  resur 
rection.  He  however  showed  himself  to 
many  persons.  See  the  Harmony  of  the 
accounts  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  a 
the  close  of  the  Notes  on  Matthew, 
H  Chosen  of  God.  Appointed  by  God,  oi 
set  apart  bv  his  authority  through  Jesus 
Christ.  IT  \\'ho  did  eat  and  drink,  &c 
And  by  doing  this  he  furnished  the  clear 
est  possible  proof  that  he  was  truly  risen  j 
and  that  they  were  not  deceived  by  an 
illusion  of  the  imagination,  or  by  a  phan- 
tasm. Comp.  John  xxi.  12,  13. 

42.  And  he  commanded  us,  &c.  Matt, 
xxviii.  19,  20.  Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  IT  And  to 
testify.  To  bear  witness.  IT  That  it  is  he, 
&c.  See  Noies,  John  v.  22—27.  Comp 
the  references  in  the  margin.  H  Of  quick. 
The  living.  The  doctrine  of  the  New 
Testament  is,  that  those  which  are  alive 
when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  return  to  judge 
the  world,  shall  be  caught  up  in  vast 
numbers  like  clouds,  to  meet  him  in  the 
air,  without  seeing  death.  1  Thess.  iv 
16, 17.  Yet  before  this,  they  shall  expen 
ence  such  a  change  in  their  bodies  as  shall 
fit  them  for  the  judgment  and  for  iheit 
eiernal  residence — a  change  which  shall 
liken  them  to  those  who  have  died,  and 
have  been  raised  from  the  dead.  What 
this  change  will  be,  speculation  may 
fancy,  but  the  Bible  has  not  revealea. 
See  1  Cor.  xv.  52,  "  The  dead  shall  be 
raised,  and  we  shall  be  changed." 

43.  To  him  give,  &c.  Ste  Note,  Luke 
xxiv.  27.  44.  ^  That  through  his  name, 
&c.  This  was  implied  in  what  the  pro 
phets  said.  Sec  Rom,  x.  11.  It  was  not, 
indeed,  express' y  afl^rmed  that  they  who 
believed  in  hinr  should  b«  pardoned:  Hit 


n*2 


44  While  PeUjr  yel  spake  these 
trnrds,  the  Holy  Ghost  "fell  on  all 
ihom  wiiich  heard  the  word. 

45  And  they  '  of  the  circumci- 
siun  which  helieved  were  astonish- 
ed, as  many  as  came  with  Peter, 
bec:mse  that  on  the  Gentiles  also 
was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost : 

40  For  they  heard  them  speak  *^ 
frith  tongues,  and  magnify  God. 
Then  answered  Peter, 

47  Can  '^  any  man  forbid  water, 
Chat  these  should  not  be  baptized 
which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  we  1 

•  c.4.31.         6ver.23.         c  c.2.4.        d  c.8.12. 

tliis  was  implied  in  what  they  said.  They 
promised  a  Messiah ;  and  their  religion 
consisted  mainly  in  believing  in  a  Mes- 
siah to  come.  See  tlie  reasoning  of  the 
apostle  Paul  in  Kom.  iv. 

44.  The  Holy  Ghost  fell,  &c.  Endow- 
mg  them  with  the  power  of  speaking  with 
other  tongues,  ver.  40.  Of  this  the  apos- 
tle Peter  makes  much  in  his  argument  in 
ch.  xi.  17.  By  this,  God  showed  that  the 
Gentiles  were  to  be  admitted  to  the  same 
privileges  with  the  Je»vs,  and  to  the  bless- 
ings of  salvation  in  ihe  same  manner. 
L'omp.  ch.  ii.  1 — 4.  IF  Which  heard  the 
'vord.  The  word  of  God  ;  the  message  of 
the  gospel. 

4;").  And  Ihe.y  of  the  circumcision.  Who 
had  been  Jews,  'ii  Were  astonished.  Were 
imazed  that  Gentiles  should  be  admitted 
to  the  same  favour  as  themselves. 

40.  Spiak  vnth  tongues.  In  other  lan- 
guages than  their  native  language,  ch.  ii. 
{.   %  Andmnpnify  God.   And  praise  God. 

47.  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  &c. 
They  have  shown  that  they  are  favoured 
■n  the  same  way  as  the  Jewish  converts, 
jlod  has  manifested  iiimself  to  them,  as 
he  did  to  the  Jews  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost. Is  it  not  clear,  therefore,  that  they 
lire  entitled  to  the  privilege  of  Christian 
baptism?  The  expression  here  used  is 
one  that  would  naturally  refer  to  water's 
being  brought;  that  is,  to  a  small  quanti- 
ty; and  would  seem  to  imply  that  they 
were  baptized,  not  by  immersion,  but  by 
pouri  g  or  sprinkling. 

48.  And  he  nrmmandrd  them,  &!C.  Why 
Peter  di(!  not  himself  baptize  them  is  un- 
known. But  It  might  be,  perhaps,  because 
he  chose  to  make  use  of  the  ministry  of 
iho  brethren  who  were  with  him,  to  pre- 

ent  tho  powibility  of  future  cavil.     If 


THE  ACTb.  [A.  D.  41 

48  And  he  commanded  them  tc 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
Then  prayed  they  him  to  tarry  cer 
tain  days. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

A  ND  the  apostles  and  brethreri 

-^    that  were  in  Judea  heard  that 

the  Gentiles  had  also  received  the 

W'ord  of  God„ 

2  And  when  Peter  was  come  up 
to  Jerusalem,  ".hey  '  that  were  of 
the  circumcision  contended  with 
him, 

3  Saying,  Thou  wentest  in  to 
men  uncircumcised,  and  didst  eat 
with  them. 

e  c.10.23,28.  Gal.2.12.  c.l0.9,&c. 


they  did  it  themselves,  they  could  not  eu 
easily  be  led  by  the  Jews  to  find  fault 
with  it.  It  may  be  added,  'also,  that  it 
seems  not  to  have  been  the  practice  of 
the  apostles  themselves  to  baptize  very 
extensively.  This  was  left  to  be  per 
formed  by  others.  See  1  Cor.  i.  14 — 17, 
"  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  gospel." 

CHAPTER  XI. 

1.  And  the  apostles  and  brethren.  The 
Christians  who  were  in  Judea.  V  Heard, 
&c.  So  extraordinary  an  occurrence  as 
that  at  Cesarea,  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  the  Gentiles,  and  their  reception 
into  the  church,  would  excite  attention, 
and  be  likely  to  produce  much  sensibility 
in  regard  to  the  conduct  of  Peter  and 
those  with  him.  It  was  so  contrary  to  all 
the  ideas  of  the  Jews,  that  it  is  not  to  itf 
wondered  at  that  it  led  to  contention. 

2.  They  that  were  of  the  circumcision 
The  Christians  who  had  been  converted 
from  among  the  Jews.  IT  Contended  with 
him.  Disputed;  or  reproved  him;  charg 
ed  him  with  being  in  fault.  This  is  one 
of  the  circumstances  which  show  conclu 
sivcly  that  the  apostles  and  early  Chris- 
tians did  not  regard  Peter  as  having  any 
particular  supremacy  over  the  church,  or 
as  being  in  any  peculiar  sense  the  vicar 
of  Christ  upon  "earth.  If  Peter  liad  been 
regarded  as  having  the  authority  which 
the  Roman  Catholics  claim  for  him,  they 
would  have  submitted  at  once  to  what  ha 
had  thought  projier  to  do.  But  the  primi- 
tive Christians  had  no  such  idea  of  hu 
authority.  This  claim  for  Peter  is  no! 
only  opposed  to  this  place,  but  to  every 
part  of  tiie  New  Testament. 

:i.  A  nd  didst  eat  with  Otcm.  Sea  NoU» 
rh  X.  13.  14 


A.  D.  41  j 


CHAPTJKR  XJ. 


173 


4  Bui  Peler  rehearsed  the  matter 
from  th<;  beginning,  and  expounded 
»^  by  order  unto  them,  saying, 

5  I  was  in  the  city  of  Joppa, 
praying :  and  in  a  trance  I  saw  a 
vision,  A  certain  vessel  descend,  as 
It  had  jeen  a  great  sheet  let  down 
from  heaven  by  four  corners;  and 
it  came  even  to  me : 

6  Upon  the  which  when  I  had 
fastened  mine  eyes,  I  con^'dered, 
and  saw  four-footed  beasts  "^f  the 
3arth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  cr^-  -,^ing 
things,  and  fowls  of  the  air. 

7  And  I  heard  a  voice  saying 
unto  me,  Arise,  Peter ;  slay,  and 
eat. 

8  But  I  said.  Not  so.  Lord  :  for 
nothing  common  or  unclean  hath 
at  any  time  entered  into  my  mouth. 

9  But  the  voice  answered  me 
again  from  heaven,  What  God  hath 
cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  com- 
mon. 

10  Arid  this  was  done  three 
times:  and  all  were  drawn  up 
again  into  heaven. 

a  Jn-  16.13.  b  P3.19.7-ll.  Jno.6.63,6S        c  c.2.4. 


4.  Bat  Peter  rehearsed.  Greek,  Peter 
beginning,  explained  it  to  them  in  order. 
That  is,  he  began  with  the  vision  which 
he  saw,  and  gave  a  narrative  of  the  vari- 
ous events  in  order,  as  they  actually  occur- 
red. A  simple  and  unvarnished  statement 
of £^ts  is  usually  the  best  way  of  disarm- 
inflfrejudice  and  silencing  opposition.  In 
revivals  of  true  religion,  the  best  way  of 
silencing  opposition,  and  especially  among 
Christians,  is  to  make  a  plain  statement 
of  things  as  they  actu  illy  occurred.  Op- 
position most  commonly  arises  from  pre- 
judice, or  from  false  and  exaggerated 
statements  ;  and  those  can  be  best  remov- 
ed, not  by  angry  contention,  but"  by  an 
unvarnished  relation  of  the  facts.  In  most 
cases  prejudice  will  thus  be  disarmed, 
liiid  opposition  will  die  away,  as  was  the 
casein  regard  to  the  admission  of  the 
Ger.tiles  to  the  church.  H  A7id  expounded 
It.  Explained  it ;  stated  it  as  it  actually 
occurred.  IT  Iti  order.  One  event  after 
another,  as  they  happened.  He  thus 
showed  that  his  ovm  mind  had  been  as 
much  bia-ssed  as  theirs,^and  stated  in 
what  manner  his  prejudices  had  been  re- 
moved. It  often  happens  that  those  who 
p9 


11  And,  bei.o'id,  imniediately 
there  were  tjiroe  men  already  come 
unto  the  house  where  I  was,  seni 
from  Cesarea  unto  me. 

12  And  the  Spirit  "  bade  me  gc 
with  them,  nothing  doubting 
Moreover,  these  six  brethren  ac- 
companied me ;  and  we  entered 
into  the  man's  house  : 

13  And  he  shewed  us  how  he  had 
seen  an  angel  in  his  house,  which 
stood  and  said  unto  him.  Send  men 
to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Simon,  whose 
surname  is  Peter ; 

14.  Who  shall  tell  th^e  words 
whereby  thou   and   all  thy  house 
shall  be  saved. 

15  And  as  I  began  to  speak,  f\ik 
Holy  "Ghost  fell  on  them,  as  '^  oi«. 
us  at  the  beginning. 

16  Then  rcnicmbered  I  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  how  that  he  said,  J.ihp 
^  indeed  baptized  with  water  ;  bul 
*ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Hoi) 
Ghost. 

17  Forasmuch  then  as  God  gav» 
-^them  the  like  gift  as  he  did  \inU 

d  Matt.3.11.  Jno.l.26,33.  c.1.5.  e  l5a.44.3.  Jo.. 

2.23.  /  c.l5.g,9. 

become  moRt  zealous  and  devotfd  in  an 
new  plans  for  the  advancement  of  rel 
gion,  were  as  much  oppo.sed  to  them  a 
first  as  others.  They  are  led  from  on 
circuiTistance  to  another,  until  their  pre 
judices  die  away,  and  the  providence  and 
Spirit  of  God  indicate  clearly  their  duty 
5—14.  See  ch.  x.  9—33. 

14.  And  all  thy  house.  Thy  family 
This  i*a  circumstance  which  is  omitted 
in  the  account  in  ch.  x.  It  is  said,  fiow 
ever,  in  ch  x.  2,  that  Cornelius  feared 
God  with  all  his  house.  And  it  fs  evident 
from  ch.  x.  48,  that  the  family  also  receiv- 
ed the  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  v.vis  re- 
ceived into  the  church. 

15.  And  as  I  began  to  speak.  0<:,  while 
I  was  speaking.  IT  The  Holy  G'l  )sl,  <fec. 
X.  44. 

16.  The  word  of  the  Lord  Sae  Note, 
ch.  i.  5. 

17.  What  was  I.  Whai  powe"  or  right 
had  J  to  oppose  the  manifest  will  of  dod 
that  the  Gentiles  should  be  received  intP 
the  Chri.=tian  church.  IF  Withstand  God 
OppoMwr  resist  God  ?  He  had  ii»rcatc*d 
his  w*  he  had  showed  his  inter,  ir./i  t^ 
save  the  Gentilea    and  the  projuc    a  vi 


174 


rtlE  ACTS. 


fA.  D.  41 


us  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  Vvliat  "  was  I,  that  I  could 
withstmd  God] 

18  When  they  heard  these  things, 
Ihey  hold  their  peace,  and  glorified 
God,  saying,  Then  hath  God  also 

o  Rom.9.21-26. 


Peter  were  all  overcome.  One  of  the 
l)est  means  of  destroying  prejudice  and 
false  opinions,  is  a  powerful  revival  of  re- 
ligion. More  erroneous  doctrines  and 
unholy  feelings  are  overcome  in  such 
scenes,  than  in  all  the  angry  controversies, 
Etnd  bigoted  and  fierce  contentions  that 
have  ever  taken  place.  If  men  wish  to 
rtjot  error  out  of  the  church,  they  should 
strive  by  all  means  to  promote  every 
where,  revivals  of  pure  and  undefiled  re- 
ligion. The  Holy  Spirit  more  easily  and 
etfectually  silences  false  doctrine,  and 
destroys  heresy,  than  all  the  denuncia- 
tions of  fierce  theologians;  all  the  alarms 
of  professed  zeal  for  truth  ;  and  all  the 
anathemas  which  professed  orthodoxy  and 
love  for  the  purity  of  the  church  ever 
uttered  from  the  icebergs  on  which  such 
champions  usually  seek  their  repose  and 
their  home. 

18.  Tkey  held  thzir  peace.  They  were 
convinced^  as  Peter  had  been,  by  the 
manifest  indications  of  the  will  of  God. 
If  Then  hath  God,  &c.  The  great  truth 
is  in  this  manner  established,  that  the 
doors  of^the  church  are  opened  to  the 
entire  Gentile  world — a  great  and  glori- 
ous truth,  that  was  worthy  of  this  remark- 
able interposition.  It  at  once  changed 
the  views  of  the  apostles  and  of  the  early 
Christians;  gave  them  new,  large,  and 
liberal  conceptions  of  the  gospel ;  broke 
down  all  their  long-cherished  prejudices; 
taught  them  to  look  upon  all  men  as  their 
brethren ;  and  impressed  their  heaMs  with 
the  truth,  never  after  to  be  eradicated, 
that  the  Christian  church  was  founded 
for  the  w^e  world,  and  opened  the  same 
glorious  pathway  to  life  wherever  man 
mio^ht  be  found,  whether  with  the  narrow 
prejudice  of  the  Jew,  or  amidst  the  degra- 
dations of  the  pagan  world.  To  this  truth 
we  owe  our  hopes ;  fjr  this,  we  should 
thank  the  God  of  heaven;  and  impressed 
with  it,  we  should  seek  to  invite  the  en- 
lire  world  to  i)artake  with  us  of  the  rich 
provisions  of  the   gospel  of  the   blessed 

19.  Nou-j  ihey,  Sic.  This  vorse  intro- 
duces a  new  train  of  historical  remark  ; 
and  froni  this  point  the  course  of  t^  his- 
tory of  the  Acts  of  the  A|K)9tles  nKes  a 
Oflw  direction.    ThuM  far.  the  histor/  had 


to  the  Gentiles ''granted  repentance 
unto  life. 

19  Now  they  '^  which  were  scat- 
tered abroad  upon  the  persecution 
that  arose  about  Stephen,  travelled 
as  far  as  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and 

fc  Rom. ;0. 12, 13;  15.9,16.  e  c.8.1. 

recorded  chiefly  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel to  the  Jews  only.  From  this  point 
the  history  records  the  efforts  made  to 
convert  the  Gentiles.  It  begins  with  the 
labours  put  forth  in  the  important  city  of 
Antioch  (ver.  19,  20) ;  and,  as  during  the 
work  of  grace  that  occurred  in  that  city, 
the  labours  of  the  apostle  Paul  were  es 
pecially  sought  (ver.  25,  20),  the  sacred 
writer  thenceforward  confines  the  history 
mainly  to  his  travels  and  labours.  IT  Which 
were  scattered  abroad.  See  ch.  viii.  1.  H  As 
far  as  Phenice.  Phoenice,  or  Phoenicia, 
was  a  province  of  Syria,  which  in  its 
largest  sense  comprehended  a  narrow 
strip  of  country  lying  on  the  eastern  coast 
of  the  Mediterranean,  and  extending  \Tom 
Antioch  to  the  borders  of  Egypt.  But 
Phoenice  Proper  extended  only  from  thn 
cities  of  Laodicea  to  Tyre,  ancl  included 
only  the  territorie.-?  of  Tyre  and  Sidon. 
This  country  was  called  sometimes  sim- 
ply Cajiaan.  See  Note,  Matt.  xv.  22- 
H  And  Ci/prus.  An  island  off  the  coast 
of  Asm  Minor,  in  the  Mediterranean  sea. 
See  Note,  Acts  iv.  36.  IT  Ajid  Antioch. 
There  were  two  cities  of  this  name,  one 
situated  in  Pisidia  in  Asia  Minor  (see  ch 
xiii.  14);  the  other,  referred  to  here,  waa 
situated  on  the  river  Orontes,  and  was 
long  the  capital  of  Syria.  It  was  built  by 
SeloucusNicanor,and  was  called  Antioch 
in  honour  of  his  father  Annochus.  l^as 
founded  three  hundred  and  one  yeaiBBe- 
fore  ("Christ.  It  is  not  mentioned  in  the 
Old  Testament,  but  is  several  times  men 
tioned  in  the  Apocrypha,  and  in  the  New 
Testanscnt.  It  was  long  the  most  power- 
ful city  of  the  East,  and  was  inferior  only 
to  Seleucia  and  Alexandria.  It  was  fa- 
mous for  the  fact  that  the  right  of  citizen- 
ship whs  conferred  by  Seleucus  on  the 
Jews  as  lAcll  as  the  Greeks  and  Macedo- 
nians, so  that  here  they  had  the  privilege 
of  worship  m  their  own  way  without  mo- 
lestation. It  is  probable  that  the  Chris- 
tians wo'jld  be  regarded  merely  as  a  sec 
of  Jews,  and  wouUl  ne  here  suffered  to 
celebrate  their  worship  without  interrup- 
tion. On  this  a<vonnt  it  may  have  been, 
that  the  early  Christians  regarded  thiH 
city  as  of  such  {^nrl'CM'ar  impor'anoo,  bo- 
cause  here  they  could  find  a  refuge  frora 
persecution,  and  be  i>ermiited  to  \v(V'giu»% 


A.D.  41.]  CHAPTER  XL 

4atioch,  {nRcaing  the  ft'o  d  to  none 
out  °-  unto  the  Jews  only. 

20  And  some  of  them  were  men 
of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene,  wnich, 
when  they  were  come  to  Antioch, 
spake  unto  the  Grecians,  ^  preaching 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

21  And  the  «  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  with  them :  and  a  great  num- 


17A 


CjJod  without  molestation.  This  city  was 
honoured  as  a  Roman  colony,  a  metropo- 
lis, and  an  asylum.  It  was  large;  was 
almost  square;  had  many  gates;  was 
adorned  with  fine  fountains ;  and  was  a 
city  of  great  opulence.  It  was  however 
subject  to  earthquakes,  and  was  several 
times  nearly  destroyed.  In  the  year  588 
it  experienced  an  earthquake  in  which 
60.000  persons  were  destroyed.  It  was 
taken  by  the  Saracens  in  A.  D.  638,  and 
after  some  changes  and  revolutions,  it 
was  taken  during  the  crusades,  after  a 
long  and  bloody  siege,  by  Godfrey  of  Bou- 
illon, June  3,  A.  D.  1098.  In  1268  it  was 
taken  by  the  sultan  of  Egypt,  who  de- 
molished it,  and  placed  it  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Turk.  Antioch  is 
now  called  Antakia,  and  contains  about 
10,000  inhabitants.  {Robinson's  Calrnet.) 
IT  Preaching  the  word.  The  word  of  God, 
the  gospel.  IF  To  none  but  unlo  the  Jews 
mly.  They  had  the  common  prejudices 
of  the  Jews,  that  the  offers  of  salvation 
were  to  be  made  only  to  Jews. 

20.  Were  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene. 
Were  natives  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene. 
Cyrene  was  a  province  and  city  of  Ly- 
bia  in  Africa.  It  is  at  present  called 
Cairoan,  and  is  situated  in  the  kingdom 
of  Barca.  In  Cyprus  the  Greek  language 
was  spoken ;  and  from  the  vicinity  of 
Cyrene  to  Alexandria,  it  is  probable  that 
the  Greek  language  was  spoken  there 
also.  From  this  circumstance  it  might 
have  happened  that  they  were  led  more 
particularly  to  address  the  Grecians  who 
were  in  Antioch.  It  is  possible,  how- 
ever, that  they  might  have  heard  of  the 
vision  which  Peter  saw,  and  felt  them- 
selves -called  on  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  Gentiles.  IT  Spake  unto  the  Grecians, 
wf:,- Toi)5"Ex>.^v*(rTK,-.  To  the  Hellenists. 
This  word  usually  denotes  in  the  New 
Testament  those  Jews  residing  in  fo- 
reign lands,  who  sjwke  the  Greek  lan- 
gfuage.  See  Note,  ch.  vi.  1.  But  to  them 
the  gospel  had  been  already  preached 
Rud  yet  in  this  place  it  is  evidently  the 
intention  of  Luke  to  affirm,  that  t^   men 


her  believed,  and  turned  =*  unto  the 
Lord. 

22  Then  tidings  of  these  things 
came  unto  the  ears  of  the  church 
which  was  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  they 
sent  forth  Barnabas,  '  that  he 
should  ^o  as  far  as  Antioch. 

23  Who,  when  he  came,  a?  d 
had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  wa« 

dc.15.19.  lTh.1.9.       ec.9.27. 


of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene  preached  to  thosa 
who  were  not  Jews,  and  that  thus  their 
conduct  was  distinguished  from  those 
(ver.  19)  who  preached  to  the  Jews  only. 
It  is  thus  manifest  that  we  are  here  re- 
quired to  understand  the  Gentiles,  as 
those  who  were  addressed  by  the  men  of 
Cyprus  and  Cyrene.  In  many  MSS.  the 
word  used  here  is  ^xkkvx;,  Greeks,  in- 
stead of  Hellenists.  This  reading  has 
been  adopted  by  Griesbach,  and  is  found 
in  the  Syriac,  the  Arabic,  the  Vulgate,  and 
in  many  of  the  fathers.  The  ^Ethiopic  ver- 
sion reads  '  to  the  Gentiles.'  There  is  no 
doubt  that  this  is  the  true  reading ;  and 
that  the  sacred  writer  means  to  say  thai 
the  gospel  was  here  preached  to  those 
who  were  not  Jews,  for  all  were  called 
Greeks  by  them  who  were  not  Jews 
i.  16.  The  connexion  would  lead 
to  suppose  that  they  had  heard  of 
what  had  been  done  by  Peter,  and  that, 
imitating  his  example,  they  preached  the 
gospel  now  to  the  Gentiles  also. 

21.  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord.  See 
Note,  Luke  i.  66.  Comp.  Ps.  Ixxx.  17. 
The  meaning  is,  that  God  showed  them 
favour,  and  evinced  his  power  in  the  con- 
version of  their  hearers. 

22.  Then  tidings,  ^c.  The  church  al 
Jerusalem  heard  of  thi-s.  It  was  natural 
that  so  remarkable  an  occurrence  as  the 
conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  ex 
traordinary  success  of  the  gospel  in  a 
splendid  and  mighty  city,  should  be  re- 
ported at  Jerusalem,  an/i  excite  deep  in- 
terest there.  H  And  they  sent  forth.  To 
aid  the  disciples  there,  and  to  give  them 
their  sanction.  They  had  done  a  similar 
thing  in  the  revival  which  occurred  in 
Samaria.  Note,  ch.  viii.  14.  IT  Barna- 
bas. See  ch.  iv.  36,  37.  He  was  a  na 
tive  of  Cyprus,  and  was  probably  well 
acquainted  with  Antioch.  He  was,  there- 
fore,  peculiarly  qualified  fbi  the  work 
on  which  they  sent  him. 

23.  Had  seen  the  grace  of  God.  The 
favour,  or  mercy  of  God,  in  converting 
sinners  to  himself  IT  Was  glad.  Ap. 
proved  of  what  Aad  been  done  in  preach-  \ 


i76 


^lad  "  and  exhorted  ^  them  all,  that 
with  purpose  '  of  **  heart  they 
would  cleave  unto  the  Lord 

*24  For  he  was  a  ^ood  man,  and 

o  5JD0.4.       b  c.l3.43;14.22.       c  P».n.2.  SCor.l.lT. 
'Pr.23".^6. 

irg  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  and  re- 
joiced  that  God  had  poured  down  his 
Spirit  on  them.  The  effect  of  a  revival 
to!  10  produce  joy  in  the  hearts  of  all 
those  who  love  the  Saviour.  V.  And  ex- 
horted them  all.  Entreated  them.  They 
would  he  exposed  to  many  trials  and 
temptations,  and  he  sought  to  secure  their 
affections  in  the  cause  of  religion. 
li  That  with  purpose  of  heart.  With  a 
firm  mind ;  with  a  fixed,  settled  resolu- 
tion ,  that  they  would  make  this  their 
settled  plan  of  life,  their  main  object.  A 
purpose,  Treo^io-ig,  is  a  resohition  of  the 
mind,  a  plan,  or  intention.  Rom.  viii.  28. 
Eph.  i.ll;iii.  11.  2  Tim.  i.  9  ;  iii.  10.  It 
is  a  resolution  of  the  mind  in  regard  to 
future  conduct,  and  the  doctrine  of  Bar- 
nabas here  was,  undoubtedly,  that  it 
should  be  a  regular,  fixed,  determined 
plan,  or  design,  in  their  minds,  that  they 
would  henceforward  adhere  to  God. 
This  plan  must  be  formed  by  all  Chris- 
tians in  the  beginning  of  their  Christian 
life,  and  without  such  a  plan  there  can 
be  no  evidence  of  piety.  We  may  mM 
remark  that  such  a  plan  is  one  of  tne 
heart.  It  is  not  simply  of  the  understand- 
ing, but  is  of  the  entire  mind,  including 
the  will  and  affections.  It  is  the  leading 
principle ;  the  strongest  affection ;  the 
guiding  ])ur{K>se  of  the  will  to  adhere  to 
God.  And  unless  this  is  the  prevalent, 
governing  desire  of  the  heart,  there  can 
be  no  evidence  of  conversion.  IF  7%a/ 
they  would  cleave.  Greek,  That  they 
would  remain,  i.  e.  that  they  would  ad- 
here constantly  and  faithfully  attached  to 
the  Lord. 

24.  For  he  was  a  good  man.  This  is 
p^iven  as  a  rea.son  why  he  was  so  emi- 
nently successful.  It  is  not  said  that  he 
was  a  man  of  distinguished  talents,  or 
learning;  that  he  was  a  splendid  or  an 
imjKjsing  preacher;  but  simply  that  he 
was  a  pious,  humble  man  of  God.  lie 
•''as  honest,  and  devoted  to  his  master's 
wt)rk.  We  should  not  undervalue  ta- 
Innt.  elo(|uence,  or  learning  in  the  minis- 
try ;  but  we  may  remark,  that  humble 
piety  will  often  do  more  in  the  conver- 
sion of  souls  than  the  most  splendid  ta- 
lents. No  endowments  can  be  a  siibsti- 
lute  for  this.  The  real  power  of  a 
'•niniater    ia  concentrated    in   this,    and 


THE   ACTS.  [A.  D.  4\ 

full  «  of  the  Holy  (mm,  and  ot 
fnith  ;  and  ^  much  people  was  add- 
ed unto  the  Lord. 

25  Thc:n  s  departed    Barnabas 

ec.6.5.         /ver.21.  g^c.9.27,30. 


without  this  his  ministry  will  be  barren 
ness  and  a  curse.  There  is  nothing  on 
this  earth  so  mighty  as  goodness.  If  a 
man  wished  to  make  the  most  of  his 
powers,  the  true  secret  would  be  found 
in  employing  them  for  a  good  object,  and 
suffering  them  to  be  wholly  under  the 
direction  of  benevolence.  John  How 
ard's  purpose  to  do  good  has  made  a  more 
permanent  impression  on  the  interests  of 
the  world  than  the  mad  ambition  of 
Alexander  or  Ca:sar.  Perhaps  the  ex- 
pression, "  he  was  a  good  man,"  means 
that  he  was  a  man  of  a  kind,  amiable, 
and  sweet  disposition.  IT  Full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Was  entirely  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  was  emi- 
nently a  pious  man.  This  is  the  second 
qualification  here  mentioned  of  a  good 
minister.  He  was  not  merely  exemplary 
for  mildness  and  kmdness  of  temper,  but 
he  was  ct'-.inently  a  man  of  God.  He 
was  fille  ■  vvith  the  influences  of  the  sa- 
cred S}  ait,  producing  zeal,  love,  peace, 
joy,  &c.  See  Gal.  v.  22,  23.  Comp 
Acts  ii.  4,  Note.  H  And  of  faith.  Confi- 
dence in  the  truth  and  promises  of  God. 
This  is  the  third  quahfication  mentioned  ; 
and  this  was  another  cause  of  his  sue 
cess.  He  confided  in  God.  He  trusted 
to  his  promises.  He  depended,  not  on  his 
own  strength,  but  on  the  strength  of  the 
arm  of  God.  With  these  qualifications 
he  engaged  in  his  work,  and  he  wns  suc- 
cessful. These  qualifications  should  be 
sought  by  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
Others  should  not  indeed  he  neglected, 
but  a  man's  ministry  will  usually  be 
successful  only  as  he  seeks  to  posse.ss 
those  endowments  which  distinguished 
Barnabas — a  kind,  tender,  benevolent 
heart ;  devoted  piety  ;  the  fulness  of  the 
Spirit's  influence ;  and  strong,  unwaver- 
ing confidence  in  the  promises  and  powei 
of  God.  IT  And  much  people.  Many 
people.  IT  Was  added  unto  the.  Lara. 
Became  Christians. 

25.  T/irn  departed,  Arc.  Why  Barna' 
has  sought  Saul  is  not  known.  It  is  pro- 
bable, however,  that  it  was  owing  to  the 
remarkable  success  which  he  had  in  An- 
tioch.  There  was  a  great  revival  of 
religion  ;  and  there  was  need  of  addi 
tional  InlKjUT.  In  such  scenes  the  niinia 
tera  of  the  pospel  nee<J   odilitionaj    heh 


A.D.  41.] 

lo  Tarsus,  for  to  seek  Saul : 

26  And  when  he  had  found  him, 
he  brought  him  unto  Antioch.  And 
it  3ame  to  pass,  that  a  whole  year 


CHAPTER  XI  177 

tlcy  assembled  themselves  •  witli 
the  church,  and  taught "  mucr  peo- 
ple. And  the  disciples  were  (felled 
Christians  first  in  Antioch. 

1  or,  in.  oMatt.28.19. 


as  msn  in  harvest-time  seek  the  aid  of 
jthers.  Saul  was  in  this  vicinity  (ch.  ix. 
JOi,  an  1  he  was  eminently  fitted  to  aid 
n  this  work.  With  him  Barnabas  was 
^ell  acquainted  (Act.  ix.  27),  and  proba- 
aly  there  w«s  no  other  one  in  that  vicinity 
whom  he  could,  obtain.  IT  To  Tarsus. 
i\otc.  Acts  ix.  11. 

26.  Thai  a  v;liole  year.  Antioch  was  a 
city  exceedingly  important  in  its  numbers, 
wealth,  and  influence.  It  was  for  this 
reason,  probably,  that  they  spent  so  long 
a  time  there,  instead  of  travelling  in  other 
places.  The  attention  of  the  apostles  was 
early  and  chiefly  directed  to  cilies,  as 
being  places  of  influence  and  centres  of 
power.  Thus  Paul  passed  three  years  in 
the  city  of  Ephesus.  Acts  xx.  31.  Ayid 
thus  he  continued  a  year  and  a  hau  at 
Corinth.  Acts  xviii.  11.  It  may  be  added 
that  the  first  churches  were  founded  in 
cities ;  and  the  most  remarkable  success 
attended  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in 
large  towns.  IF  They  assembled  themselves, 
&c  They  came  together  for  worship. 
"11  With  the  church.  Marg.  in  the  church. 
The  Greek  [l^)  will  bear  this  construc- 
tion ,•  but  there  is  no  instance  in  the  New 
Testament  where  the  word  church  refers 
to  the  edifice  in  which  a  congregation 
worships.  It  evidently  here  means  that 
Barnabas  and  Saul  convened  with  the 
Christian  assembly  at  proper  times, 
through  the  space  of  a  year,  for  the  pur- 
p{jses  of  public  worship.  IT  And  the  dis- 
ciples were  called  Christians,  &c.  As  this 
became  the  distinguishing  name  of  the 
followers  of  Christ,  it  was  worthy  of  re- 
cord. The  name  was  evidently  given 
^ecause  they  were  the  followers  of 
Christ.  But  by  ivhom,  or  with  what 
views,  it  was  given,  is  not  certainly 
known.  Whether  it  was  given  by  their 
s  lemies  in  derision,  as  the  names  Puri- 
tan, Quaker,  Methodist,  &c.  have  been; 
r,r  whether  the  disciples  assumed  it  them- 
selves :  or  whether  it  was  given  by  divine 
intimation,  has  been  a  matter  of  debate. 
That  it  was  given  in  derision  is  not  pro- 
bable. For  in  the  name  Christian  there 
was  nothing  dishonourable.  To  be  the 
professed  friends  of  the  Messiah,  or  the 
Christ,  was  not  with  Jews  a  matter  of  re- 
proach, for  thev  all  professed  to  be  the 
friends  of  the  Messiah.  The  cause  of  re- 
proach with  the  disciples  was  tVat  they 


regarded  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  Me© 
siah;  and  hence,  when  they  wished  to 
speak  of  them  with  contempt,  they  would 
!  speak  of  them  as  Galileans  (Act.s  ii.  7),  o; 
I  as  Nazarenes  (Acts  xxiv.  5),  "  And  a  ring 
j  leader  of  the  sect  vf  the  Nazarenes."     l\ 
j  is  possible  that  the  name  might  have  been 
j  given  to  them  as  a  mere  appellation,  with- 
j  out    intending   to   convey  !jy  it   any  rs- 
'  proach.     The    Gentiles   would    probablv 
t  use  this  name  to  distinguish  them  ;  arid 
I  it  might  have  become  thus  the  common 
i  appellation.     It  is  evident  from  the  j\ew 
Testament,  I  think,  that  it  was  not  de- 
'  signed  as  a  term  of  reproach-     It  is  but 
I  twice  used  besides  this  place:  Acts  xxvi. 
28,  "  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Almost  thou 
<  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian."    1  Pet 
:  iy.  16,  "  Yet  if  any  man  suffer  as  a  Chris- 
j  tian,  let  liim  not  he  ashamed."     No  cer 
j  tain  argument  can  be  drawn  in  regard  to 
i  the  source  of  the  name  from  the  word 
I  which  is  used  here.   The  word  Xf>;,u:«T/^« 
[used  here,  means,  (].)  To  transact  any 
j  business;  to  be  employed  in  acconipli.sh- 
ing  any  thing,  &c.     This  is  its  usual  sig- 
nification in  the  Greek  writers.   It  means, 
(2.)  To  be  divinely  admonished,  to  be  in 
structed  by  a  divine  communication,  &c 
I  Matt.  ii.  12.  Luke  ii.  26.  Acts  x.  22.  Heb 
I  viii.  5;  xi.  7 ;  xiL  25.     It  also  means,  (3.; 
I  To  be  named,  of  called,  in  any  way,  with- 
!  out  a  divine  communication.  Rom.  vii.  3, 
!  "  She  shall  be  called  an  adulteress."     It 
I  cannot  be  denied,  however,  that  the  most 
I  usual  signification  in  the  New  Testament 
I  is  that  of  a  divine  monition,  or  communica- 
j  tion  ;  and  it  is  certainly  possible  that  the 
name  was  given  by  Barnabas  and  Saul 
I  incline  to  the  opinion,  however,  that  it 
was  given  to  them  by  the  Gentiles  who 
were    there,  simply  as  an   appellatiori, 
without  intending  it  as  a  name  of  re 
proach,  and  that  it  was  readily  a.ssumea 
by  the  disciples  as  a  name  that  would 
fitly  designate  them.     If  it  had  been  as 
sumed  by  them,  or  if  Barnabas  and  Sau 
had  conferred  the  name,  the  record  wouk 
probably  have  been  to  that  effect ;  not 
simply  that  they  "  were  called  "  but  tha:! 
they  took  this  name,  or  that  ii  was  given 
by  "the  afrfjstles.     It  is,  however,  of  litth 
consequence  whence  the  name  original 
ed.    It  soon  became  a  name  of  reproach 
and  has  usually  been  in  all  ages  since,  hy 
the  wicked,  the  gav.  the  licentious   ano 


rs 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D    41 


27  An  J  i.i  these  day-s  canft"  pro- 
phets frciin  Jerusalem  unto  Anti- 
och.« 

oc.l.l7;13.1.  Eph.l.ll. 

the  ungodly.  It  is,  however,  an  honoured 
name;  the  most  honourable  appellation 
that  can  be  conferred  on  a  mortal.  It 
suggests  at  once  to  a  Christian  the  name 
yi'  his  great  Redeemer ;  the  idea  of  our 
ntimate  relation  to  him ;  and  the  thought 
i;at  we  receive  him  as  our  chosen  Leader, 
the  source  of  our  blessings,  the  author  of 
our  salvation,  the  fountain  of  our  joys.  It 
is  the  distinguishing  name  of  all  the  re- 
deemed. It  is  not  that  we  belong  to  this 
or  that  denomination;  it  is  not  that  our 
names  are  connected  with  high  and  illus- 
trious ancestors ;  it  is  not  that  they  are 
recorded  in  the  books  of  heralds ;  it  is  not 
that  they  stand  high  in  courts,  and  among 
the  gay,  and  the  fashionable,  and  the  rich, 
that  true  honour  is  conferred  on  men. 
These  are  not  the  things  that  give  distinc- 
tion and  peculiarity  to  the  foUovv'ers  of  the 
Redeemer.  It  is  that  they  are  Christians  ; 
that  this  is  their  peculiar  name  ;  that  by 
this  they  are  known;  that  this  at  once 
suggests  their  character,  their  feelings, 
their  doctnnes,  their  hopes,  their  joys. 
Phis  binds  them  all  together — a  name 
which  rises  above  every  other  appella- 
tion; which  unites  in  one  the  inhabitants 
)f  distant  nations  and  tribes  of  men ;  which 
connects  the  extremes  of  society,  and 
places  them  in  most  important  respects 
on  a  common  level ;  and  which  is  a  bond 
to  unite  in  one  family  all%hose  who  love 
the  Lord  Jesus,  though  dwelling  in  dif 
ferent    climes,    speaking    different    lan- 

fjuages,  engaged  in  different  pursuits  in 
ife,  and  occupying  distant  graves  at 
death.  He  who  lives  according  to  the 
im(X>rt  of  this  name  is  the  most  blessed 
nnd  eminent  of  mortals.  The  name  shall 
be  had  in  remembrance  when  the  names 
of  royalty  shall  be  remembered  no  more, 
and  when  the  appellations  of  nobility 
shall  cease  to  amuse  or  to  dazzle  the 
world. 

27.  And  in  those  days.  While  Barna- 
bas and  Saul  were  at  Antioch.  ir  Came 
orojihets.  The  word  prophet  denotes  pro- 
berly  one  who  foretells  future  events, 
fee©  Note,  Matt.  vii.  15.  It  is  sometimes 
used  in  »ho  New  Testament  to  denote 
8im|)!y  religious  ica:hers,  instructors  sent 
from  Cod,  wilhoul  jiarticnlar  reference 
*ja  future  evor.tK.  To  tear  h  the  people  in 
the  doctrines  of  religion  was  a  part  of  the 
prophetic  office ;  and  tliis  idea  only  was 
Sometimes  denoted  bytheuseof  the  word. 


28  And  there  stood 
them,  named  Agabus, 
fied  by  the  Spirit  that  there  should 

Z)C.21.10. 


up   one  o\ 
and  sisrni- 


See  Rom.  xii.  6.  1  Cor.  xii.  10.  28;  xiii.  a 
8;  xiv.  3.  5.  24.  These  prophets  seem  tc 
have  been  endowed  in  a  remarkable 
manner  with  the  knowledge  of  future 
events ;  with  the  power  of  explaining 
mysteries ;  and  in  some  cases  with  the 
power  of  speaking  foreign  languages.  In 
this  case,  it  seems  that  one  of  them  at 
least  had  the  power  of  foretelling  future 
events. 

28.  Named  Agabus.  This  man  is  men 
tioned  but  in  one  other  place  in  the  New 
Testament.  In  Acts  xxi.  10, 11,  he  is  men- 
tioned as  having  foretold  that  Paul  would 
be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. It  is  not  expressly  sad  that  he  wa« 
a  Christian,  but  the  connexion  seems  to 
imply  that  he  was.  IF  And  signified.  Sec 
John  xii.  33.  The  word  usually  denotes 
to  \ndicate  by  sigJis,  or  with  a  degree  of 
obscurity  and  uncertainty,  not  to  declare 
in  explicit  language.  But  here  it  seema 
to  denote  sirriply  to  foretell,  to  predict 
^  B)/  the  Spirit.  Under  the  influence  of 
the  Spirit.  He  was  inspired.  If  A  great 
dearth.  A  great  famine.  IF  Throughout 
all  the  world.  The  word  hero  used 
{oUinj/xivh-),  usually  denotes  the  inhabit- 
able world,  the  parts  of  the  earth  which 
are  cultivated  and  occupied.  It  is  some- 
timen  limited,  however,  to  denote  an  en- 
tire land  or  country,  in  contradistinction 
from  the  parts  of  it :  thus.,  to  denote  th« 
whole  of  the  land  of  Palestine  in  distinc- 
tion from  its  parts ;  or  to  denote  that  an 
event  would  have  reference  to  all  the 
land,  and  not  be  confined  to  one  or  more 
parts,  as  Galilee,  Samaria,  &c.  See  Note. 
Luke  ii.  1.  The  meaning  of  this  propiie 
cy  evidently  is,  that  the  famine  would  ho 
extensive  ;  that  it  would  not  be  confined 
to  a  single  province  or  region,  but  that  i^ 
would  extend  so  far  as  that  it  might  be 
caWed  general.  In  fact,  though  the  famine 
was  particularly  severe  in  Judoa,  yet  it 
extended  much  farther.  This  prediction 
was  uttered  not  long  after  the  conversion 
of  Saul,  and  probably  therefore,  about 
the  year  A.  D.  38.  or  A.  D.  40.  Dr.  Lard- 
ner  nas  attempted  to  show  that  the  pro- 
phecy had  reference  only  to  the  land  of 
Judea,  though  in  fact  there  were  famine* 
in  other  places.  (I/irdners  ^yorks,  \o\.  i 
pp.  2r)3,  2r)l.  Kd.  1^)11(1.  1829.''i  IT  Which 
came  to  pass,  <vc.  'I'his  iv  one  of  the  fev« 
instances  in  which  the  sacred  writers  in 
the  New  Tes^nment  affirm  the  fulfiliiwnl 


D.  41.1 


CHAPTER  XI. 


17^ 


ie  great  deaith  throughout  all  the 
(vorld  :  which  came  to  pass  in  the 
days  of  Claudius  Cesar. 

29  Thau   the    disciples,    every 
Qian  aoiording  to  his   ability,  de- 


of  a  prophecy.  The  history  having  been 
written  after  the  event,  it  was  natural  to 
give  a  passing  notice  of  the  fulfilment. 
IT  In  the  days  of  Claudius  CcBsar.  The 
Roman  emperor.  He  began  his  reign 
A.  D.  41,  and  reigned  thirteen  years. 
He  was  at  last  poisoned  by  one  of  his 
wives,  Agrippina,  who  wished  to  raise 
her  son  Nero  to  the  throne.  During  his 
reign  no  less  than /our  different  faminqa 
are  mentioned  by  ancient  writers,  one  of 
which  was  particularly  severe  in  Judea, 
and  was  the  one  doubtless  to  which  the 
sacred  writer  here  refers.  (1.)  The  first 
liappened  at  Rome,  and  occurred  in  the 
first  or  second  year  ot  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius. It  arose  from  the  difficulties  of 
importing  provisions  from  abroad.  It  is 
mentioned  by  Dio,  whose  words  are 
these  :  "  There  being  a  great  famine,  he 
(Claudius)  not  only  took  care  for  a  pre- 
sent supply,  but  provided  also  for  the 
time  to  come."  He  then  proceeds  to 
state  the  great  expe:ise  which  Claudius 
was  at  in  making  a  good  port  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Tiber,  and  a  convenient 
passage  from  thence  up  to  the  city.  Dio, 
lib.  Ix.  p.  671,  672.  See  also  Suetonius, 
Claud,  cap.  20.  (2.)  A  second  famine  is 
mentioned  as  having  been  particularly 
gevere  in  Greece.  Of  this  famine  Euse- 
bius  speaks  in  his  Chronicon,  p.  204. 
"  There  was  a  great  famine  in  Greece, 
m  which  a  modius  of  wheat  (about  half 
a  bushel)  was  sold  for  six  drachms." 
Tins  famine  is  said  by  Eusebius  to  have 
occurred  in  the  ninth  yeai*  of  the  reign 
of  Claudius.  (3.)  In  the  latter  part  of 
his  reign,  A.  D.  51,  there  was  another 
famine  at  Rome,  mentioned  by  Sueto- 
nius (Claud,  cap.  18),  and  by  Tacitus 
(Ann.  xii.  43).  Of  this  Tacitus  says,  that 
it  was  so  severe,  that  it  was  deemed  to 
be  a  divine  judgment.  (4.)  A  fourth,  fa- 
mine is  mentioned  as  having  occurred  par- 
ticularly in  Judea.  This  is  described  by 
Josephus  (Ant.  b.  xx.  ch.  2,  $  5).  "  A  fa- 
mine,"^ys  he,  "  did  oppress  them  at  the 
time  (in  the  time  of  Claudius) ;  and  many 
oeople  died  for  the  want  of  what  was 
necessary  to  procure  food  withal.  Queen 
Helena  sent  some  of  her  servants  to 
Alexandria  with  money  to  buy  a  great 
quantity  of  com,  and  others  of  them  to 
Jvprufj  to  bring  a  cargo  of  dried  figs  " 


termined  to  send  *  relief  unto  the 
brethren  which  dwelt  in  Judea  : 

30  Which  also  they  did,  and  ' 
sent  it  to  the  elders  by  the  hands 
of  Barnabas  and  Saul. 

a  Rom.15.26.  lCor.16.1.  2Cor.0.1,2.         b  c  i2.25. 


This  famine  is  described  as  having  con 
tinned  under  the  two  procurators  of  Ju- 
dea, Tiberias  Alexander  and  Cassius  Fa- 
fras.  Fad  us  was  sent  into  Judea,  on  the 
death  of  Agrippa,  about  the  fourth  year 
of  the  reign  of  Claudius,  and  the  famine, 
therefore,  continued  probably  during  the 
fifth,  sixth,  and  seventh  years  of  the 
reign  of  Claudius.  See  Note  in  Whis- 
ton's  Josephus,  Ant.  b.  xx.  ch.  2.  ^^  5 ;  also 
Lardner  as  quoted  above.  Of  this  fa 
mine,  or  of  the  want  consequent  on  the 
famine,  repeated  mention  is  made  in  the 
New  Testament. 

29.  Then  the  disciples.  The  Christians 
at  Antioch.  If  According  to  his  ability 
According  as  they  had  prospered.  It 
does  not  imply  that  they  were  rich,  but 
that  they  rendered  aid  as  they  could  af- 
ford it.  IT  Determined  to  send  relief.  This 
arose  not  merely  from  their  general  sense 
of  their  obligation  to  aid  the  poor,  but 
they  felt  themselves  particularly  bound 
to  aid  their  Jewish  brethren.  The  obli 
gation  to  aid  the  temporal  wants  of  those 
from  whom  they  had  received  so  import- 
ant spiritual  mercies,  is  repeatedly  en- 
forced in  the  New  Testament.  Comp. 
Rom.  XV.  25—27.  1  Cor.  xvi.  1,2.  2  Cor 
ix.  1,  2.    Gal.  ii.  10. 

30  Sent  it  to  the  elders.  Greek,  To  the 
presbyters.  This  is  the  first  mention 
which  we  have  in  the  New  Testament 
of  elders,  or  presbyters,  in  the  Christian 
church.  The  word  literally  denotes 
aged  men,  but  it  was  a  name  of  office 
only  in  the  Jewish  synagogue.  It  is 
clear,  however,  I  think,  that  the  elders 
of  the  Jewish  synagogue  here  are  not  in- 
cluded, for  the  relief  was  intended  for 
the  "  brethren,  ver.  29,  that  is,  the  Chris- 
tians who  were  at  Jerusalem,  and  it  is 
not  probable  that  a  charity  like  this 
would  have  been  intrusted  to  the  hands 
of  Jewish  elders.  The  connexion  here 
does  not  enable  us  to  determine  any 
thing  about  the  sense  in  which  the  woni 
was  used.  I  think  it  probable  that  't 
does  not  refer  to  officers  in  the  church 
but  that  it  means  simply  that  the  oharitjr 
was  intrusted  to  the  aged,  prudeM,  and 
experienced  men  in  the  church,  for  distri- 
bution among  the  memb**^.  Calvin  sup* 
poses  that  the  apostles  were  particularly 
intended      But  this  is  not  orobabla     11 


IwO  THE  ACTS. 

CHAPTER   XH. 
i\TOW    about   that   time,    Herod 
^  ^     the  king  stretched  '  forth  his 
bands  to  vex  certain  of  the  church. 

»  or,  be^an. 


iH  possible  that  the  deaconin,  who  were 

f)mbably  aged  men,  may  be  here  parficu- 
arly  referred  to,  but  I  am  rather  inchned 
to  think  that  the  charity  was  sent  to  tlm 
aged  members  of  the  church  without  re- 
aped to  their  office,  to  be  distributed  ac- 
cording to  their  discretion. 

CHAPTER  xrr. 

1  Nou)  about  that  time.  That  is,  during 
the  time  that  the  famine  existed  ,•  or  the 
time  when  Barnabas  and  Saul  went  up 
to  Jerusalem.  This  was  probably  about 
the  fifth  or  sixth  year  of  the  reign  of 
Claudius,  not  far  from  A.  D.  47.  H  He- 
rod the  king.  This  was  Herod  Agrippa. 
The  Syriac  so  renders  it  expressly,  and 
the  chronology  requires  us  so  to  under- 
stand it.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Herod 
the  Great,  and  one  of  tlie  sons  of  Aristo- 
bulus,  whom  Herod  put  to  death.  Jose- 
phus,  Antiquities,  b.  xviii.  5.  Herod  the 
Great  left  three  sons,  between  whom  his 
kingdom  was  divided — Archelaus,  Philip, 
and  Antipas.  Note,  Matt.  ii.  19.  To 
Philip  was  left  Iturca  and  Trachonitis. 
See  Luke  iii.  1.  To  Antipas,  Galilee  and 
Perea;  and  to  Archelaus.'judea,  Idumea, 
and  Samara.  Archelaus,  being  accused 
of  cruelty,  was  banished  by  Augustus  to 
Vienna  in  Gaul,  and  Judea  was  reduced 
to  a  province,  and  united  with  Syria. 
When  Philip  died,  this  region  w'as  grant- 
ed by  the  emperor  Caligula  to  Herod 
Agrippa.  Herod  Antipas  was  driven  as 
an  exile  also  into  Gaul,  and  then  into 
Spain,  and  Herod  Agrippa  received  also 
hii-  tetrarchy.  In  the  reign  of  Claudius 
a. so,  the  dominions  of  Herod  Agrippa 
were  still  farther  enlarged.  When  Ca- 
ligula was  slain,  he  was  at  Rome,  and 
having  ingratiated  himself  into  the  fa- 
vour of  Claudius,  he  conferred  on  him 
also  Judea  and  Samaria,  so  thiit  his  do- 
minions were  equal  in  extent  to  those  of 
his  grandfather,  Herod  the  Great.  See 
Josephus,  Antiquities,  b.  xix.  ch.  5,  $  1. 
t  Stretched  forth  his  hands.  A  figurative 
expression,  denoting  that  he  laid  his 
liandH  on  them,  or  that  he  endeavoured 
violently  to  oppress  the  church.  IT  To 
vrx.  To  injure,  to  do  evil  to.  y.xy.toTx!. 
f  Certain.  Some  olthe  church.  Who  they 
were  the  writer  immediately  specifies. 

2.  And  he  killed,  &c.  He  caused  to  be 
put  to  death  Witii  a  swonf,  either  by  be- 


[A.  D.  44 

2  And   he   killed   James   "   the 
brother  of  John  with  the  sw^ord. 

3  And  because  he  aaw  t  pleased 
^  the  Jews,  he  proceeded  further  to 

a  MatU.21:20.23.  b  c.24.27. 


heading,  or  piercing  him  through.  Pho 
Roman  procurators  were  intrusted  with 
authority  over  life,  though  in  the  time  of 
Pilate  the  Jews  had  not  this  authority. 
H  James  the  brother  of  John.  This  was 
the  son  of  Zebed(^.  Matt.  iv.  21.  He 
is  commonly  called  James  the  Greater, 
in  contradistinction  from  James  the  son 
of  Alpheus,  who  is  called  James  the  Less. 
Matt.  X.  3.  In  this  manner  were  the  pre- 
mctions  of  our  Saviour  respecting  him 
fulfilled.  Matt.  xx.  23,  "Ye  shall  in- 
deed drink  of  my  cup,  and  be  baptized 
with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized 
with." 

3.  And  because  he  saw  that  it  pleased 
the  Jews.  This  was  the  principle  on 
which  he  acted.  It  was  not  from  a  sense 
of  right ;  it  was  not  to  do  justice,  and 
protect  the  innocent;  it  was  not  to  dis- 
charge the  appropriate  duties  of  a  ma- 
gistrate, and  a  king;  but  it  was  to  pro- 
mote his  own  popularity.  It  is  probable 
that  Agrippa  would  have  acted  in  this 
way  in  any  circumstances.  He  was  am- 
bitious, vain,  and  fawning  ;  he  sought,  as 
his  great  principle,  popularity.  And  ht 
was  willing  to  sacrifice,  like  many  others 
truth  and  justice  to  obtain  this  end 
But  there  was  also  a  particular  reason 
for  this  in  his  case.  He  held  his  a;>- 
i:.ointment  under  the  Roman  emperor. 
This  foreign  rule  was  always  unpopular 
among  the  Jews.  In  order,  therefore,  to 
secure  a  peaceful  reign,  and  to  prevent 
insurrection,  and  tumult,  it  was  necessa- 
ry for  him  to  court  their  favour ;  to  in- 
dulge their  wishes,  and  to  fall  in  with 
their  prejudices.  Alas !  how  many  ma 
narchs  and  rulers  there  have  been,  who 
were  governed  by  no  better  principle 
and  whose  sole  aim  has  been  to  sfrcure 
popularity,  even  at  the  expense  of  law, 
and  truth,  and  justice.  That  this  waa 
the  character  of  Herod,  is  attested  hj 
Josephus,  Ant.  xix.  ch.  8,  $  3.  "  This 
king  (Herod  Agri|)pa)  was  by  nature 
very  beneficent,  and  liberal  in  ^  gift* 
and  very  ambitious  to  pUase  Ihepewfie  with 
such  large  donations;  and  he  made  him- 
self very  illustrious  hy  the  many  exj^en- 
sive  presents  he  nnn.'.  them.  He  look 
delight  in  giving,  '»nf1  rejoiced  in  living 
with  good  reputaf'.v."  IT  To  take  Petet 
als6     l*eter  was  r   f-  of   he  raurt  ron»ini 


i.  D.  44.] 

take  Peter  *  also      Then  were  the 
days  *  of  unleavened  bread. 

4  And  when  he  had  apprehended 
him,  he  put  him  in  prison,  and  de- 
iverid  him  to  four  quaternions  of 
soldiyrs,  to  keep  him ;    intending 

oJnoIl.IS  iEx.l2.14,l5. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


i8 


"!  vixa  men  in  the  church.  He  had  made 
l.ingelf  particularly  obnoxious  by  his  se- 
vore  and  pungent  discourses,  and  by  his 
iJjccess  in  winning  men  to  Christ.  It 
*va.s  natural  therefore  that  he  should  be 
ihe  next  object  of  attack.  IT  The  days 
of  unleavened  bread.  The  Passover,  or 
the  seven  days  immediately  succeeding 
the  Pas&over,  during  which  they  were 
required  to  eat  bread  without  leaven. 
Ex.  xii.  15 — 18.  It  w-as  sometime  during 
this  period  that  Herod  chose  to  apprehend 
Peter.  Wliy  this  season  was  selected  is 
not  known.  As  it  was,  however,  a  sea- 
son of  religious  solemnity,  and  as  Herod 
was  desirous  of  showing  his  attachment 
to  the  religious  rites  of  the  nation  (Jos. 
Antiq.  xix.  7.  3),  it  is  probable  that  he 
chose  this  period  to  show  to  them  more 
impressively  his  purpose  to  oppose  all 
false  religions,  and  to  maintain  the  exist- 
mg  establishments  of  the  nation. 

4.  A}id  when  he  had  apprehended  him. 
When  he  had  taken  or  arrested  him. 
^  He  put  him  in  prison.  During  the  so- 
lemnities of  this  religious  festival,  it  would 
have  been  deemed  improper  to  have  en- 
g^llied  in  the  trial  of  a  supposed  criminal. 
The  minds  of  the  people  were  expected 
to  be  devoted  solely  to  the  solemnities  of 
religion ;  and  hence  Herod  chose  to  re- 
tain him  in  custody  until  the  Passover  had 
ended.  IT  To  four  quaternions  of  soldiers. 
A  quaternion  was  a  company  of  four ; 
consequently  the  whole  number  employ- 
ed here  was  sixteen.  The  Romans  di- 
vided the  night  into  four  watches,  so  that 
the  guards  could  be  relieved  ;  those  who 
were  on  guard  occupyin.5  tliree  hours, 
and  being  then  relieved  Of  the  four 
vi'ho  were  on  guard,  two  were  with  Peter 
in  the  prison  (ver.  G;,  and  two  kept  watch 
before  the  door  of  the  prison.  The  utmost 
precaution  was  thus  taken  that  he  should 
not  escape ;  and  Herod  thus  gave  the 
mi»st  arap)le  assurance  to  the  Jews  of  his 
mlention  to  secure  Peter,  and  to  bring 
him  to  trial.  IT  Intending  aftzr  Easter. 
There  never  was  a  more  absurd  or  un- 
nappy  translation  than  this.  The  original 
.s  simply  after  thePassover  (.'-iSTo.  to  -xc--/,-^). 
The  word  Easter  now  denotes  the  fesli- 
eiii  observed  by  many  Christiai?  churches 

0 


after  Easter  to  bring  him  forth  to 
the  people. 

5  Peter  therefore  was  kept  is 
prison ;  but '  prayer  was  made  with 
out  ceasing  of  the  church  unto  God 
for  him. 

1  or,  inttant  and  earnest  prayer  was  made.  ZCor.l 
11.  Epli.6.18.19.  lThes8.5.17.  Jas.5.16. 

in  honour  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Sa- 
viour. But  the  original  has  no  reference 
to  that ;  nor  is  there  the  slightest  evidenca 
that  any  such  festival  was  observed  el 
the  time  when  this  book  was  written. 
The  translation  is  not  only  unhappy,  as  it 
does  not  convey  at  all  the  meaning  of  tho 
origmal,  but  because  it  may  contribute  to 
foster  an  opinion  that  such  a  festival  was 
observed  in  the  times  of  the  apostles 
The  word  Easter  is  of  Saxon  origin,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  Eostre,  the 
goddess  of  love,  or  the  Venus  of  the  North, 
in  honour  of  whom  a  festival  was  cele- 
brated by  our  pagan  ancestors  in  the 
month  of  April.  (Webster.)  As  this  festi- 
val coincided  with  the  Passover  of  the 
Jews,  and  with  the  feast  observed  by 
Christians  m  honour  of  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  the  name  came  to  be  used  to 
denote  the  latter.  In  the  old  Anglo-Sax- 
on service-books  the  term  Easter  is  used 
frequently  to  translate  the  word  Passover. 
In  the  translation  by  Wiclif  the  word 
paske,  i.  e.  passover,  is  used.  But  Tindal 
and  Coverdale  used  the  word  Easter,  and 
hence  it  has  very  improperly  crept  into 
our  translation.  {Clark.)  IT  To  bring  him' 
forth  to  the  people.  That  is,  evidently,  to 
put  him  publicly  to  death  to  gratify  Ihem 
The  providence  of  God  in  regard  to  Petet 
is  thus  remarkable.  Instead  of  his  being 
put  suddenly  to  death,  as  v/as  James,  he 
was  reserved  for  future  trial ;  and  thus  an 
abundant  opportunity  was  given  for  the 
prayers  of  the  church,  and  for  his  conse 
quent  release. 

5.  But  prayer  was  made.  The  church 
was  apprized  of  his  imprisonment  and 
danger;  and  had  no  resource  but  to  ap 
ply  to  God  by  prayer.  In  scenes  of  dan 
ger  there  is  no  other  refuge  ;  and  the  re- 
sult shows  that  even  in  most  discourag 
ing  circumstances,  God  can  hear  prayer 
Nothing  scarcely  could  appear  more 
hopeless  than  the  idea  of  rescuing  Pctoi 
out  of  the  hands  of  Herod,  and  out  of  the 
prison,  and^jut  of  the  custody  of  sixteen 
men,  by  prayer.  But  the  prayer  of  faith 
was  prevalent  with  God.  I1  lVt7A<ji|toKa.s. 
ing.  Intense,  steady,  ardent  prayel^Tha 
word  here  used  (ei^tei  ;,?)  is  found  in  bui< 
one  othor  place  in  the  New  Tsstarnent 


i82 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  44 


6  Ani  wheu  ileod  woild  have 
brought  him  forth,  the  same  night 
Peter  was  sleeping  between  two 
soldiers,  bound  with  two  chains; 
and  the  keepers  before  the  door 
kept  the  prison 

7  And,  behold,  the  "  angel  of 
the  Lord  came  upon  hijji,  and  a 
light  sliined  in  the  prison :  and  he 


cPs.3T.32,33.  c.5.19. 


;  Pet-  iv  8,  "Have  fervent  charity  among 
'ivTselves."  The  word  has  ralher  the 
^.  •»  :hat  their  prayer  was  earnest  and 
K^vtM,  'han  that  it  was  constant.  ^  Of 
'^e  t,>u)  "h.  By  the  church. 
6.  Ar<t  mhen  Herod  wouhl  have  brought 
inm  fartu  When  he  was  about  to  bring 
liim  to  bfc  Qut  to  death.  IT  Tke  same  night. 
That  is,  the  night  preceding.  The  inten- 
tion of  He.nd  ^as  to  bring  him  out  as 
soon  as  the  Pae«;ov  sr  was  over ;  but  dur- 
ing the  night  which  immo.diate]y  preceded 
the  day  in  which  Herod  intended  to  bring 
iiim  to  punishment,  Peter  was  rescued. 
IT  Peter  uxis  sleeping.  Here  is  an  instance 
of  remarkable  compooare,  and  one  of  the 
effects  of  peace  of  conscience  and  of  con- 
fidence in  God.  It  was  doubtless  known 
to  Peter  what  the  intention  of  Herod  was. 
James  had  just  been  put  to  death;  and 
Peter  had  no  reason  to  expect  a  better 
fate.  And  yet  in  this  state,  he  slept  as 
quietly  as  if  there  had  been  no  danger, 
and  was  roused  even  by  an  angel  to  con- 
template his  condition,  and  to  make  his 
escape. — There  is  nothing  that  will  give 
quiet  rest  and  gentle  sleep  so  certainly  as 
a  conscience  void  of  oflbnce  ;  and  in  the 
midst  of  imminent  dangers,  he  who  con- 
fides in  God  may  rest  secuiely  and  calmly. 
^  Between  two  soldiers.  Note,  ver.  4.  Peter 
was  bound  to  the  two.  His  left  hand  was 
chained  to  the  right  hand  of  one  of  the 
Boldiers,  and  his  right  hand  to  the  left 
hand  of  the  other.  Ttiis  was  a  common 
mode  of  securing  piiBoners  among  the 
Romans.  See  abundant  authorities  for 
this  quoted  in  Lardner's  Credibility,  part 
i.  ch.  X.  $  9.  Loud.  ed.  1829.  vol.  i.  pp.  242, 
243,  A-c.  IT  And  the  keeper,  &o  See  ver. 
4.  Two  so'  .iers  were  stationed  at  the 
door.  We  may  see  now  that  every  pos- 
sible precaution  was  used  to  ensure  the 
Bale  custody  of  Peter.  (1.)  He  was  in  pri- 
son. (2.;  He  wa.s  in  the  cha«M  of  sixteen 
mer.,  who  could  relievo  eacW)ther  when 
weaHMnd  thus  every  security  was  given 
hut  H^couUI  iKjt  esrai)e  by  inattention 
r  weariness  on  their  part.  (3.)  He  was 
iind  fa>t  between  two  men.     .And  (4.) 


smote  Peter  on  the  side,  and  raiscx) 
him  up,  saying.  Arise  up  quickly 
And  ''  his  chains  fell  off  from  hii 
hands. 

8  And  the  angel  said  unto  him, 
Gird  thyself,  and. bind  on  thy  san- 
dals :  and  so  he  did.  And  he  saitli 
unto  him,  Cast  thy  garment  about 
thee,  and  follow  me. 


He  was  further  guarded  by  two  others, 
whose  business  it  was  to  watch  the  door 
of  the  prison,  it  is  to  be  remembered 
also,  that  it  was  death  for  a  Roman  soldier 
to  be  found  sleeping  at  his  post.  And  in 
this  way  every  possible  security  was 
given  for  the  safe  keeping  of  Peter.  But 
God  can  deliver  in  spite  of  all  the  precau- 
tions of  men;  and  it  is  easy  for  him  to 
overcome  the  most  cunning  devices  of 
his  enemies. 

7.  And  behold  the  angel  of  the  Lord. 
See  Note,  ch.  v.  19.  IF  Came  upon  him. 
Greek,  Was  present  with  him  ;  stood  near 
him  (iTrla-Tii).  IF  And  a  light  shined  in  the 
prison.  Many  have  supposed  that  this 
was  lightning.  But  light,  and  splendour, 
and  shining  apparel  are  commonly  repre- 
sented as  the  accompaniments  of  the  hea- 
venly beings  when  they  visit  the  earth 
Luke  ii;  9  ;  xxiv.  4.  Comp.  Mark  ix.  3.  It 
is  highly  probable  that  this  light  was  dis- 
cerned only  by  Peter;  and  it  would  be 
to  him  an  undoubted  proof  of  the  divine 
interposition  in  his  behalf  IT  And  he 
smote  Veter  on  the  side.  This  was  do?P^- 
less  a  gent'e  blow  or  stroke  to  arouse  him 
from  sleep.  IT  Arid  ?ns  chains,  &c.  This 
could  have  been  only  by  divine  power. 
No  natural  mearis  were  used,  or  could 
have  been  used  without  arousing  the 
guard.  It  is  a  sublime  expression  of  the 
ease  with  which  God  can  deliver  from 
danger,  and  rescue  his  friends.  Comp.  ch 
xvi.  26. 

8.  Gird  thyself  When  they  slept,  the 
outer  garment  was  thrown  off,  and  the 
girdle  with  which  they  bound  their  inner 
garment,  or  tunic,  was  loosed.  He  was 
directed  now  to  gird  up  that  inner  gar 
ment  as  they  usually  wore  it ;  that  is,  to 
dress  himself,  Bnd  prepare  to  follow  him 
IT  Bind  on  thy  sandals.  Put  on  thy  san 
dais — prepared  to  walk.  Note,  Matt,  iii. 
11.  IT  Cast  thy  garment  about  thee  Th« 
outer  garment,  that  was  thrown  loosely 
around  the  shoulders.  It  was  nearly 
f-qnare,  and  wr.s  laid  aside  when  they 
slept,  or  worked,  or  ran.  The  direction 
wns  thfit  ho  should  dre8.<J  himpelf  in  hii 


\    D   44.3 


9  And  h(3  w.ent  (  ut,  and  followed 
him ;  and  wist  not  °  that  it  was 
Lrue  which  v'-as  done  by  the  angel ; 
but  thought  he  saw  a  vision.'' 

10  When  they  were  past  the 
tirst  and  the  second  ward,  they 
came  unto  the  iron  gate  that  lead- 
eth  unto  the  city,  which  opened  to 
^hem  of  his  own  accord ;  and  they 
ivent  out,  and  passed  on  through 
one  street ;  and  forthwith  the  angel 
departed  from  him. 

oPs.126.1.  fcc.10  1,17. 


CHAPTER  .\il. 


183 


usual  apparel.  See  Note,  Matt.  v.  38 — 
42. 

9.  And  wist  not.  Knew  not.  IT  That  it 
was  true.  That  it  was  real.  ^  Sawa  vision. 
Tliat  is,  was  a  representation  made  to 
nis  raind.  similar  to  that  which  he  had 
seen  before.  Comp.  ch.  x.  11,  12.  It 
was  so  astonishing,  so  unexpected,  so 
wonderful,  that  he  could  not  realize  that 
it  was  true. 

10.  The  first  and  second  ward.  The 
word  which  is  here  rendered  ward 
<?jx«ic;;v),   properly  denotes    the  act  of 

guarding  ;  but  it  is  most  commonly  used 
to  denote  a  prison,  or  place  of  confine- 
ment. In  this  place  it  seems  to  denote 
the  guard  itself — the  soldiers  stationed  at 
intervals  in  the  entrance  into  the  prison. 
These  were  passed  silently,  probably  a 
deep  sleep  havirvg^peen  sent  on  them  to 
facilitate  the  escape  of  Peter.  IT  The 
iron  gate.  The  outer  gate,  secured  with 
iron,  as  the  doors  of  prisons  are  now. 
IT  That  Leadeth  unto  the  city.  Or  rather 
into  (ft'O  the  city.  Jerusalem  was  sur- 
rounded by  three  walls.  (See  Lightfoot 
on  this  place.)  The  prison  is  supposed 
to  have  been  situated  between  two  of 
these  walls.  And  it  is  probable  that  the 
entrance  to  the  prison  was  immediately 
from  the  inner  wall,  so  that  this  gate 
opened  directly  into  the  city.  V  Of  his 
own  accord.  Itself  It  opened  sponta- 
neously, without  the  application  of  any 
force,  or  key,  thus  showing  conclusively 
that  Peter  was  delivered  by  miraculous 
interposition.  IT  And  passed  on  through 
one  street.  Till  Peter  was  entirely  safe 
from  any  danger  of  pursuit,  and  then  the 
angel  lett  him.  God  had  effected  his 
complete  rescue,  and  now  left  him  to  his 
own  etforts  as  usual. 

JJ.  A7id  when  Peter  was  come  to  him- 
felf.  This  expression  naturally  means 
«vhen  he  had  overcome  his  amazement, 
nd  astonishtnent  at  the  unexpected  de- 


11  And  when  Putei  was  come 
to  himself,  he  said,  Njw  I  know 
of  a  surety  that  the  Lord  hath  sent 
5- his  angel,  and  hath  ''  delivered 
me  out  of  the  hand  of  Rerod,  and 
from  all  the  expectation  of  the 
people  of  the  Jews. 

12  And  when  he  had  considered 
ike  thing.,  he  came  to  the  house  of 
Mary  the  mother  of  John,  whos3 
surname  was  Mark  ;  where  many  ' 
were  gathered  together,  praying. 

c  2Ch.l6.9.  Ps.34.r.  Da.3.28;6.22.  Heb.1.14.  d  P» 
33.18,19;97.10.  2Cor.l.I0.  2Pe.t.2.9.        t  ver.  5. 

liverance,  so  as  to  be  capable  of  reflec- 
tion. He  had  been  amazed  by  the  whole 
transaction.  He  thought  it  was  a  vision  ; 
and  in  the  suddenness  and  rapidity  with 
which  it  was  done,  he  had  no  time  for 
cool  reflection.  The  events  of  divine 
providence  often  overwhel(i|fnd  amaze 
us ;  and  such  are  their  sudoenness,  and 
rapidity,  and  unexpected  character  in 
their  development,  as  to  confound  us,  and 
prevent  calm  and  collected  reflection. 
^  Of  a  surety.  Certainly,  surely.  He 
considered  all  the  circumstances,  he  saw 
that  he  was  actually  at  liberty,  and  that 
it  could  have  been  effected  only  by  di- 
vine interposition.  IT  The  expectation  of 
the  people.  From  this  it  appears  that  the 
people  earnestly  desired  his  death;  and 
it  was  to  gratify  that  desire  that  Herod 
had  imprisoned  him. 

12.  And  when  he  had  considered,  &c. 
Thinking  on  the  subject;  considering 
what  he  should  do  in  these  circumstances. 
IT  He  came   to  the  house  of  Mary,   &c. 


Probably  this  house  was  near  him ;  and 

would  naturally  seek 
a  Christian  friend.      IF  The  mother  of 


he  would  naturally  seek  the  dwelling  of 


John,  &c.  Probably  this  was  the  John 
"Mark  who  wrote  the  gospel.  But  this  is 
not  certain.  IT  Whose  surname.  Greek; 
Who  was  called  Mark.  It  does  not  mean 
that  he  had  two  names  conferred,  as  with 
us,  both  of  which  were  used  at  the  same 
time.  But  he  was  called  by  either,  the 
Greeks  probably  using  the  name  Mark, 
and  the  Jews  the  name  John.  He  ia 
frequently  mentioned  afterwards,  as  hav- 
ing been  the  attendant  of  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas in  their  travel.s.  ver.  25;  xv.  3^ 
2  Tim.  iv.  11.  He  was  a  nephew  of 
Barnabas.  Col.  iv.  \0.  IT  Where  many 
were  gathered  tosethc,  praying.  This 
was  in  the  night,  and  it  shows  the  pro- 
priety of  observing  extraordinary  sea- 
sons of  prayer,  even  in  the  night.  Peter 
was  to  have  been  put  to  deatJj  the  nex\ 


\9.4 


THE   A(n^. 


[A    U    U 


13  And  as  Peter  knocked  at  the 
Joor  of  the  gate,  a  damsel  came  ' 
to  hearken,  named  Rlioda. 

14  And  whon  she  knew  Peter's 

»  or,  to  a  k  who  toat  there. 


day ;  and  they  assembled  to  pray  for  his 
•^lease,  and  diii  not  intermit  their  pray- 
ei"s.  When  daneers  increase  around  us 
and  our  friends,  we  should  become  more 
fervent  in  prayer.  While  life  remains 
we  may  pray ;  and  even  when  there  is 
no  human  hope  and  we  may  have  no 
power  to  heal  or  deliver,  still  God  may 
interpose,  as  he  did  here,  in  aaswer  to 
prayer. 

13  At  the  door  of  the  gate.  Rather  the 
door  of  the  vcKlit)\ue,  or  principal  en- 
trance into  the  house.  The  house  was 
entered  through  such  a  porch  or  vestibule, 
and  it  was  the  door  opening  into  this 
vvhich  is  heE&int*^nded  See  Note,  Matt. 
ix.  2.  IT  AffkmseL  A  girl.  IT  Came  to 
hearken.  To  hear  who  was  there. 
IT  Named  Rhoda.  This  is  a  Greek  name 
signifying  a  rose*  It  was  not  unusual  for 
the  Hebrews  to  give  the  names  of  flov^- 
ers,  &c.  to  their  daughters.  Thus  Susan- 
na, a  lily  ;  Hadessa,  a  myrtle  ;  Tamai ,  a 
palm-tree,  &c.     {Grotius.) 

14.  She  opened  not  the  gate.  At  this 
time  of  night,  and  in  these  circumstances, 
the  door  would  be  fastened.  Christians 
were  doubtless  alarmed  by  the  death  of 
James,  and  the  imprisonment  of  Peter, 
and  they  would  take  all  possible  precau- 
tions for  their  own  safety.  H  For  glad- 
ness. In  her  joy  she  hastened  to  inform 
those  who  were  assembled  of  the  safety 
of  Peter. 

15.  'llion.  art  m/id.  Thou  art  insane. 
They  seemed  to  have  regarded  his  rescue 
as  so  difficult  and  so  hopeless,  that  they 
deemed  it  proof  of  derangement  that  she 
now  affirmed  it.  And  vet  this  was  the 
very  thing  for  which  tfiey  had  been  so 
earnestly  praying.  When  it  wits  now 
announced  to  them  that  the  object  of 
their  prayers  wa.s  granted,  they  deem- 
ed the  messenger  that  announced  it 
insane.  Christians  are  often  surprised 
even  when  their  prayers  are  answered. 
Tliey  arc  overwhelmed  and  amazed  at 
ihe  success  of  their  own  petitions,  and 
ire  slow  to  believe  that  the  very  thing 
P)r  which  they  have  sought  could  be 
granted.  It  shovvs  perhaps  with  how 
little  faith,  after  all,  thov  pray  ;  and  how 
slow  thev  are  to  believe  that  Gad  can 
hear  and  answiT  prayer.  In  a  revival 
of  religion,  in  answer  to  prayer,  Chria- 
dana  are   often  overwhd  mod.  and  oslo- 


voice,  she  opened  not  the  gate  fo; 
gladness,  but  ran  in,  and  told  how 
Peter  stood  before  the  gate. 

15    And   they   said    unto    het, 


nished  when  even  their  ov^n  petitions  are 
granted,  and  when  God  manifests  hli 
own  power  m  his  own  way  and  time 
Prayer  should  be  persevered  in,  and  we 
should  place  ourselves  in  a  waiting  po9> 
ture  to  catch  the  first  indications  that 
God  has  heard  us  with  joy.  ^  But  she 
constantly  ajjirmed  it.  She  insisted  on  it 
How  much  better  it  would  have  been  to 
have  hastened  at  once  to  the  gate,  than 
thus  to  have  engaged  in  a  controversy  on 
the  subject.  Peter  was  suffered  to  re- 
main knocking,  while  they  debated  the 
matter.  Christians  are  often  engaged  in 
some  unprofitable  controversv,  when 
they  should  hasten  to  catch  the  first  to- 
kens of  divine  favour,  and  open  their 
arms  to  welcome  the  proof*  that  God  has. 
heard  their  prayers.  IT  Then  said  they. 
Still  resolved  not  to  be  convinced.  IT  Ii 
is  his  angel.  Any  way  of  accounting  for 
it  rather  than  to  admit  the  simple  fact,  or 
to  ascertain  the  simple  truth.  All  ihia 
was  produced  by  the  little  hope  which 
they  had  of  his  release,  and  their  earnest 
desire  that  it  should  be  so.  It  was  just 
such  a  state  of  mind  as  is  indicated 
when  we  say  '  the  news  is  too  good  to  be 
believed.'  The  expression  it  is  his  avgd 
may  mean,  that  theiffcupposed  the  tute- 
lary  guardian,  or  angel  appointed  to  at- 
tend Peter,  had  come  to  announce  some- 
thing respecting  him,  and  that  he  had 
assumed  the  voice  and  form  of  Peter,  in 
order  to  render  them  certain-  that  he 
came  from  him.  This  notion  arosejrom 
the  common  belief  of  the  Jews,  that 
each  individual  had  assigned  to  him,  at 
birth,  a  celestial  spirit,  whose  office  it 
was  to  guard  and  defend  him  through 
life.  Note,  Malt  xviii.  10.  That  the 
Jews  entertained  this  opinion  is  cl&at 
from  their  writings.  (See  Kutnod.)  Light 
fixit  thinks  that  they  who  were  a^sem 
bled  suppo.sed  that  this  angel  had  assumed 
the  voice  and  manner  of  Peter,  in  <»r«:ier 
to  intimate  to  tliem  that  he  was  about  to 
die.  and  to  excite  them  to  earnest  prayer 
that  he  mieht  die  with  constancy  and 
firmness.  VVhatever  their  opinions  vvpr<», 
however,  it  7>roiv."f  nothing  on  these  points. 
There  is  no  evidence  th.at  tiiey  were  in- 
spired in  these  opinions,  nor  are  their 
notions  countenanced  by  the  Scriptures 
They  were  the  mere  common  traditioni 
of  the  Jews  and  prove  nolhintt  m  regatV 


\    D.  4  4.  I 


CHAPTKK  Xil. 


S?<3 


Tlioii  art  mad.  But  she  constantly 
affirmed  that  it  v/as  even  so.  Then 
said  they,  It  is  his  "  angel. 

16  But  Peter  continued  knock- 
ing :  and  when  they  had  opened 
(he  door,  and  saw  him,  they  were 
astonished. 

IT  But  he  beckoning*  unto  them 
vvilh  the  hard,  to  hold  their  peace, 
declared  *=  unto  them  how  the  Lord 
i.ad  brought  him  out  of  the  prison. 

aMatt.18.10.         tc.13.16,         ePs.66.16 


vo  the  truth  of  the  opinion  one  way  or 
the  other. 

16.  Were  astonished.  They  were  now 
convinced  that  it  was  Peteij»d  they 
were  amazed  that  he  had  A^Rescued. 
As  yet  they  were  of  course  ignorant  of 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  done.        j|k 

17.  But  he  beckoning,  &c.  To  pre\^B 
the  noise,  and  tumuk,  and  transport 
which  was  Hkely  to  be  produced.  His 
wish  was,  not  that  there  should  be  cla- 
morous joy,  but  that  they  sliould  listen  in 
silence  to  what  God  had  done.  It  was 
sufficient  to  awe  the  soul,  and  produce 
deep,  grateful  feeling.  A  noise  might 
evcjte  the  neighbouring  Jews,  and  pro- 
duce danger.  Bat  religion  is  calm  and 
peaceful ;  and  its  great  scenes  and  sur- 
prising deliverances  are  rather  fitted  to 
awe  the  soul,  to  produce  calm,  sober, 
and  grateful  contemplation,  than  the 
noise  of  rejoicing,  and  the  shoutings  of 
exultation.  The  consciousness  of  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  and  of  his  mighty  power, 
does  not  produce  rapturous  disorder  and 
tumult,  but  holy,  solemn,  calm,  grateful 
emotion.  IT  Go,  shew  these  things,  &c. 
Acquaint  them  that  their  prayer  is  heard, 
and  that  they  may  rejoice  also  at  the 
mercy  of  God.  "ir  Unto  James.  James  the 
son  of  XlpJieus,  commonly  called  the  Less. 
Note,  ver.  2.  Acts  i.  13.  Matt.  x.2.  "^  And 
to  the  brethren.  Particularly  to  the  other 
apostles.  IT  And  went  into  another  place. 
Probably  a  place  of  greater  safety.  Where 
he  went  is  not  known.  The  papists  pre- 
lend  that  he  went  to  Rome.  But  of  this 
there  is  no  evidence.  He  is  mentioned 
as  in  Jerusalem  again  in  ch.  xv.  The 
meaning  is  evidently  that  he  went  into 
name  place  of  retirement  till  the  dang-^r 
was  passed. 

18.  N^mall  stir.  Amazement  that  he 
had  e^Pped,  and  apprehension  of  the 
consequences.  The  punishment  which 
they  tad  reason  to  expect,  for  having  suf- 
fered his  escape,  was  death. 


And  he  said  Go,  shew  these  tilings 
unto  James,  and  to  the  brethren 
And  he  departed,  and  ^^ent  into  an- 
other place. 

18  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day 
there  was  no  small  stir  among  the 
soldiers,  what  was  become  of  Pe- 
ter. 

19  And  when  Herod  had  sought 
for  him,  and  found  him  not,  he  ex- 
amined the  keepers,  and  command - 


19.  He  examined  the  keepers.  The  sol 
diers  who  were  intrusted  with  his  custody 
Probably  only  those  wh'"  had  the  special 
care  of  him  at  that  w&ich  of  the  night. 
The  word  examine  here  means  to  inquire 
diligently,  to  make  investigation.  He 
subjected  them  to  a  rigid  scrutiny  to  as- 
certain the  manner  of  his  escape;  for  it 
is  evident  that  Herod  did  not  mean  to 
admit  the  possibility  of  a  miraculous  in- 
terposition. ^  Should  he  put  to  death.  Foi 
having  failed  to  keep  Peter.  This  punish- 
ment they  had  a  right  to  expect  for  hav- 
ing suffered  his  escape.  H  And  he  wenl 
down,  &c.  How  .soon  after  the  escape  of 
Peter  he  went  down  to  Caesarea,  or  how 
long  he  abode  there,  is  not  known.  Ca3- 
sarea  was  rising  into  magnificence,  and 
the  Roman  governors  made  it  often  theii 
abode.  Note,  Acts  viii.  40.  Comp.  Acta 
XXV.  1.  4.  This  journey  of  Herod  is  re- 
lated by  Josephus,  Antiq.  b.  xix.  ch.  viii 
$  2.  He  says  that  it  was  after  he  had 
reigned  over  all  Judea  three  years.  ^  And 
there  abode.  That  is,  till  his  death,  which 
occurred  shortly  after.  We  do  not  learn 
that  he  made  any  further  inquiry  after 
Peter,  or  that  he  attempted  any  further 
persecutions  of  the  Christians.  The  guard 
was  undoubtedly  put  to  death ;  and  thus 
Herod  used  all  his  power  to  create  the  im- 
pression that  Peter  had  escaped  by  then 
negligence ;  and  this  would  undoiibtedly 
be  believed  by  the  Jews.  See  JVlatt.xxviii, 
15.  He  might  himself  perhaps  be  convinc- 
ed, however,  that  the  escape  was  by  mi- 
racle, and  be  afrpid  to  attempt  any  furthej 
persecutions  ;  or  the  affairs  of  his  govern 
ment  might  have  called  off  his  attentiiri 
to  other  things ;  and  thus,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  "  persecution  that  arose  about  Ste- 
phen," the  political  changes  and  dangers 
might  divert  the  attention  from  putting 
Christians  to  death.  Note.  ch.  ix.  31 
Thus  by  the  providence  '^f  God  this  per 
secuti*)!!,  that  had  been  CM.nmenced,  nol 
by  popular  tumult,  but  hx  loyal  authoril\ 


18G 


i'HE  ACTJS. 


[A.  D.  44 


ed  that  ihef  should  be  put  to  death. 
And  he  wen;  down  from  Judea  to 
Cesurea,  and  there  abode. 

20  And  Herod  '  was  highly  dis- 
pleased with  them  of  Tyre  and  Si- 
don  :  but  they  came  with  one  ac- 
cord to  him,  and,  having  made 
Blastus  2  the  kincr's  chamberlain 
their  friend,  desired  peace ;  because 

1  or,  hart  an  hostile  mind,  intending  war. 
"'  That  tool  over  thi  kingh  Itd-chatnber. 

and  power,  and  that  wts  aimed  at  the 
very  pillars  of  the  church,  ceased.  Tlie 
prayers  of  the  church  prevailed  ;  and  the 
monarch  was  overcome,  disappointed, 
humbled,  and  by  divine  judgment  soon 
put  to  death 

20  And  Herod  toas  highly  displeased, 
&c.  Greek,  Bare  an  hostile  mind,  intend- 
ing war.  See  the  margin.  The  Greek 
word  (S^u;u!)/i»%a^■)  docs  not  occur  else- 
where in  the  New  Testament.  It  means 
to  meditate  war;  to  purpose  war  in  the 
mind  \  or  here  probably,  to  be  enraged 
or  angry  at  them.  What  was  the  cause 
of  this  hostihty  to  the  people  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon  is  not  mentioned,  and  conjecture  is 
useless.  It  is  not  at  all  inconsistent,  how- 
ever, with  the  well  known  character  of 
Horod.  It  was  probably  from  some  cause 
relating  to  commerce.  Tyre  and  Sidon 
were  under  the  Roman  power,  and  had 
some  shadow  of  liberty  {Grotius)\  and  it 
is  probable  that  they  might  have  eml>ar- 
rassod  Herod  in  some  ol'  his  regulations 
respe<iting  commerce.  IF  Tyre  and  Sidon. 
Note.  Matt.  xi.  21.  They  were  north  of 
Cajsarea.  IT  Thei/  came  v>ith  one  accord. 
Fearing  the  effects  of  his  anger,  they 
united  in  sending  an  embassage  to  him 
to  make  peace.  IT*  Blastus  the  kind's 
chamberlain.  See  Rom.  xvi.  23.  The 
word  chamhejrlain  denotes  an  oflicer  who 
is  charged  with  the  direction  and  manage- 
ment of  a  chamber,  or  chambers,  particu- 
larly a  bed-chamber.  It  denotes  here  a 
man  who  had  charge  of  the  bed-chamber 
of  Ilcrod.  IT  Because  their  country  was 
nourished,  &c.  Was  supplied  by  the 
territories  of  Herod.  The  country  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon  included  a  narrow  strip 
or  land  on  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Of  course  they  were  dependent  ft)r  pro- 
vision.", and  fi;r  articles  of  commerce,  on 
the  interior  connlrv;  hut  this  belonged 
V)  the  kingdom  of  Morod ;  and  as  tliey 
were  entirc'y  dependent  on  his  coiuitry, 
n  he  had  jK)wer  to  dry  up  the  sources  of 
^leir  Kiip|x»rl  and  commerce,  they  were 
he  more  orgonl  to  Hnrure  his  favour. 


their  "  country  was  nourished  by 
the  king's  country. 

21  And  upon  a  set  day,  Herod, 
arrayed  in  royal  apparel,  sat  upon 
his  throne,  and  made  an  oration  unto 
them. 

22  And  the  people  gave  a  shout, 
saying,  It  is  ^  the  voice  of  a  god,  and 
not  of  a  man. 


21.  Ajid  upon  a  set  day.  An  appointed, 
public  day.  This  was  the  second  day  of 
the  sports  and  games  which  Herod  cele- 
brated in  Caesarea  in  honour  of  Claudius 
CfEsar.  Josephus  has  given  an  account 
of  this^teurrence,  which  coincides  re- 
markara|R^i4h  the  narrative  here.  The 
account  is  contained  in  his  Antiquities  of 
^|a  Jews,  b.  xix.  ch.  viii.  ^  2,  and  is  as  fol- 
Vi^s:  "  Now  when  Agrippa  had  reigned 
three  years  over  all  Judea,  he  came  to 
the  city  Caesarea,  which  was  formerly 
called  Strato's  Tower ;  and  there  he  ex- 
hibited shows  in  honour  of  Csesar,  upon 
his  being  informed  that  there  was  a  cer 
tain  festival  celebrated  to  make  vows  foi 
his  safety.  At  which  festival  a  great 
multitude  was  gotten  together  of  the 
principal  persons,  and  such  as  were  of 
dignity  throughout  his  province.  On  the 
second  day  of  which  show.s,  he  put  on  a 
garment  made  wholly  of  silver,"  <fec. 
ir  Arrayed  in  royal  apparel.  In  the  appa 
rel  of  a  king.  Joscjihus  thus  describes 
the  dress  which  Herod  wore  on  that  oc 
casion.  "  He  put  on  a  garment  made 
wholly  of  silver,  and  of  wonderful  con- 
texture, and  early  in  the  morning  came 
into  the  theatre  [place  of  the  shows  and 
games],  at  which  time  the  silver  of  his 
garment,  being  illuminated  by  the  first  re- 
flection of  the  sun's  rays  upon  it,  shono 
after  a  surprising  manner,  and  was  so  re- 
splendent as  to  spread  a  horror  over  those 
that  looked  intently  on  him."  IT  Sat  upon 
his  throne.  This  does  not  denote  a  throne 
in  the  usual  sense  of  that  word,  but  a  high 
scat  in  the  theatre^  where  he  sat,  and  from 
whence  he  could  have  a  full  view  cf  the 
games  and  sjwrts  From  tliis  place  lie 
made  his  speech.  H  Made  an  oratinn. 
Addros.sed  the  people.  What  was  the 
Hul)ject  of  this  speech  is  not  intimated  by 
Luke  or  J>)sophus. 

22.  And  the  people  gave  a  sh<M^^  loud 
applause.  IT  It  is  the  voice  f^^^^d,  A'o. 
It  is  not  probable  that  the  Jeu^s  jouied  ir 
this  acclamation,  but  thai  it  was  made  by 
the  itiolatrons  (ieiitiles.     Jasephus  iri^'Oi 


4.  1)     15.] 


CHAPTER  Xll. 


187 


23  And  lit  mediately  tlio  angel  of 
:he  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave 
not  God  the  glory:  and  he  was  eaten 


a  similar  account  of  their  feehngs  au'l  con- 
duct.  He  says,  "  And  presently  his  flat- 
terers cried  out,  one  from  one  place,  and 
another  fiom  another  (though  not  for  his 
good),  that  he  was  a  god  ,  and  they  added. 
Be  thuu  merciful  unto  us,  for  although  we 
have  hitherrj  reverenced  thee  only  as  a 
king.yet  shall  we  henceforth  own  thee  as  a 
superior  to  mortal  nature.'  "  It  is  true 
that  Josephus  says  that  this  was  done 
when  they  saw  his  splendid  apparel,  and 
that  he  gives  no  account  of  his  address- 
ing the  people ;  while  Luke  describes  it 
as  the  etfect  of  his  speech.  But  the  dis- 
cropancy  is  of  no  consequence.  Luke  is 
as  credible  an  historian  as  Josephus ;  and 
his  account  is  more  consistent  than  that 
of  the  Jewish  historiaa  It  is  far  more 
probable  that  this  applause  and  adoration 
would  be  excited  by  a  speech,  than  simply 
by  beholding  his  apparel. 

23.  And  immediately  the  angel  of  the 
lA)rd.  Diseases  and  death  are  in  the 
Scriptures  often  attributed  to  an  angel. 
See  2  Sam.  xxiv.  16.  1  Chron.  xxi.  12.  15. 
20.  27.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  2).  It  is  not  in- 
tended that  there  was  a  miracle  m  this 
case,  but  it  certainly  is  intended  by  the 
sacred  writer,  that  his  death  was  a  divine 
judgment  on  him  for  his  receiving  homage 
as  a  god.  Josephus  says  of  him  that  he 
"  did  neither  rebuke  them  [the  people], 
nor  reject  their  impious  flattery.  A  severe 
pain  arose  in  his  belly,  and  began  in  a 
most  violent  manner.  And  when  he  was 
quite  worn  out  by  the  pain  in  his  belly 
for  five  days,  he  departed  this  life,  in  the 
fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  se- 
venth of  his  reign."  Josephus  does  not 
mention  that  it  was  done  by  an  angel, 
but  says  that  when  he  looked  up,  he  saw 
an  owl  sitting  on  a  rope  over  his  head, 
and  judging  it  to  be  an  evil  omen,  he  im- 
mediately Ijecame  melancholy,  and  was 
seized  with  the  pain.  11  Becauae  he  gave 
not  God  the  glory.  Because  he  was  will- 
mg  himself  to  receive  the  worship  due 
to  God.  It  was  the  more  sinful  in  him  as 
he  was  a  Jew,  and  was  acquainted  with 
the  true  God,  and  with  the  evils  of  idola- 
try. He  was  proud,  and  willinj:  to  be 
flattered,  and  even  adored.  He  had 
sought  their  applause  ;  he  had  arrayed 
himself  in  this  splentii  1  manner  to  excite 
their  admiration;  and  when  they  carried 
it  even  so  far  as  to  offer  divine  homage,  he 
^id  noi  reject  the  impious  flatter},  but 


of  worms,  and  g-ave  up  the  ghost. 
24  But  the  word  of  God  grew  " 
and  multiplied. 

a  Col,  1.6. 


listened  still  to  their  praises.  Hence  he 
was  judged  ;  and  God  vindicated  his  own 
insuKed  honour  by  inflicting  severe  pains 
on  him,  and  by  his  most  awful  death 
IT  And  he  was  eaten  of  worms.  The  word 
used  here  is  not  elsewhere  found  in  the 
New  Testament.  A  similar  disease  Is 
recorded  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  in  the 
Apocrypha.  2  Mac.  ix.  5,  "  But  the 
Lord  Almighty,  the  God  of  Israel  smote 
him  with  an  invisible  and  incurable 
plague,  for  a  pain  in  the  bowels  that  waa 
remediless,  came  upon  him,  and  sore  tor- 
ments of  the  inner  parts  (ver.  9),  so  that 
worms  rose  up  out  of  the  body  of  this 
wicke^  man,"  &c.  Probably  this  was 
the  disease  known  as  morbus  pedicula- 
ris.  It  is  loathsome,  offensive,  and  most 
painful.  See  the  death  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  described  in  2  Mac.  ix.  With 
this  disease  also  Herod  the  Great,  grand 
father  of  Herod  Agrippa,  died.  Josephus, 
Antiquities,  b.  xvii.  ch.  G,  $  5.  Such  a 
death,  so  painful,  sudden,  and  loathsome 
was  an  appropriate  judgment  on  the  pride 
of  Herod.  We  may  here  learn,  (1.)  That 
sudden  and  violent  deaths  are  often  an 
act  of  direct  divine  judgment  on  wicked 
men.  (2.)  That  men,  when  they  seek 
praise  and  flattery,  expose  themselves  to 
the  displeasure  of  God.  His  glory  he 
will  not  give  to  another.  (3.)  That  the 
most  proud,  and  mighty,  and  magnificent 
princes  have  no  security  of  their  lives. 
God  can  in  a  moment — even  when  they 
are  surrounded  by  their  worshippers  and 
fiatterers — touch  the  seat  of  life,  and  turn 
them  to  loathsomeness  and  putrefaction 
What  a  pitiable  being  is  a  man  of  pride 
receiving  from  his  fellow-men  that  ha 
mage  which  is  due  to  God  alone  !  See 
Isa.  xiv.  (4.)  Pride  and  vanity,  in  any  sta- 
tion of  life,  aro  hateful  in  the  sight  of 
God.  Nothing  is  more  inappropriate  to 
our  situation  as  lost,  dying  sinners,  and 
nothing  will  more  certainly  meet  the 
wrath  of  heaven.  (5.)  We  have  here  a 
strong  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the 
sacred  narrative.  In  all  essential  parti- 
culars, Luke  coincides  in  his  account  of 
the  death  of  Herod  with  Josephus.  This 
is  one  of  the  many  circumstances  which 
go  to  show  that  the  sacred  Scriptures 
were  written  at  the  time  when  they  pro- 
fessed to  be ;  and  that  they  accord  witli 
the  truth.  See  Lardnsr's  Credibility, 
part  i.  rh.  L  <i  6. 


1S>3 


THt   ACTS. 


[A   D.  4» 


•25  And  Barnabas  and  Saul  re-  i  CHAPTER  Xlll. 

turned  from  .Jerusalem  when  they}  IVOW  there  were  in  the  church 
ministry,  ■^^'^    -'-^ 


had  fulfilled  their  '  ministry,  and 
took  with  them  John,  whose  sur 
name  was  Mark. 

1  or,  charge,  c.  11.29,30. 


2-1.  But  the  word  of  God  grew,  &c. 
Great  success  attended  it.  The  persecu- 
tions had  now  ceased  ,  and  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  attempts  which  had  been 
made  to  crush  it,  still  the  church  increas- 
ed and  flourished.  The  liheration  of 
Peter  and  the  death  of  Herod  would 
contribute  to  extend  it.  It  was  a  new 
evidence  of  divine  interposition  in  be- 
half of  the  church ;  it  would  augment 
the  zeal  of  Christians ;  it  would  humble 
their  enemies;  and  fill  those  with  fear 
who  had  attempted  to  oppose  ant^  crush 
the  church  of  God. 

2.5.  Returned  from  Jerusalem.  They 
had  gone  to  Jerusalem  to  carry  alms,  and 
they  now  returned  to  Antioch.  ch.  xi.  30. 
IT  Whe7i  they  had.  fulfdled  their  ministry. 
When  they  had  accomplished  the  purpose 
for  which  they  had  been  sent  there ;  that 
IS,  to  deposite  the  alms  of  the  church  at 
Antioch,  in  the  hands  of  the  elders  of 
the  churches,  ch.  xi.  30.  IT  Johi,  whose 
surname  was  Mark.  ISote,  ver.  12. 
From  this  p-eriod  the  sacred  historian  re- 
cords chiefly  the  labours  of  Paul.  The 
labours  of  the  other  apostles  are,  after 
this,  seldom  referred  to  in  this  book  ;  and 
the  attention  is  fixed  almost  entirely  on 
the  trials  and  travels  of  the  great  apostle 
of  the  Gentiles.  His  important  labours, 
his  unwearied  eflTorts,  his  eminent  suc- 
cess, and  the  fact  that  Luke  was  his  com- 
panion, may  be  the  reasons  why  his  la- 
bours are  made  so  prominent  in  tl^e 
history.  Through  the  previous  chapters 
we  have  seen  the  church  rise  from  small 
beginnings,  until  it  was  even  now  spread- 
ing into  s'lrrounding  regions.  We  have 
seen  it  survive  two  persecutions,  com- 
/nnnced  and  conducted  with  all  the  power 
and  malice  of  Jewish  rulers.  We  have 
seen  the  most  zealous  of  the  persecutors 
converted  to  the  faith  which  he  once  de- 
ulroyed  ;  and  the  royal  persecutor  put  to 
death  by  the  divino  judgment  And  we 
lave  thus  seen  that  God  was  the  protector 
jf  the  church;  that  no  weajwn  formed 
against  it  could  prosper;  and  that,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise  of  the  Redeemer,  the 
pales  of  hell  could  not  prevail  against  it. 
In  that  God  and  Saviour,  who  then  de- 
fended the  church,  we  may  still  confide, 
tnd  mav  be  assured  that  He  who  was 


that  was  at  Antioch,  certain 
prophets  and  teachers  ;  as  Barna- 
bas, and  Simeon  tY.-J:  was   called 


then  its  friend  has  it  still  '  engraved  or 
the  palms  of  his  hands,"  and  intends  tha 
it  shall  extend  until  it  fills  the  earth  with 
light  and  salvation. 

CHAPTER  Xni. 
1.  The  church  that  was  at  Antioch 
Note,  ch.  xi.  20.  IF  Certain  prophets. 
Note,  ch.  xi.  27.  IT  And  teachers.  Teach- 
ers are  several  hmes  mentioned  in  the 
New  Testament  as  an  order  of  minis- 
ters, 1  Cor.  xii.  28,  29.  Eph.  iv.  11.  2 
Pet.  11.  1.  Their  precise  rank  and  duty 
are  not  known.  It  is  probable  that  those 
here  mentioned  as  prophets  were  the 
same  persons  as  the  teachers.  They 
might  discharge  both  offices,  predict- 
ing future  events,  and  instructing  the 
people.  II  As  Barnahas.  Barnabas  was  a 
preacher  (ch.  iv.  35,  36  ;  ix.  27 ;  xi.  22.  26) ; 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  names 
"  prophets  and  teachers"  here  simply  de- 
signate the  preachers  of  the  go.«peL 
H  Simeon  that  was  called  Niger.  Niger 
is  a  Latin  name  meaning  black.  Why 
the  name  was  given  is  not  known.  No- 
thing more  is  known  of  him  than  is  here 
mentioned.  IT  Lucius  of  Cyrene.  Gy- 
rene was  in  Africa.  Note,  Matt,  xxvii. 
32.  He  is  afterwards  mentioned  as  with 
the  aj)Ostle  Paul  when  he  wrote  the  epis- 
tle to  the  Romans.  Rom.  xvi.  21.  ^  And 
Manaen.  He  is  not  elsewhere  mentioned 
in  the  New  Testament.  ^  Which  had 
been  brought  up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch. 
Herod  Antipas,  not  Herod  Agrippa.  He- 
rod was  tetrarch  of  Galilee.  Luke  iii.  J. 
The  word  here  translated  "  which  had 
been  brought  up,"  o-uvTf  o?o?,  denotes  one 
who  is  educated  or  nourished  at  the 
same  time  with  another.  It  is  not  else- 
where used  in  the  New  Testament.  He 
might  have  been  connected  wiih  tho 
royal  family,  and  being  nearly  of  the 
same  age,  was  educated  by  the  iiither  of 
Herod  Antipas  with  him.  He  was  there- 
fore a  man  of  rank  and  education,  and 
his  conversion  shows  that  the  gospel  wa 
not  confined  entire/y  in  its  iidhience  to 
the  poor.  IT  Aurl  Saul.  Saul  was  an  apos- 
tle ;  and  yet  he  is  here  mentioned  among 
tlie  "  projihets  and  teachers."  Showing 
that  these  words  denote  ministers  of  the 
posp(l  in  general,  without  reference  l« 
any  particular  or^ler  or  rark 


A.  D.  45.  j 


CHAPTER  XIll. 


isf) 


N'iger,  and  Lucius  of  Gyrene,  and 
Manaen,  '  which  had  been  brought 
dp  with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and 
Saul. 

2  As  they  ministered  to  the 
liord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy  Ghost 

»  or  J  Herod^t  foster-brotlter. 

2.  As  they  minislered  to  the  Lord.  It  is 
probable  that  this  took  place  on  some  day 
get  apart  for  fasting  and  prayer.  The 
expression  "  ministered  to  the  Lord,"  de- 
notes as  they  wrre  engaged  in  prayer  to 
the  Lord,  or  as  t/iey  were  engaged  in  di- 
vine service  The  Syriac  thus  renders 
the  passage.  IT  Hie  Holy  Ghost  said. 
Evidently  by  diiect  revelation.  H  Separate 
me.  Set  apart  to  me,  or  for  my  service.  It 
does  not  mean  to  ordain,  but  simply  to  de- 
signate, or  appoint  to  this  specific  work. 
TT  For  the  work  whereunlo  I  have  called 
them.  Not  the  apostolic  office,  for  Saul 
was  called  to  that  by  the  express  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  (Gal.  if^).  fnd  Bar- 
nabas was  not  an  apostle.  T'he  "  work" 
to  which  they  were  now  set  apart  was 
that  of  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  re- 
gions round  about  Antioch.  It  was  not 
any  permanent  office  in  the  church,  but 
was  a  temporary  designation  to  a  mis- 
sionary enterprise  in  extending  the  gospel 
especially  through  Asia  Minor  and  the 
adjacent  regions.  Accordmgly,  when,  m 
the  fulfilment  of  this  appouitment,  they 
had  travelled  through  Seleucia,  Cyprus, 
Paphos,,PamphyHa,  Pi&idia,  &c.  they  re- 
turned to  Antioch,  having  fulfilled'  the 
work  to  which  they  were  separated. 
See  Acts  xiv  26, 27.  "H"  Whereunto  I  have 
caUed  them.  This  proves  that  they  re- 
ceived their  commission  to  this  work  di- 
rectly from  God  the  Holy  Spirit:  It  is 
possible  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  had 
been  influenced  by  the  Spirit  to  engage 
m  this  work,  but  they  were  to  be  sent 
forth  by  the  concurrence  and  designation 
of  the  church. 

3.  And  when  they  had  fasted.  They 
were  fasting  when  they  were  command- 
ed to  set  them  apart.  Yet  this  probably 
refers  to  an  appointed  day  of  prayer,  with 
reference  to  this  very  purpose.  The  first 
formal  mission  to  the  Gentiles  was  an 
important  event  in  the  church  ;  and  they 
engaged  in  this  appointment  with  deep 
Holemnitv,  and  with  humbling  themselves 
before  God.  ^  And  prayed.  This  en 
terprise  was  a  new  one.  The  gospel 
nad  been  preached  to  the  Jews,  to  Cor- 
aelius,  and  to  the  Gentiles  at  Antioch. 
But  (here  had  been  no  solemn,  and  pub- 


said,  Separate  °  me  Barnabas  and 
Saul  for  the  work  ^  wiiereunto  1 
have  called  them. 

3  And  when  they  had  fasted  and 
pra3'^ed,  and  laid  their  hands  oo 
them,  they  sent  theiii  away. 

aGa!.1.15.        6  lTim.2.7. 


he,  and  concerted  plan  of  sending  it  to 
the  Gentiles,  or  of  appointing  a  mission 
to  the  heathen.  It  was  a  new  event,  and 
was  full  of  danger  and  h  irdships.  The 
primitive  church  felt  the  need  of  divine 
direction  and  aid  in  the  great  work. 
Two  missionaries  were  to  be  sent  forth 
among  strangers,  to  be  exposed  to  perils 
by  sea  and  land ;  and  the  commence- 
ment of  the  enterprise  demanded  prayer. 
The  church  humbled  itself  and  this  pri- 
mitive missionary  society  sought,  as  all 
others  should  do,  the  divine  blessing,  to 
attend  the  labours  of  those  employed  in 
this  work.  The  result  showed  that  the 
prayer  was  heard.  IF  And  laid  their 
hands  on  them.  That  is,  those  who  are 
mentioned  in  ver.  1.  This  was  not  to 
set  them  apart  to  the  apostolic  office 
Saul  was  chosen  by  Christ  himself  and 
there  is  no  evidence  that  any  of  the  apos- 
tles were  ordained  by  the  imposition  of 
hands.  JVote,  Acts  i.  26.  Matt.  x.  1—5 
Luke  vi.  12—16.  And  Barnabas  was 
not  an  apostle  in  the  original  and  pecu- 
liar sense  of  the  word.  INor  is  it  meant 
that  this  was  an  ordination  to  the  minis- 
try, to  the  office  of  preaching  the  gospel. 
For  both  had  been  engaged  in  this  before 
Saul  received  his  commission  directly 
from  the  Saviour,  and  began  at  once  tc 
preach.  Acts  ix.  20.  Gal.  i.l  1—17.  Bar- 
nabas had  preached  at  Antioch,  and  was 
evidently  recognised  as  a  preacher  by 
the  apostles.  Acts  ix.  27 ;  xi.  22,  23.  It 
follows,  therefore,  that  this  was  not  an 
ordination  in  the  doctrinal  sense  of  this 
term,  either  Episcopal,  or  Presbyterian, 
but  was  a  designation  to  a  particu- 
lar work — a  work  of  vast  importance; 
strictly  a  missionary  appointment  by  the 
church,  under  the  authority  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  act  of  laying  hands  on  any 
person  was  practised,  not  only  in  ordina 
tion,  but  in  conferring  a  favour  ;  and  hi 
setting  apart  for  any  purpose.  See  Lev 
iii.  2.  8.  13  ;  iv.  4.  29 ;  xvi.  21.  JNum.  viii 
12.  Mark  V  23;  xvi.  18.  Matt.  xxi.  4B.  It 
means  in  this  case  that  they  appt^intcd 
them  to  a  particular  field  of  labour,  and 
by  laying  hands  on  them  they  implored 
the  blessing  of  God  to  attend  them. 
T  The.v  sent  them  away.    The  chur'?h  bf 


(90 


thp:  acts. 


[A.  D.  4b 


I  So  Ihey,  being  senl  forth  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  departed  unto  Se- 
leucia  ;  and  from  thence  they  sailed 
to  Cyprus. 

5  And  when  they  were  at  Sala- 
mis,  they  preached  the  word  of  God 
in  the  synagoo^ies  of  the  Jews :  and 
they  had  also  John  to  their  minister. 

6  And    when    they    had    gone 

ita  teachers  sent  them  forth  under 
the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  All 
missionaries  are  thus  sent  by  the  church ; 
and  the  church  should  not  forget  its 
ambassadors  in  their  great  and  perilous 
work. 

4.  Being  .sent  forth,  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Having  been  called  to  "this  work  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  being  under  his  direc- 
tion. IT  Departed  unto  Seleucia.  This  city 
was  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Orontes,  where  it  falls  into  the  Mediter- 
ranean. Anlioch  was  also  built  on  this 
rive',  some  distance  from  its  mouth. 
H  They  sailed  to  Cyprus.  An  island  in 
the  Mediterranean,  not  far  from  Seleucia. 
Note,  ch.  iv.  36. 

5.  And  when  they  were  at  Salamis.  This 
was  the  principal  city  and  senport  of  Cy- 
prus. It  was  situated  on  the  southeast 
part  of  the  island,  and  was  afterwards 
called  Constantia.  IT  In  the  synagogues 
of  the  Jews.  Jews  were  living  in  all  the 
countries  adjacent  to  Judea;  and  in  those 
countries  they  had  synagogues.  The  apos- 
tles uniformly  preached  first  to  them. 
IT  And  they  had  also  John  to  their  minister. 
John  Mark.  ch.  xii.  12.  He  was  their  at- 
tendant; he  was  with  them  as  a  compa- 
nion, yet  not  pretending  to  be  equal  to 
them  in  ofUce.  They  had  been  specifically 
designated  to  this  work.  He  was  with 
them  as  their  friend  and  travelling  com- 
panion ;  perhaps  also  employed  in  making 
the  needful  arrangemenLs  for  their  com- 
fort, and  for  the  supply  of  their  wants  in 
their  travels. 

6.  And  when  they  had  gone  through  the 
isle.  The  length  of  the  island,  according 
to  Strabo,  was  one  thousand  and  four  hun- 
dred stadia,  or  nearly  one  hundred  and 
seventy  miles.  IT  Unto  Paphos.  Paphos 
was  a  city  at  the  wnslern  extremity  of  the 
Island.  It  was  the  residence  of  the  pro- 
corynl,  and  was  distinguished  for  a  splen- 
did temple  erected  to  Venus,  who  was 
worshipped  throughout  the  island.  Cy- 
prus w:is  fal)l(Ml  to  bo  the  place  of  the 
birth  of  this  go«l<less.  It  had,  besides- Pa- 
phot*  and  Salamis,  several  towns  of  note — 
Uiliura,  the  birth-placo  of  Zcno ;  Amathu8, 


through  the  isle  unto  Paph(;s,  thcj 
found  a  certain  sorcerer,  a  false 
prophet,  a  Jew,  whose  name  woa 
Bar-jesus  : 

7  Which  was  with  the  depnty 
of  the  country,  Sergius  Paulus,  a 
prudent  man  ;  who  called  for  Bar- 
nabas and  Saul,  and  desired  to  he*i 
the  word  of  God. 


sacred  to  Venus,  &c.  Its  present  capital 
is  Nicosia.  Whether  Paul  preached  at 
any  of  these  places  is  not  recorded.  The 
island  is  supposed  formerly  to  have  had  o 
million  of  inhabitants.  11  A  certain  sor- 
cerer. Greek,  Magus,  or  magician.  See 
Note,  ch.  viii.  9.  ^  A  false  prophet.  Pre- 
tending to  be  endowed  with  the  gift  of 
prophecy  ;  or  a  man,  probably,  who  pre- 
tended to  be  inspired.  IT  Bar-jesus.  The 
word  Bar  is  Syriac,  and  means  son.  Je- 
sus, or  Joshua,  was  not  an  uncommon 
name  among  the  Jews.  The  name  was 
given  from  IHs  father — son  of  Jesus,  or 
Joshua  ;   as  Bar-jonas,  son  of  Jonas. 

7.  Which  was  with  the  deputy.  Or  with 
the  proconsul.  Cyprus  was  at  this  time 
subject  to  the  Roman  empire,  and  was 
governed  by  a  proconsul  appointed  bv  the 
emperor.  The  provinces  subject  to  l^ome 
were  governed  by  persons  who  held  their 
oQice  originally  from  the  consul,  or  chief 
magistrate  of  the  Roman  republic.  Men 
of  the  rank  of  senators  were  usually  ap- 
pointed to  these  offices.  See  on  this  sub- 
ject Lardner's  Credibility,  parti.  ch.i.$  11, 
where  he  has  fully  vindicated  the  accu- 
racy of  the  appellation  which  is  here  given 
to  Sergius  by  Ltdte.  H  Sergius  Paulus, 
a  prudent  man.  The  word  here  rendered 
prudent  me.'ins  intelligent,  wise,  learned. 
It  also  may  have  the  sense  of  candid,  and 
may  have  been  given  to  this  man  because 
he  was  of  large  and  liberal  views,  of  a 
philosophic  and  inquiring  turn  of  mind, 
and  was  willing  to  obtain  knowledge  from 
any  source.  Hence  he  had  entertained 
the  Jews;  and  hence  he  was  willing  alsc 
to  listen  to  Barnabas  and  Saul.  It  is  not 
often  that  men  in  office,  and  rnen  of  rank, 
are  thus  willing  to  listen  to  the  instruc 
tions  of  the  profcssci  ministers  ol  God. 
IT  Who  called  for  Barnabas  and  Saul.  It 
is  probable  that  they  had  preached  in 
Paphos,  and  Sergius  was  desirous  him 
self"  of  hearing  the  import  of  their  new 
doctrine.  H  And  desired  to  hear,  &.C 
There  is  no  evi<lenre  that  he  then  wished 
to  listen  to  this  as  divine  truth,  or  that  he 
was  anxious  about  his  own  salvation,  but 
rather  as  i  speculative  inquiry.    It  was  8 


A..  1).  45] 


CHAPTER  XIll. 


191 


8  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer  (for 
so  is  his  name  by  interpretation) 
*  withstood  them,  seeking-  to  turn 
^way  the  deputy  from  the  faith. 

^  Then  Saul  (who  also  is  called 

a  2Tiin.3.8. 

or  )fessed  characteristic  of  many  ancient 
philosophers  to  be  willing  to  receive  in- 
struction from  any  quarter.  Comp.  Acts 
s1^  19,20. 

8;  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer,  for  so  is  his 
name  by  interpretation.  Elymas  the  ma- 
gician. Elymas  is  the  interpretation,  not 
of  the  name  Bar-jesu?,  but  of  the  word 
rendered  the  sorcerer.  It  is  an  Arabic 
»\ord,  and  means  the  same  as  Magus.  It 
seems  that  he  was  better  known  by  this 
foreign  name  than  by  his  own.  H  With- 
stood them.  Resisted  them.  He  was  sen- 
sible that  if  the  influence  of  Saul  and 
Barnabas  should  be  extended  over  the 
proconsul,  that  he  would  be  seen  to  be  an 
impostor,  and  his  power  be  at  an  end.  His 
interest,  therefore,  led  him  to  oppose  the 
gospel.  His  own  popularity  was  at  stake  ; 
and  being  governed  by  this,  he  opposed 
the  gospel  of  God.  The  love  of  popularity 
and  power,  the  desire  of  retaining  some 
political  influence,  is  often  a  strong  rea- 
son why  men  oppose  the  gospel.  ^  To 
turn  away  the  deputy  from  th''  faith.  To 
prevent  tlie  influence  of  the  truth  on  his 
mind ;  or  to  prevent  his  becoming  the 
friend  and  patron  of  the  Christians. 

9.  Then  Saul  {who  is  also  called  Paul). 
This  is  the  last  time  that  this  apostle  is 
called  Saul.  Henceforward  he  is  desig- 
nated by  the  title  by  which  he  is  usually 
Known,'  as  Paul  When,  or  whv,  this 
change  occurred  in  the  name,  has  been  a 
subject  on  which  commentators  are  not 
agreed.  From  the  fact  that  the  change 
in  the  name  is  here  first  intimated,  it 
would  seem  probable  that  it  was  first  used 
irx  relation  to  him  at  this  time.  By  whom 
the  name  was  given  him — whether  he 
issumed  it  himself  or  w'hether  it  was  first 
given  him  by  Christians  or  by  Romans — is 
not  intimated.  The  name  is  of  Roman 
origin.  In  the  Latin  language  the  name 
Paulus  signifies  little,  dwarfish  ;  and  some 
have  conjectured  that  it  was  given  by  his 
parents  to  denote  that  he  was  small  when 
bom ;  others,  that  it  was  assumed  or  con- 
ferred in  subsequent  years  because  he 
was  little  in  stature.  The  name  is  not  of 
the  same  signification  as  the  name  Saul. 
This  signifies  one  that  is  asked,  or  desired. 
After  all  the  conjectures  on  this  subject. 
It  is  probable,  (1.)  That  this  name  was 
first  usen    ere ;  for  before  this,  even  after 


Paul),  filled  with  tie  Holy  Ghost 
set  his  eyes  on  him, 

10  And  said,  O  full  of  all  subtiltj 
and  all  xnischief,  thou  child  of  the 
devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteous- 


his  conversion,  he  is  uniformly  called 
Saul.  (2.)  That  it  was  given  by  the  Ro- 
mans, as  being  a  name  with  which  they 
were  more  familiar,  and  one  that  was 
more  consonant  with  their  language  and 
pronunciation.  It  was  made  by  the  change 
of  a  sing'e  letter;  and  probably  because  the 
name  Paul  wa.s  common  among  them,  and 
pronounced  perhaps  with  greater  facilitj 
(3.)  Paul  suffered  himself  to  be  called  by 
this  name,  as  he  was  employed  chiefly 
among  the  Gentiles.  It  was  common  for 
names  to  undergo  changes  quite  as  great 
as  this,  without  our  being  able  to  spei  ify 
any  particular  cause,  in  passing  from  oiie 
language  to  another.  Thus  the  Hebrew 
name  Jochanan  among  the  Greeks  and 
La':ins  was  Johannes,  with  the  French  it 
is  Jean,  with  the  Dutch  Hans,  and  with 
us  John.  {Ddddndgc.)  Thus  Onias  be- 
comes Menelaus;  Hillel,  Pollio ;  Jakim 
Alcimus;  Silas,  Silvanus,  &c.  {Grotius. 
IT  Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Inspired  to 
detect  his  sin;  to  denounce  divine  judg- 
ment; and  to  inflict  punishment  on  him. 
Note,  ch.  ii.  4.  IT  Set  his  eyes  on  him 
Looked  at  him  intently. 

]  0.  O  full  of  all  subtilty  and  mischief. 
The  word  subtilty  denotes  deceit  and 
fraud ;  and  implies  that  he  was  practising 
an  imposition,  and  that  he  knew  it.  The 
word  rendered  mischief  CexSizv^ylxg)  de- 
notes properly/ac;7i7^  of  acting,  and  then 
slight  of  hand ;  sly,  cunning  arts,  by  which 
one  imposes  on  another,  and  deceives  hira 
with  a  fraudulent  intention.  It  is  not 
elsewhere  used  in  the  New  Testament 
The  art  of  Elymas  consisted  probably  in 
slight  of  hand,  legerdemain,  or  trick,  aid- 
ed by  skill  in  the  abstruse  sciences,  by 
which  the  ignorant  might  be  easily  im- 
posed on.  See  Note,  ch.  viii.  9.  H  Child 
of  the  devil.  Being  under  his  influence ; 
practising  his  arts ;  promoting  his  designs 
by  deceit  and  imposture,  so  that  he  may 
be  called  your  father.  Note,  John  viii.  44. 
Satan  is  here  represented  as  the  author 
of  deceit,  and  the  father  of  lies.  IT  Ene- 
my of  all  righteousness.  Practising  deceit 
and  iniquity,  and  thus  opposed  to  right- 
eousness and  honesty.  A  man  who  liVef 
by  wickedness  will,  of  course,  be  the  f(re 
of  every  form  of  integrity.  A  man  who 
lives  by  fraud  will  be  opposed  to  the 
truth ;  a  pandnr  to  the  vices  cf  men  wV 


f92 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  I).  ^5 


ness,  wiit  thou  not  cease  to  pervert 
the  rio^ht  ways  of  the  Lord  1 

1 1  And  now,  behold,  the  hard  of 
tlie  Lord  is  upon  thee,  and  thou 
ehalt  be  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun 

hate  the  rules  of  chastity  and  purity;  a 
manufacturer  or  vender  of  ardent  spirits 
\vill  be  the  enemy  of  temperance  socie- 
ties. ^  \V iU  thou  not  cease  to  pervert.  In 
what  way  he  had  opposed  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas is  not  known.  Probably  it  might 
h=e  by  misrepresenling  their  doctrines ;  by 
representing  them  as  apostate  Jews  ;  and 
thus  by  retarding  or  hindering  the  pro- 
t^ress  of  the  gospel.  The  expression  "  wilt 
thou  vol  cease''  implies  that  he  had  been 
engaged  sedulously  in  doing  this,  proba- 
bly from  the  commencement  of  their 
work  in  the  city.  IT  The  right  ways  of 
the  Lord.  The  straight  paths,  or  doctrines 
of  the  Christian  religion,  in  opposition  to 
the  crooked  and  perverse  arts  of  deceivers 
and  impostors.  Straight  paths  denote  in- 
tegrity, sincerity,  truth.  Jer.  xxxi.  9.  Heb. 
Kii.  13.  Comp.  Isa.  xl.  3,  4  ;  xiii.  16. 
Luke  iii.  5.  Crooked  ways  denote  the 
ways  of  the  sinner,  the  deceiver,  the  im- 
postor. Deut.  xxxii.  5.  Fs.  cxxv.  5.  Prov. 
ii.  15.  Isa.  lix.8.  Phil.  ii.  15. 

11.  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee. 
God  shall  punish  thee.  By  this  sudden 
and  miraculous  punishment,  he  would  be 
awed  and  humbled ;  and  the  proconsul 
and  others  would  be  convinced  that  he 
was  an  impostor,  and  that  the  gospel  was 
true.  His  wickedness  deserved  such  a 
punishment ;  and  at  the  same  time  that 
due  punishment  was  inflicted,  it  was  de- 
signed that  the  gospel  should  be  extended 
by  this  means.  In  all  this  there  was  the 
highest  evidence  that  Paul  was  under  the 
inspiration  of  God.  He  was  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  he  detected  the  secret  feel- 
ings and  desires  of  ihe  heart  of  Elymas: 
and  he  inflicted  on  him  a  punishment  that 
could  have  proceeded  from  none  but  God. 
That  the  apostles  had  the  power  of  in- 
flicting punishment  in  many  cases,  is  ap- 
parent from  various  places  in  the  New 
Testament.  1  Cor.  v.  5.  1  Tim.  i.  20.  The 
puniMiment  inflicted  on  Elymas,  also, 
would  be  highly  emblematic  of  the  dark- 
ness and  perverseness  of  his  conduct. 
IT  :tot  seeing  (he  sun  for  <i  season.  For 
how  long  a  time  this  blindness  was  to 
continue,  is  nowhere  specifier'  It  was 
however  in  mercy  ordained  mat  the 
blindness  shf)uld  not  be  permanent  and 
final  Nothing  would  be  more  likely  to 
lead  him  to  reflection  nnd  re|)entance 
ii"»ui  such   a  elate  of  bliidnens.     It  was 


for  a  season.  And  immediately 
there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a 
darkness  ;  and  he  went  about,  seek 
ing  some  to  lead  him  by  the  hand. 
12  Then  the  deputy,  when  he 


such  a  manifest  proof  that  God  was  op- 
posed to  him;  it  was  such  a  sudden  di- 
vine judgment;  and  it  so  completely  cut 
him  off  from  all  possibility  of  practifiinp 
his  arts  of  deception,  that  it  was  adai^d 
to  bring  him  to  repentance.  Acconiingly 
tliere  is  a  tradition  in  the  early  church 
that  he  became  a  Christian.  Origen  says, 
that  '.'  Paul,  by  a  word  striking  him  blinrj, 
by  anguish  converted  him  to  godliness." 
(Clark.)  U  A  mist.  The  word  here  used 
properly  denotes  a  darkness  or  obscurity 
of  the  air;  a  cloud,  &c.  But  it  also  de- 
notes an  extinction  of  sight  by  the  drying 
up  or  disturbance  of  the  humours  of  the 
eye.  (Hippocrates,  as  quoted  by  iSchleus- 
ner.)  %  And  darkness.  Blindness ;  night 
What  was  the  precise  cause  or  character 
of  this  miracle  is  not  specified.  IT  And  he 
wejit  about,  &c.  This  is  a  striking  account 
of  the  effect  of  the  miracle.  The  chang*" 
was  so  sudden  that  he  knew  not  where 
to  go.  He  sought  some  one  to  guide  him 
in  the  ways  in  which  he  had  before  been 
familiar. — How  soon  can  God  bringdown 
the  pride  of  man,  and  make  him  helpless 
as  an  infant!  How  easily  can  he  touch 
our  senses,  the  organs  of  our  most  exqui 
site  pleasures,  and  wither  all  our  enjoy- 
ments I  How  dependent  are  we  on  him 
for  the  inestimable  blessings  of  vision' 
And  how  easily  can  he  annihilate  all  the 
sinner's  pleasures,  break  up  all  his  plans, 
and  humble  him  in  the  dust!  Sight  is 
his  gift;  and  it  is  a  mercy  unspeakably 
great  that  he  does  not  whelm  us  in  thick 
darkness,  and  destroy  for  ever  all  the 
pleasure  that  through  this  organ  is  con 
veyed  to  the  soul. 

12.  Then  the  deputy ..  ..bclievrd.  Was 
convinced  that  Elymas  was  an  impostor, 
and  that  the  doctrine  of  Paul  was  true. 
There  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  that  his 
faith  was  that  which  is  connected  with 
eternal  life;  and  if  so,  it  is  an  evidence 
that  the  gospel  was  not  always  confined 
to  the  poor,  and  to  the  obscure  ranks  of 
life.  ^  At  the  doctrine  (f  the  Lord  The 
word  doctrme  here  seems  to  denote,  not 
the  teaching  or  instruction,  but  the  won- 
derful eflfccts  which  were  connected  with 
the  doctrine.  It  was  particularly  the  mi. 
racle  with  which  ho  was  astonished  ;  but 
he  might  have  been  also  deeply  impressed 
and  amazed  at  the  purity  and  sublimity 
of  the  truths  which  were  now  expandM 


A..  D.  45.  J 


OlIAPTEU  Xlll. 


lyj 


saw  what  "W  as  done,  believed,  being- 
astonished  atthe  doctrine  of  theLord. 
13  Now  when  Paul  and  his 
company  loosed  from  Paphos,.they 
came  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia;  and 
John  departing  "  from  them,  return- 
ed to  Jerusalem. 

14  But  wh,en  they  departed  from 
Perga,  they  came  to  Antioch  in  Pi- 
eidia,  and  went  into  the  synagogue  '' 
an  the  Sabbath-day,  and  sat  down. 

oc. 15.38.        fcc.18.4. 


iO  his  view.     We  learn  nothing  further 
respecting  him  in  the  New  Testament. 

13.  Paul  and  his  company.  Those  with 
him — Barnabas  and  John — and  perhaps 
others  who  had  been  converted  at  Paphos; 
for  it  was  common  for  many  of  the  con- 
verts to  Christianity  to  attend  on  the  apos- 
l!es  in  their  travels.  See,  ch.  ix.  30. 
IT  Loosed  from  Paphos.  Departed  from 
Paphos.  ^  They  came  io  Perga  and  Pam- 
phylia. Pamphylia  was  a  province  of 
Asia  Minor,  lying  over-against  Cyprus, 
having  Cilicia  east,  Lycia  west,  Pisidia 
lorth,  and  the  Mediterranean  south. 
Perga  was  the  metropolis  of  Pamphylia, 
md  v^as  situated,  not  on  the  seacoast,  but 
on  the  river  Cestus,  at  some  distance  from 
Its  mouth.  There  was  on  a  mountain 
near  it  a  celebrated  temple  of  Diana. 
IF  And  John  departing  from  (hem,  &c. 
Why  he  departed  from  them  is  unknown. 
It  might  have  been  from  fear  of  danger  ; 
or  from  alarm  in  travelling  so  far  into 
unknown  regions.  But  it  is  plain  from 
ch.  XV.  38,  that  it  was  from  some  cause 
which  was  deemed  blameworthy,  and 
that  his  conduct  now  was  such  as  to 
make  Paul  unwilling  again  to  have  him 
as  a  companion. 

14.  They  came  to  Antioch  in  Pisidia. 
Pisidia  was  a  proj^mce  of  Asia  Minor, 
and  was  situated'^St'th  of  Pamphylia. 
A.ntioch  was  not  in  Pisidia,  but  within 
the  limits  of  Phrygia  ;  but  it  belonged  to 
Pisidia,  and  was  called  Antioch  of  Pisi- 
dia to  distinguish  it  from  Antioch  in  Sy- 
ria. ^  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  5.  27.  Strabo,  12. 
p.  577.  {Ruinoel.  Robinson's  Calmet.) 
IT  Went  into  the  synagogue.  Though  Paul 
and  Barnabas  were  on  a  special  mission 
to  the  Gentiles,  yet  they  availed  them- 
selves of  every  c-pportunity  to  offer  the 
gispel  to  the  Jews  first. 

15.  And  after  the  reading  of  the  law 
ind  the  prophets.  See  P<fote,  Luke  iv.  16. 
^  The  rulers  of  the  synagogue.  These 
were  persons  w  ho  had  the  general  charge 
)f  the  synagogue  and  its  service,  tc  ke«p 


15  And  after  tlie  reading  ot 
the  law  and  the  prophets,  the  ru- 
lers of  the  synagogue  sent  unto 
them,  saying,  Ye  men  and  bjethren, 
if  ye  have  any  word  '^  of  exhorta 
tion  for  the  people,  say  on. 

16  Then  Paul  stood  up,  and 
beckoning  with  his  hand,  said.  Men 
of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God, 
give  audience. 

17  The    God  of  this  people  of 

cver.27.        d  Heb.  13.22. 

every  thing  in  order,  and  to  direct  tke  af- 
fairs of  public  worship.  They  designat- 
ed the  individuals  who  were  to  read  the 
law ;  and  called  on  those  whom  they 
pleased  to  address  the  people,  and  had 
the  power  also  of  inflicting  punishment, 
and  of  excommunicating,  &e.  {Schleusner.) 
Mark  v.  22.  3d,  36.  38.  Luke  viii.  49 ; 
xiii.  14.  Acts  xviii.  8.  17.  Seeing  that 
Paul  and  Barnabas  were  Jews,  though 
strangers,  they  sent  to  them,  supposing  it 
probable  that -they  would  wish  to  address 
their  brethren.  IT  Men  and  brethren.  An 
affectionate  manner  of  commencing  a 
discourse,  recognising  them  as  their  own 
countr}'men,  and  as  originally  of  the 
same  religion.     IT  Say  on.  Greek,  Speak. 

16.  Men  of  Israel.  Jews.  The  design  of 
this  discourse  of  Paul  was  to  introduce  to 
them  the  doctrine  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah. To  do  this,  he  evinced  his  usual 
wisdom  and  address.  To  have  com- 
menced at  ojice  on  this  would  have  pro- 
bably excited  their  prejudice  and  rage. 
He,  therefore,  pursued  a  train  of  argu- 
ment which  showed  that  he  was  a  firm 
believer  in  the  Scriptures ;  that  he  was 
acquainted  with  the  history  and  promises 
of  the  Old  Testament ;  and  that  he  was 
not  disposed  to  call  in  question  the  doc- 
trines of  their  fathers.  The  passage 
which  had  been  read,  perhaps  Deut.  i 
had  probably  given  occasion  for  him  to 
pursue  this  train  of  thought.  By  going 
over,  in  a  summary  way,  their  history 
and  recounting  the  former  dealings  of 
God  with  them,  he  showed  them  that  he 
believed  the  Scriptures ;  that  a  promise 
had  been  given  of  a  Messiah  ;  and  that 
he  had  actually  come  according  to  the 
promise.  IT  Ye  that  fear  God.  Probably 
proselytes  of  the  gate,  who  had  not  yet 
been  circumcised,  but  who  had  re- 
nounced idolatry,  and  were  accustomed 
to  worship  with  them  in  their  synagogues. 
IT  Give  audience.     Hear. 

17.  The  God  of  this  people.  Who  has 
manifested  himself  as  the  pecuiYar  friend 


194 


THE  A(rrs. 


(A.  D.  4& 


Israel  chose  our  fathers,  "  and  ex- 
alted the  j)eo|)le  when  they  dwelt  ^ 
as  strangers  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  with  an  high  '  arm  brought  he 
them  out  of  it. 

18  Ajid  about  the  time  of  forty 

a  De.7.6,7.         i  Ps.l0aJ23.         c  Ei.13.14,16.    • 
dEi.16.35.     1  jT^oa-o~o^>l(r£i',  perhaps  for  «TfO - 
fi^sfvis-iVj  bor',,  Ciffrdthevi,  a$  a  nurte  teareth,  or 


and  protector  of  ihis  nation.  This  im- 
plied a  belief  that  ho  had  been  particu- 
larly their  tied ;  a  favourite  doctrine  of 
the^Jews,  and  one  that  would  conciliate 
their  favour  towards  Paul.  II  Of  Israel. 
The  Jews.  IF  Chose  our  fathers.  Select- 
ed the  nation  to  be  a  chosen  and  pecu- 
liar people  to  himself  Deut.  vii.  6,  7. 
H  And  exalted  the  people.  Kaised  them 
up  from  a  low  and  depressed  state  of 
bondage.  He  elevated  them  from  a 
}>rostrate  state  of  slavery  to  freedom,  and 
to  peculiar  privdeges  as  a  nation. 
^  When  they  dwell  as  strangers  in  Egypt. 
sv  Tj)  77 xc'uxia.  This  properly  refers  to 
their  dwelling  there  as  foreigners.  They 
were  always  strangers  there  in  a  strange 
land.  It  was  not  their  home.  Tliey 
never  mingled  with  the  people;  never 
became  constituent  parts  of  the  govern- 
ment ;  never  united  with  their  usages 
and  laws.  They  were  a  strange,  se- 
parate, depressed  people  there;  not 
less  so  than  Africans  are  strangers,  and 
foreigners,  and  a  depressed  and  degraded 
people  in  this  land.  Gen.  xxxvi.  7.  Kx. 
vi.  4  ;  xxii.  21  ;  xxiii.  0.  Lev.  xiv.  34. 
Deut.  X.  19.  ^  And  with  an  high  arm. 
This  expression  denotes  great  power. 
The  arm  denotes  strength,  as  that  ijy 
which  we  perform  any  thing.  A  high 
arm,  an  arm  lifted  up,  or  stretched  out, 
denotes  that  strength  exerted  to  the  ut- 
most. The  children  of  Israel  are  repre- 
Honted  as  having  been  delivered  with  an 
"  outstretched  arm."  Deut.  xxvi.  8.  Ex. 
vi.  0.  "  With  a  strong  hand."  Ex.  vi.  1. 
Kefercnce  is  made  in  these  places  to  the 
plagues  ir.flicted  on  Egypt,  by  which  the 
iHraclitcH  were  delivered  ;  to  their  pas- 
ftnge  through  the  Red  Sea;  to  their  vic- 
tories over  llieir  enemies,  Arc. 

IH.  And  aluntl  the  lime  of  fort  if  years. 
They  were  this  time  going  from  Egypt  to 
the  land  of  Canaan.  Ex.  xvi.  Sfi.  Num 
xxxiii.  33.  IT  Suffered  he  ihrir  manners. 
'I'bis  passage  has  bi'cn  very  variously 
rendered.  See  the  margin.  Syriac,  "  He 
iioiirishcJ,  th(:m,"  iVic.  Arabic;,  "  He 
blessed  them,  and  n<»uri.she(l  them,"  A'c. 
T'lie   word  is  not  eLsowhore  iwed  in  the 


^  years  anffered  '  he  iJieir  manners 
in  the  wilderness. 

19  And  when  he  had  destroy ea 
seven  nations  in  the  land  of  Oha^ 
naan  f  he   divided   their   land    t* 
them  by  lot. 

fttdelh  her  child.  De.1.31,  according  to  tbe  LXX*  utd  M 
Chrysostom. 

eDe.7.1.       /■Jos.l4,&u 


New  Testament  The  word  prcperly 
means  to  tolerate,  or  endure  the  condtict 
of  any  one,  implying  that  that  conduct  is 
evil,  and  tends  to  provoke  to  punishment 
This  is  doubtless  its  meaning  here.  Pro- 
bably Paul,  referred  to  the  passage  in 
Deut.  i.  31.  "The  Lord  thy  God  bare 
thee."  But  instead  of  this  word,  iTf07ro^6f)i. 
<j-cv  manyMSS.  read  irfoeo?3f>io-«v,  he  sus- 
tained or  nourished.  This  reading  was 
followed  by  the  Syriac,  Arabic,  and  has 
been  admitted  by  Griesbach  into  the  text. 
This  is  also  found  in  the  Septuagint,  in 
Deut.  i.  31,  which  place  Paul  douDtless 
referred  to.  This  would  well  suit  the 
connexion  of  the  passage  ;  and  a  change 
of  a  single  letter  might  easily  have  oc- 
curred in  a  MS.  It  adds  to  the  probabi- 
lity that  this  is  the  true  reading,  that  it 
accords  with  Deut.  i.  31.  Num.  xi.  12. 
Deut.  xxxii.  10.  It  is  furthermore  not 
probable  that  Paul  would  have  com- 
menced a  discourse  by  reminding  them 
of  the  obstinacy  and  wickedne.ss  of  the 
nation.  Such  a  course  would  rather 
tend  to  exasperate  than  to  conciliate  ;  but  ' 
by  reminding  them  of  the  mercies  of  (^chI 
to  them,  and  showing  them  that  God  had 
been  their  protector,  he  was  better  fitting 
them  for  his  main  purpose — that  of  show- 
ing them  the  kindness  of  the  God  of  their 
fathers,  iu  sending  to  them  a  Saviour. 
IT  In  the  v)ilderness.  The  desert  through 
which  they  passe(hjp  going  from  Egypt 
to  (Canaan. 

19.  And  when  he  had  destroyed.  Sub 
dued;  cast  out;  or  extirpated  <';.i  nations.- 
It  does  not  mean  that  all  were  put  to 
death,  for  many  of  them  were  lef\  in  the 
land  ;  l)ut  that  they  were  subdired  a» 
nations,  they  were  bn)keM  up  and  over 
come.  Deut.  vii.  1.  "And  hath  cnsl  otJt 
many  natiniiH  before  them,"  Arc.  If  Seven 
nations.  The  Hittites,  the  GirgaBhitet 
the  Amorites,  the  Canaanites,  the  Perri- 
zites,  the  Hivites,  and  the  JebusitcB 
Det.t  vii.  1.  Josh.  iii.  10.  Neh.  ix.  8 
U  In  the  hind  if  Canaan.  The  whole 
land  was  called  by  the  name  of  one  of 
tiin  principal  nations.  This  was  the  pro 
mixed    land  ;  the   hol\'   land.  »SiC.      ^  lit 


\.  i).  45.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


195 


20  And  after  that,  he  ^rave  unto 
them  judges,  <*  about  the  space  of 
four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  until 
f!>amuel  the  prophet. 

a  Judg.2.16.  b  lSam.8.5.  c  ISam.lO.I. 

divided,  &c.  See  an  accouKt  of  this  in 
Josh.  xiv.  XV.  The  lot  was  often  used 
Eimong  the  Jews  to  determine  important 
questions.     Note,  ch.  i.  26. 

20.  He  gave  unto  them  judges.  Men 
who  were  raised  up  in  an  extraordinary 
manner  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the 
nation,  to  defend  it  from  enemies,  &c. 
See  Judg  ii.  16.  IF  About  the  space  of 
four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  This  is  a 
most  ditficult  passagcand  has  exercised 
all  the  ingenuUy  of  chronologists.  The 
ancient  versions  agree  with  the  present 
Greek  text.  The  difficulty  has  been  to 
reconcile  it  with  what  is  said  in  1  Kings 
vi.  1,  "  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  four 
hundred  and  eightieth  year  after  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  were  come  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  in  the  fourth  year  of  Solomon's 

reign  over  Israel he  began  to  build 

the  house  of  the  Lord."  Now  if  to  the 
forty  years  that  the  children  of  Israel  were 
m  the  wilderness,  there  be  added  the  four 
hundred  and  fifty  said  in  Acts  to  have 
been  passed  under  the  administration  of 
the  judges,  and  about  seventeen  years  of 
the  time  of  Joshua,  forty  for  Samuel  and 
the  reign  of  Saul  together,  and  forty  for 
the  reign  of  David,  and  three  of  Solomon 
before  he  began  to  build  the  temple,  the 
sum  will  be  five  hundred  and  ninety 
years,  a  period  greater  by  one  hundred 
and  ten  years  than  that  mentioned  in 
1  Kings  vi.  1.  Various  ways  have  been 
proposed  to  meet  the  difficulty.  Dod- 
dridge renders  it,  "After  these  transac- 
lions,[which  lasted]  four  hundred  and  fifty 
years,  he  gave  them  a  series  of  judges," 
&c.,  reckoning  from  the  birth  of  Isaac, 
and  supposing  that  Paul  meant  to  refer  to 
this  whole  time.  But  to  this  there  are 
serious  objections.  (1.)  It  is  a  forced  and 
constrained  interpretation,  and  one  mani- 
festly made  to  meet  a  difficulty.  (2.)  There 
is  no  propriety  in  commencing  this  period 
at  the  birth  of  Isaac.  That  was  in  no 
manner  remarkable,  so  far  as  Paul's  nar- 
rative was  concerned  ;  and  Paul  had  not 
even  referred  to  it.  This  same  solution  is 
offered  also  by  Calovius,  Mill,  and  Lud 
De  Dieu.  Luther  and  Beza  think  it  should 
he  read  three  hundred,  instead  of  four 
hundred.  But  this  is  a  mere  conjecture, 
without  any  authority  from  MSS.  Vitrin- 
pa  and  some  others  suppo.se  that  the  text 
b'ia  been  corraptoJ  b/  some  tran.sci'iber, 


21  And  afterward  they  '-  desired 
a  king;  and  God  gave  unto  thera 
Saul "  the  son  of  Cis,  a  men  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin,  by  the  space  of 
forty  years. 


who  has  inserted  this  without  authority. 
But  there  is  no  evidence  of  this ;  and  the 
MSS.  and  ancient  versions  are  uniform 
None  of  these  explanations  are  satisfac« 
tory.  In  the  solution  of  the  difficulty  we 
may  remark,  (1.)  That  nothing  is  more 
perplexing  than  the  chronology  of  ancient 
facts.  The  difficulty  is  found  in  all  writ- 
ings; in  profane  as  well  as  sacred.  Mis- 
takes are  so  easily  made  in  transcribing 
numbers  where  tetters  are  used  instead 
of  writing  the  words  at  length,  that  we 
are  not  to  wonder  at  such  errors.  (2.)  Paul 
would  naturally  use  the  chronology  which 
was  in  current,  common  use  among  the 
Jews.  It  was  not  his  business  to  settle 
such  points ;  but  he  would  speak  of  them 
as  they  were  usually  spoken  of  and  refer 
to  them  as  others  did  (3.)  There  is  rea- 
son to  believe  that  that  wMch  is  here 
mentioned  was  the  common  chronology 
of  his  time  ^  It  accords  remarkably  with 
that  which  is  used  by  Josephus.  Thus 
Antiq.  b.  vii.  ch.  iii.  §  1,  Josephus  says  ex 
pressly  that  Solomon  "  began  to  build  the 
temple  in  the  fourth  year  of  his  reign, 
five  hundred  and  ninety-two  years  after  the 
Exodus  out  of  Egypt","  &c.  This  would 
allow  forty  years  for  their  being  in  the 
wilderness,  seventeen  for  Joshua,  forty 
for  Samuel  and  Saul,  forty  for  the  reign 
of  David,  and  four  hundred  and  fifty-two 
years  for  the  time  of  the  judges  and  the 
times  of  anarchy  that  intervened.  This 
remarkable  coincidence  shows  that  this 
was  the  chronology  which  was  tlien  used 
and  which  Paul  had  in  view  (4.)  This 
chronology  has  the  authority,  also,  of 
many  eminent  names.  See  Lightfoot,  and 
Boyle's  Lectures,  ch.  xx.  In  what  way 
this  computation  of  Josephus  and  the  Jews 
originated,  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  in- 
quire. It  is  a  sufficient  solution  of  the 
difficulty  that  Paul  spoke  in  their  usual 
mariner,  without  departing  from  hi.s  regu 
lar  object  by  settling  a  point  of  chrono. 
logy. 

21.  And  afterward  they  desired  a  king 
See  1  Sam.  viii.  5.  Hos.  xiii.  10.  It  was 
predicted  that  they  would  have  a  king. 
Deut.  xvii.  14,  13.  If  Saul  the  son  of  Ci.,. 
Cis  is  the  Greek  mode  of  writing  the  He- 
brew name  Kish.  In  the  Old  Testament 
it  is  uniformly  written  Kish,  and  it  is  to 
be  regretted  that  this  has  not  been  retain- 
eu  ia  tiie  Ne^v  Testameiv:.     See  I  Saai 


lyo 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  45 


1522  And  when  "■  he  had  removed 
him,  he  raised  up  unto  them  David 
'■  to  be  their  king ;  to  whom  also  he 
^ave  testimony,  and  said,  I  have 
found  David  the  so7i  of  Jesse,  a  man 
'after  mine  owm  heart,  which  shall 
tulfil  all  my  will. 

23  Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God, 
according  to  his  promise,  "  raised 
anto  Israel  *  a  Saviour,  Jesus  : 

2-4  When  John-^  had  first  preach- 

olSaui.31.6.  i2Sain.5.3.  c  1  Sam.  13. 14. 


ix.  1.  ^  By  the  space  (yf forty  years.  Dur- 
ing forty  years.  The  Old  Testament  has 
not  mentioned  the  time  during  which 
Saul  reigned.  Josephus  says  (Antiq.  b.  vi. 
ch.  xiv.  ^  9)  that  he  reigned  eighteen  years 
while  Samuel  was  alive,  and  twenty-two 
years  after  his  death.  But  Dr.  Doddridge 
(Note  in  loco)  has  shown  that  this  can- 
not be  correct,  and  that  he  probably 
reigned,  as  some  copies  of  Josephus  have 
it,  but  two  years  after  the  death  of  Sa- 
muel. Many  critics  suppose  that  the 
term  of  forty  years  here  mentioned  in- 
cludes also  the  time  in  which  Samuel 
judged  the  people.  This  supposition  does 
not  violate  the  text  in  this  place,  and  may 
be  probable.  See  Doddridge  and  Grotius 
on  the  place. 

22.  And  when  he  Jtad  removed  him.  This 
was  done  because  he  rebelled  against 
God  in  sparing  the  sheep  and  oxen  and 
valuable  property  of  Amalek,  together 
with  Ag^ng  the  king,  when  he  was  com- 
manded to  destroy  all.  1  Sam.  xv.  8 — 23. 
He  was  put  to  death  in  a  battle  with  the 
Philistines.  1  Sam.  xxxi.  1 — 6.  The  phrase 
"  when  he  removed  him"  refers  probably 
to  his  rejection  as  a  king,  and  not  to  his 
death ;  for  David  was  anointed  king  be- 
fore the  death  of  Saul,  and  almost  imme- 
diately after  the  rejection  of  Saul  on  ac- 
count of  his  rebellion  in  the  business  of 
Amalek.  See  1  Sam.  xvi.  12,  13.  IT  He 
gate  testimony.  lie  bore  witness  1  Sam. 
xiii.  14.  %  I  have  found  Vavid,&,c.  This 
is  not  quoted  literally,  but  contains  the 
$uhstance  of  what  is  expre.s.sed  in  various 

F (laces.  Compare  1  Sam.  xiii.  14,  with  Ps. 
xxxix.  20,  and  1  Sam.  xvi.  1.12.  H  Aman 
itfter  mine  fiivn  heart.  This  exjjression  is 
found  in  1  Sam.  xiii.  14.  The  connexion 
bIiows  that  it  means  simply  a  man  who 
would  not  be  rebellious  and  disobedient 
a.s  Saul  was,  l>ut  would  do  his  will,  and 
keep  ]\iii  commandmonln.  This  refers, 
doubtless,  ratiier  to  the  f)ublic  than  to  the 
private  character  of  I>nvid  ;  or  to  his  cha- 
vBcter  an  a  kincr.    It  mcui-;  ihat  he  v.ould 


ed,  before  his  coming,  the  baptism 
of  repentance  to  all  the  people  of 
Israel. 

25  And  as  John  fulfilled  his 
course,  he  said,  "Whom  think  ye 
that  I  am  1  I  am  not  he .-  but,  be- 
hold, there  cometh  one  after  me, 
whose  shoes  of  his  feet  I  am  not 
w^orthy  to  loose. 

20  Men  and  brethren,  children 
of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  who- 

dPs.132.11.  eMat'_J.21.  /Matt.3.I-M 


make  the  will  of  God  the  great  rule  and 
law  of  his  reign,  in  contradistinction  from 
Saul,  who,  as  a  king,  had  disobeyed  God. 
At  the  same  time  it  is  true  that  the  pre- 
vailing character  of  David,  as  a  pious, 
humble,  devoted  man,  was,  that  he  was 
a  man  after  Gk)d's  own  heart,  and  was 
beloved  by  him  as  a  saint  and  a  holy 
man.  lie  had  faults;  he  committed  sin, 
but  who  is  free  from  it?  He  was  guilty 
of  great  offences;  but  he  also  evinced,  in 
a  degree  equally  eminent,  repentance  (see 
Ps.  li.) ;  and  not  less  in  his  private  than 
his  public  character  did  he  evince  those 
traits  which  were  prevailingly  such  a& 
accorded  with  the  heart,  i.  e.  the  earnest 
desires  of  God.  IT  Which  shall  fxilfiU  all 
my  will.  Saul  had  not  done  it.  He  had 
disobeyed  God  in  a  case  where  he  had 
received  an  express  command.  The  cha- 
racteristic of  David  would  be  that  he 
would  ofjcy  the  commands  of  God.  That 
David  did  this — that  he  maintained  the 
worship  of  God,  opposed  idolatry,  and 
sought  to  promote  universal  obedience  to 
God  among  the  people — is  expressly  re 
corded  oi'  him.  1  Kings  xiv.  8,  9,  "  And 
thou  [Jeroboam]  hast  not  been  as  my  ser- 
\ant  David,  who  kept  my  commandments 
and  xuho  followed  me  with  all  his  heart,  U 
do  that  orUy  which  was  right  in  mine  eyes" 
&c.  I  Kings  XV.  3.  5. 

23.  Of  this  mail's  seed.  Of  his  jK)steritjr 
IF  According  to  his  promise.  Note,  ActH  li. 
30.  H  liaised  unto  Israel.  Note,  Acts  ii. 
30.  IT  A  Saviour,  Jfsus.  Note,  Matt.  i.  21. 

24.  When  John  had  first  preached,  &c. 
After  John  had  preached,  and  prepared 
the  way-  Matt.  iii. 

2.').  And  as  John  fulfilled  his  course.  Aa 
he  was  engaged  in  completing  his  work. 
His  ministry  is  called  a  course  or  race,  that 
which  was  to  be  run,  or  completed.  IT  He 
said,  Arc.  These  are  not  the  precise  words 
which  the  evangelists  have  recorded,  but 
the  sense  is  the  same.  Note,  John  i.  20 
Matt.  iii.  11. 

2r).  Men  and  brethren.    Paul  now  ex 


4  D   45.] 


Ch  iI#ER   Xlll. 


lif' 


soever  among  you  teareth  Gt  d,  to 
you  *  is  the  word  of  this  salv  ition 
sent. 

27  For  they  tnat  dwell  at  ieru- 
salem,  and  their  rulers,  because 
they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the 
voices  of  the  prophets  which  are 
read  every  Sabbath-da^  they  * 
have  fulfilled  them  in  condemning 
kbn. 

28  And   though   they  found  no 
ause  of  death  iiT  him,  yet  desired 

a  Matt.10.6.         b  Hike  24.20,44. 


tiorts  theni  to  embrace  the  Lord  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah.  -He  uses  therefore  the  most 
respectful  and  fraternal  language.  IT  Chil- 
dren of  the  slock  of  Abraham.  Descend- 
aots  of  Abraham  ;  who  regard  Abraham 
as  your  ancestor.  He  means  here  to  ad- 
dress particularly  the  native-born  Jews  ; 
and  this  appellation  is  used  because  they 
valued  themselves  highly  on  account  of 
their  descent  from  Abraham  (Note,  Matt. 
iii.  9) ;  and  because  the  promise  of  the 
Messiah  had  been  specially  given  to  him. 
^  And  whosoever,  &c.  Proselytes.  Note, 
ver.  16.  IF  Is  the  word  of  this  salvation 
sent.  This  message  of  salvation.  It -vas 
sent  particularly  to  the  Jewish  pecole. 
The  Saviour  was  sent  to  that  nation  (Matt. 
XV.  "54) ;  and  the  design  was  to  offer  to 
them  first  the  message  of  life.  See  N^te, 
ver.  46. 

27.  Because  they  knew  Mm  not.  The 
statement  in  this  verse  is  designed,  not.  to 
reproach  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem,  but  to 
introduce  the  fact  that  Jesus  had  died,  and 
had  risen  again.  With  great  v\'isdom  and 
tenderness,  he  speaks  of  his  murderers  in 
such  a  manner  as  not  to  exasperate,  but 
as  far  as  possible  to  mitigate  their  crime. 
There  was  sufficient  guilt  in  the  murder 
of  the  Son  of  God  to  overwhelm  the  na- 
tion with  alarm,  even  after  all  that  could 
be  said  to  mitigate  the  deed.  See  Act3 
ii.  23.  36,  37.  When  Paul  says,  "The^- 
knew  him  not,"  he  means  that  they  diii 
not  know  him  to  be  the  Messiah  (see 
1  Cor.  ii.  8) ;  they  were  ignorant  of  the 
true  meaning  of  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Testament ;  they  regarded  him  as  vui 
impostor.  (See  Note,  Acts  iii.  17.)  IT  Nor 
yet  the  voices  of  the  prophets.  Neither  the 
meanmg  of  the  predictions  in  the  Old 
Testament,  respecting  the  Messiah. 
They  expected  a  prince,  and  a  conqueror, 
but  did  not  expect  a  Messiah  poor  and 
despised,  and  a  man  of  soirows,  and  that 
was  to  die  on  a  cross.    IT  Which  are  read 

R  2 


they  Pilate  that  he  should  be  slain 

29  And  when  they  had  fulfilled 
all  that  was  written  of  him,  they 
took  him  down  froi^||lhe  tree,  and 
laid  him  in  a  sepulchre. 

30  But  God  raised  him  from 
the  dead  : 

3 1  And  he  was  seen  '  many  days 
of  them  which  came  up  with  him 
from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who 
are  his  witnesses  unto  the  peo- 
ple. 


every  Sabbath-day.  In  the  synagogues. 
Though  the  Scriptures  were  read  so  con- 
stantly, yet  they  were  ignorant  of  their 
true  meaning.  They  were  blinded  by 
pride,  and  prejudice,  and  preconceived 
opinions.  Men  may  often  in  this  way 
read  the  Bible  a  good  part  of  their  lives, 
and  for  want  of  attention,  or  of  a  humble 
mind,  never  understand  it.  IF  They  have 
fulfilled  them,  &c.  By  putting  him  to 
death  they  have  accomplished  what  waa 
foretold. 

28.  And  though  they  found,  &c.  They 
found  no  crime  which  deserved  death. 
This  is  conclusively  shown  by  the  trial 
itself  After  all  their  efforts  f  after  the 
treason  of  Judas ;  after  their  employing 
false  witnesses ;  still  no  crime  was  laid 
to  his  charge.  The  sanhedrim  conderau 
ed  him  for  blasphemy  ;  and  yet  they 
knew  that  they  could  not  substantiate 
this  charge  before  Pilate,  and  they  there- 
fore endeavoured  to  procure  his  condem 
nation  on  the  ground  of  sedition.  Comp 
Luke  xxii.  70,  71,  with  xxiii.  1,  2  IF  Yet 
desired  they  Pilate,  &c.  Matt,  xxvii.  1,2. 
Luke  xxiii.  4,  5. 

29.  They  took  him  down,  &c.  That  is, 
it  was  done  by  the  Jews.  Not  that  it 
was  done  by  those  who  put  him  to  death, 
but  by  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  a  Jew,  and 
by  Nicodemus,  and  their  companions, 
Paul  is  speaking  of  what  w-as  done  to 
Jesus  by  the  Je'os  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  he 
does  not  affirm  that  the  same  persons  put 
him  to  death  and  laid  him  in  a  tomb,  but 
that  all  this  was  done  by  Jews.  See  John 
xix.  38,  39. 

30.  But  God  raised  him,  &c.  Note,  cTi. 
ii.  23,  24. 

31.  And  he  was  seen.  See  Note  at  the 
end  cf  Matthew.  IT  Many  days.  Forty 
days.  ch.  i.  3.  IT  Of  them  which  came  ip. 
By  the  apostles  particularly.  He  ^m 
seen  bj;  others ;  but  they  are  especiallj 
mentioned  as   having  been  chosen  fo 


198 


THE  IfcTS. 


[A.  D.  45 


32  And  we  declare  mito  you 
glad  lidings,  ho'v^  that  the  promise 
•  which  was  made  unto  the  fa- 
thers,       ^d^ 

33  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same 


Ihis  object,  to  bear  witness  to  him,  and 
as  having  been  particularly  qualified 
fcr  it 

32.  And  we.  We  who  are  here  pre- 
sent. Paul  and  Barnabas.  IT  Declare 
unto  you  glad  tidings.  We  preach  the 
gospel — the  good  news.  To  a  Jew,  no- 
thing could  be  more  grateful  intelligence 
than  that  the  Messiah  had  come;  to  a 
sinner  convinced  of  his  sins  nothing  can 
be  more  cheering  than  to  hear  of  a  Sa- 
viour. ^  The  promise,  &c.  The  promise 
here  refers  to  all  that  had  been  spoken  in 
the  Old  Testament  respecting  the  ad- 
vent, sufferings,  death,  and  resurrection 
of  Christ. 

33.  God  hath  fulfilled.  God  has  com- 
pleted or  carried  into  effect  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus.  He  does  not  say  that 
all  the  promise  had  reference  to  his  re- 
surrection ;  but  his  being  raised  up  com 
pleted  or  perfected  the  fulfilment  of  the 
promises  which  had  been  made  respect- 
ing him.  IT  In  the  second  psalm,  ver.  7. 
IF  Thou  art  my  Son.  This  psalm  has  been 
usually  understood  as  referring  to  the 
Messiah.  See  Note,  ch.  iv.  23.  IT  7Vas 
Jaij  have  I  begotten  thee.  It  is  evident 
that  Paul  uses  the  expression  here  as  im- 
plying that  the  Lord  Jesus  is  called  the 
Son  of  God  because  he  raised  him  up 
from  the  dead  ;  and  that  he  means  to  im- 
ply that  it  was  for  this  reason  that  he  is 
so  called  in  the  psalm.  This  interpreta- 
tion of  an  inspired  apostle  fixes  the  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  in  the  psalm ;  and 
proves  that  it  is  not  there  used  with  re- 
ference to  the  doctrine  of  eternal  gene- 
ratioa  or  to  his  incarnation,  but  that  he 
is  here  called  hfs  Son  because  lie  was 
raised  from  the  dead.  And  this  interpre- 
tation accords  with  the  scope  of  the 
psalm.  In  ver.  1 — 3  the  psalmist  records 
the  combination  of  the  rulers  of  the 
earth  against  the  Messiah,  and  their  ef- 
forts to  cast  off  his  reign.  This  was 
done,  and  the  Messiah  was  rejected.  All 
Ihin  pertains,  not  to  his  previous  existence, 
but  to  Ihn  Messiah  on  the  earth.  In  ver. 
4,  5,  the  psilmist  shows  that  their  eflf)rts 
should  not  l)e  HU'ressful ;  that  God  would 
.aiigh  at  their  (ie>!igriH,  lliat  is,  that  their 
plans  should  not  succeed.  In  ver.  G,  7, 
he  shows  that  tho  Messiah  would  be  es- 


unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he 
hath  raised  up  Jesus  again  ;  as  it 
is  also  written  in  the  second  psalm, 
Thou  *  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I 
bes^otten  thee. 


tablished  wa  king  ;  that  this  wa«  tho  fil- 
ed decree,  that  he  had  begotten  him  foT 
this.  All  this  is  represented  as  subsequent 
to  the  raging  of  the  heathen,  and  to  the 
counsel  of  the. kings  against  him,  and 
must,  therefore,  refer,  not  to  his  eternal 
generation,  or  his  incarnation,  but  to 
something  succeeding  his  death  ;  that  is, 
to  his  resurrection,  and  establishment  as 
king  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  This  in- 
terpretation by  the  apostle  Paul  proves 
therefore  that  this  passage  is  not  to  bo 
used  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  the  eter- 
nal generation  of  Christ  Christ  is  called 
the  Son  of  God  from  various  reasons 
In  Luke  i.  35,  because  he  was  begotten 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  this  place,  on  ac- 
count of  his  resurrection.  In  Rom.  i.  4, 
it  is  also  said,  that  he  was  declared  to  be 
the  Son  of  God  by  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead.  See  Note  on  that  place.  Tho 
resurrection  from  the  dead  is  represented 
as  in  some  sense  the  beginning  of  life, 
and  it  is  with  reference  to  this  that  the 
terms  So?i,  and  begotten  from  the  dead, 
are  used,  as  the  birth  of  a  child  is  the 
beginning  of  life.  Thus  Christ  is  said 
Col.  i.  18,  to  be  "the  first-born  from  the 
dead,"  and  thus  in  Rev.  i.  5,  he  is  callefl 
"  the  first-begotten  of  the  dead,"  and  with 
reference  to  this  rene^ml  or  beginning  of 
life  he  is  called  a  Son.  In  whatever 
other  senses  he  is  called  a  Son  in  the 
New  Testament,  yet  it  is  here  proved, 
(f.)  That  he  is  called  a  Son  from  his  re- 
surrection ;  and  (2.)  That  this  is  the  sense 
in  which  the  expression  in  the  psalm  is  to 
be  used.  IT  This  day.  The  day  in  the 
mind  of  the  psalmist,  and  of  Paul,  of  his 
resurrection.  Many  efforts  have  been 
made,  and  much  learned  criticism  has 
been  expended,  to  prove  that  this  refers 
to  eternity,  or  to  his  lire-existence.  But 
the  signification  of  tho  word,  which 
never  refers  to  eternity,  and  the  con 
nexion,  and  tho  obvious  intention  of  the 
sneaker,  is  against  this.  Paul  underfitood 
tins  manifestly  of  the  reaurrecti(m.  This 
sptllos  the  inquiry,  and  this  is  tho  inditt- 
pi-nsjhle  intorprctatioii  in  the  psalm  itself 
IT  Have  I  bvgolirn  thee.  This  evidently 
cannot  be  understood  in  a  literal  sense. 
It  lilvrallfi  refers  to  tho  relation  ot  an 
earthly  father  to  his  children;  but  in  n*^ 


>*..  J).  45."] 


CHAPTER  XIIl. 


lUH 


34  And  as  cancerning  that  he 
caised  him  up  from  the  dead,  7iow 
no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he 
said  on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you 
the  sure  '  mercies  of  David. 

»  Tx  OTtXj  holy,  or,  juu  things;  which  word  the 

Buch  sense  can  it  be  applied  to  the  re- 
lation of  God  the  Father  to  the  Son.  It 
must  therefore  be  figurative.  The  word 
Bometimes  figuratively  means  to  produce, 
to  cause  to  exist  in  any  way.  2  Tim.  ii. 
23,  "  Unlearned  questions  avoid,  knowing 
that  they  do  gender  [beget]  strifes."  It 
refers  also  to  the  labours  of  the  apostles 
in  securing  the  conversion  of  sinners  to 
the  gospel.  1  Cor.  iv.  15,  "  In  Christ 
Jesus  I  have  begotten  you  through  the 
gospel."  Phil.  ver.  10,  "  Whom  [Onesi- 
nms]  I  have  begotten  in  my  bonds."  It  is 
applied  to  Christians  (John  i.  13),  "Which 
were  born  [begotten]  not  of  blood,  &c. 
but  of  God-"  iii.  3,  "  Except  a  man  be 
born  [begotten]  again,"  &c.  In  all  these 
places  it  is  used  in  a  figurative  sense  to 
denote  the  commencement  of  spiritual 
life  by  the  power  of  God  attending  the 
truth ;  raising  up  sinners  from  the  death 
of  sin;  or  so  producing  spiritual  life  as 
that  they  should  sustain  to  God  the  rela- 
tion of  sons.  Thus  he  raised  up  Christ 
from  the  dead  ;  imparted  life  to  his  body  ; 
by  his  own  power  restored  him ;  and 
hence  is  said  figiiratively  to  have  begotten 
him  from  the  dead,  and  hence  sustains 
towards  the  risen  Saviour  the  relation  of 
J'ather.  Comp.Col.i.18.  RevAi.||^eb.i.5. 
34.  A7id  as  cmicerning.  In  further  proof 
of  that.  To  show  that  he  actually  did  it, 
he  proceeds  to  quote  another  passage  of 
Scripture.  IT  No  more  to  return  to  corrup- 
tion. The  word  corruption  is  usually  em- 
ployed to  denote  putrefaction, or  the  moul- 
dering away  of  a  body  in  the  grave  ;  its 
returning  to  its  nadve  dust.  But  it  is  cer- 
tain (ver.  35.  Note,  ch.  ii.  27)  that  the  body 
of  Clirist  never  in  this  sense  saw  corrup- 
tion. The  word  is  therefore  used  to  de- 
note death,  or  the  grave,  the  cause  and 
place  of  corruption.  The  word  is  thus 
used  in  the  Septuagint.  It  means  here 
gimply  that  he  should  not  again  die.  H  He 
said  on  this  wise.  He  said  thus,  f  outouj.) 
H  I  wdl  give  you.  This  quotation  is  made 
from  Isa.  Iv.  3.  It  is  quoted  from  the  Sep- 
tuagint, with  a  change  of  but  one  word, 
not  affecting  the  sense.  In  Isaiah  the 
lassage  does  not  refer  particularly  to  the 
esurrection  of  the  Messiah ;  nor  is  it  the 
design  of  Paul  to  affirm  that  it  does.  His 
object  m  this  verse  is  not  to  prove  that  he 
•would  rise  from  tke  dead ;  b*^t  that  beiyig 


35  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  " 
another  j05«/m,  Thou  shalt  not  suffer 
thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption. 

LXX,  both  in  the  place  of  Isa.55.3,  and  in  many  olie"^ 
use  for  that  which  is  in  the  Hebrew,  mescies.  H^ 

aPs.16.10. 

risen,  he  would  7wt  again  die.  That  the 
passage  in  Isaiah  refers  to  the  Messiah 
there  can  be  no  doubt,  ver.  1.  4.  The 
passage  here  quoted  is  an  address  tc  the 
people,  an  assurance  to  them  that  ths 
promise  made  to  David  should  be  per- 
formed, a  solemn  declaration  that  he 
would  make  an  everlasting  covenant 
with  them  through  the  Messiah,  the  pro- 
mised descendant  of  David.  ^  The.  sure 
mercies  of  David.  The  word  mercies  here 
refers  to  the  promise  made  to  David ;  the 
mercy  or  favour  shown  to  him  by  promis- 
ing to  him  a  successor  that  should  not 
fail  to  sit  on  his  throne.  2  Sam.  vii.  16.  Ps. 
Ixxxix.  4, 5 ;  cxxxii.  11, 12.  These  mercies 
and  these  promises  are  called  "  sure,"  as 
being  true,  or  unfailing ;  they  should  cer- 
tainly be  accomplished.  Comp.  2  Cor.  i. 
20.  The  word  David  here  does  not  refer, 
as  many  have  supposed,  to  the  Messiah, 
but  to  the  king  of  Israel.  God  made  to 
David  a  promise,  a  certain  pledge  ,•  he  be- 
stowed on  him  this  special  mercy,  in  pro- 
mising that  he  should  have  a  successor 
w^ho  should  sit  for  ever  on  his  throne. 
This  promise  was  understood  by  the  Jews, 
and  is  often  referred  to  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, as  relating  to  the  Messiah.  And 
Paul  here  says  that  that  promise  here  is 
fulfilled.  The  only  question  is,  how  it 
refers  to  the  subject  on  w  hich  Paul  was 
immediately  discoursing.  That  point  was 
not  mainly  to  prove  his  resurrection,  but 
to  show  particularly  that  he  would  never 
die  again,  or  that  he  would  for  ever  live 
and  reign.  And  the  argument  is,  that  as 
God  had  promised  that  David  should  have 
a  successor  who  should  sit  for  ever  on  his 
throne  ;  and  as  this  prediction  now  termi- 
nated in  the  Messiah,  the  Lord  Jesus,  it 
followed,  that,  as  that  promise  was  sure 
and  certain,  he  would  never  die  again. 
He  must  live,  if  the  sure  prom.ise  was  ful- 
filled. And  though  he  had  been  put  to 
death,  yet  under  that  general  promi&a  ivas 
the  certainty  that  he  would  live  again. 
It  was  impossible,  the  meaning  is,  that  tho 
Messiah,  the  promised  successor  of  David, 
the  perpetual  occupier  of  his  throne,shouId 
remain  under  the  power  of  death  Under 
this  assurance  the  church  now  reposes  its 
hopes.  Zion's  King  now  lives,  ever  able 
to  vindicate  and  save  his  people. 
35.  Wherefore,    ^'o.    To  the  same  in 


200 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  4& 


3G  For  David, '  after  he  1  nd  serv- 
ed his  own  generation  by  'he  will 
of  God,  °  fell  on  sleep,  and  >  ras  laid 
unto  his  fathers,  and  saw  corrup- 
tion : 

37  But  he,  whom  God  *  raised 
again,  saw  no  corruption. 

38  Be  it  known  unto  you,  there- 
fore, men  and  brethren,  that  through 

»  or,  after  lie  had  in  hit  mm  age  served  the  will  of 
G«L  a  ;Ki.2.10.  i  c2.24. 

tent,  or  end.  In  the  proof  of  the  same 
thing — that  he  must  rise  and  live  for 
ever.  IF  He  sailh.  God  says  by  David ; 
or  David  declares  the  promises  made  by 
God.  IT  In  another  psalm.  Ps.  xvi.  10. 
IT  Thou  wilt  not  suffer,  6oC.  See  this  ex- 
plained in  Notes,  ch.  ii.  27. 

36.  For  David,  &c.  This  verse  is  de- 
signed to  show  that  the  passage  in  Ps.  xvi. 
could  not  refer  to  David,  and  must  there- 
fore relate  to  some  other  person.  In  ver. 
37,  it  is  affirmed  that  this  could  refer  to  no 
one,  in  fact,  but  to  tlie  Lord  Jesus.  IT  Af- 
ter he  had  served  his  generation.  See  the 
margin.  Syriac,  '  David  in  his  own  gene- 
ration havmg  served  the  will  of  God,  and 
elept,'  &c.  Arabic,  '  David  served  in  his 
own  age,  and  saw  God.'  The  margin 
probably  most  correctly  expresses  the 
sense  of  the  passage.  To  serve  a  gene- 
ration, or  an  age,  is  an  unusual  and  al- 
most unintelligible  expression.  ^  Fell  on 
sleep.  Greek,  Slept ;  that  is,  died.  This 
is  the  usual  word  to  denote  the  death  of 
Baifits.  It  is  used  of  David  in  1  Kings  ii. 
10.  Note,  Matt,  xxvii.  52.  IT  And  was  laid 
unto,  Arc.  And  was  buried  with  his  fa- 
thers, &c.  1  Kings  ii.  10.  IX  A?td  saw  cor- 
ruption. Remained  in  the  grave,  and  re- 
turned to  hi.^  native  dust.  See  this  point 
argued  more  at  length  by  Peter,  in  Acts 
ii.  2'J — 31,  and  explained  in  the  Notes  on 
that  place. 

37.  But  he,v}hom  God  raised  again.  The 
Lord  Jesus.  IT  Saw  no  corruption.  Was 
raised  without  undergoing  the  usual 
change  that  succeeds  deatii.  As  David 
had  returned  to  corruption,  and  the  J^rd 
Jesus  had  not,  it  followed  that  this  pas- 
Ragn  in  Ps.  xvi.  referred  to  the  Messiah. 

38.  Be  It  knoum,  <Sic.  Paul,  having 
proved  his  resurrection,  and  shown  that 
ne  was  the  Messiah,  now  states  the  bene- 
fits that  wore  to  be  derived  from  his 
death.  IT  Through  this  man.  See  Note, 
Luko  xxiv.  47. 

39.  And  by  hinu  By  means  of  him  ;  by 
his  sufferings  and  death,  f  All  tuat  be- 
lieve. Note,  Mark  xvi.  IG    T  Areju^i/icd. 


''this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forfriveness  of  sins : 

'SO  And  by  him,  ''all  that  believe 
are  justified  from  all  things,  from 
which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by 
the  law  of  Moses. 

40  Beware,  therefore,  lest  that 
come  upon  you  which  is  spoken  cf 
in  *  the  prophets  ; 

e  DaD.9.2.1.  Lu.24.47.  1Jdo.2.12,         d  Isa.53.11.  Kah 
2.4.Roni.3.28;  8.3.  e  Isa.29.14.  Hab.l  6. 


Are  regarded  and  treated  as  if  they  were 
righteous.  They  are  pardoned,  and  ad- 
mitted  to  the  favour  of  God,  and  treated 
as  pardoned  sinners,  and  as  if  they  had 
not  offended.  See  this  point  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Rom.  i.  17;  iii.  24,  25;  iv.  1 
— 8.  IT  From  all  thi?igs.  From  the  guilt 
of  all  offences.  All  will  be  pardoned. 
IT  From  which  ye  could  nol,  &c.  The  law 
of  Moses  commanded  wliat  was  to  be 
done.  It  appointed  sacniices  and  offer- 
ings, as  typical  of  a  greater  sacrifice*  Bui 
the  same  apostle  has  fully  shown  in  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  that  those  sacri* 
fices  could  not  take  away  sai.  ch.  ix.  7 — 
14;  X.  1 — 4.  11.  The  design  of  the  lau 
was  not  to  reveal  a  way  of  pardon.  That 
was  reserved  to  be  the  peculiar  purpose 
of  the  gospel.  ^  The  law  of  Moses.  The 
commands  and  institutions  which  he,  un- 
der the  direction  of  God,  established. 

40.  Beware,  therefore.  Avoid  that  whiclj 
is  threa^Md.  It  will  come  on  some ;  and 
Paul  exfln^  his  hearers  to  beware  lest 
it  should  come  on  them.  It  was  the  more 
important  to  caution  them  against  lliis 
danger,  as  the  Jews  held  that  Ihci/  were 
safe.  IT  Lest  that  come.  Tiiat  calamity , 
that  threatened  punishment  IT  In  the 
prophets.  In  that  part  of  the  Scriptures 
called  "  the  prophets."  The  Jews  divided 
the  Old  Testament  into  three  parts,  of 
which  "  the  book  of  the  prophets"  was 
one.  Note,  Luke  xxiv.  44.  The  place 
where  this  is  recorded  is  Hab.  i.  5.  It  is 
not  taken  from  the  Hebrew,  but  substan- 
tially from  the  Septuagint.  The  original 
design  of  the  threatening  was  toannounca 
the  destruction  that  would  come  upon 
the  nation  by  the  Chaldeans.  The  ori 
ginal  threatening  was  fulfilled.  But  it 
was  as  applicalilt  to  the  Jews  in  the  lime 
of  Paul  a.s  in  tiio  time  of  Habakkuk.  Tlie 
princi/de  of  the  passage  is,  I  lint  if  they 
hold  in  contrmpt  the  doings  of  God,  they 
would  jK-risli.  The  work  whii^h  God  was 
to  do  by  moans  of  the  Chaldeans  was  so 
'fearful,  so  unuBual,  and  so  remarkable- 
Jthat  they  would  not  believe  if  in  time  t« 


A.  D.  45.] 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 


J] 


41  Behold  .ye  despisers,  and  won- 
der, and  perish  :  for  I  work  a  work 
in  your  days,  a  work  which  you 
shall  in  no  wise  believe,  though  a 
man  declare  it  unto  you. 


lavcid  the  calamity.  In  the  same  way, 
thsit  which  God  did  in  giving  a  Messiah 
BO  little  in  ascordance  with  their  expecta- 
tion, the  manner  of  the  introduction  of 
hia  kingdom  by  miracles ;  and  the  gift 
af  his  Spirit,  was  so  much  at  variance 
with  their  expectations,  that  they  might 
see  it,  yet  disbelieve  it ;  they  might  have 
the  fullest  proof,  and  yet  despise  it ;  they 
might  wonder,  and  be  amazed  and  as- 
tonished, and  unable  to  account  for  it, 
and  yet  refuse  to  believe  it,  and  be  de- 
stroyed. IT  Behold,  ye  despisers.  Heb. 
"  Behold,  ye  among  the  heathen."  The 
change  from  this  expression  to  "  ye  de- 
spisers," was  made  by  the  Septuagint 
translators,  by  a  very  slight  change  in 
the  Hebrew  word — probably  trom  a  va- 
riation ih  the  copy  which  they  used.  It 
arose  from  reading  o^ij'ja  instead  of  o^^j3, 
Bogedim  instead  of  Basgoim.  The  Sy- 
riac,  the  Arabic,  as  welTas  the  LXX.  fol- 
low this  reading.  IT  And  wonder.  Heb. 
"  and  regard,  and  wonder  marvellously." 
IT  And  perish.  This  is  not  in  the  He- 
brew, but  is  in  the  Septuagint  and  the 
Arabic.  The  word  means  literally  to  be 
removed  from  the  sight,  to  disappear,  and 
then  to  corrupt,  defile,  destroy.  Matt.  vi. 
16,  19.  The  word,  however,  may  mean 
to  be  suffused  with  shame ;  to  be  over- 
whelmed, and  confounded  (Schleusner), 
and  it  may  perhaps  have  this  meaning 
here,  answering  to  the  Hebrew.  The 
word  used  here  is  not  that  w^hich  is  com- 
monly employed  to  denote  eternal  perdi- 
tion ;  though  Paul  seems  to  use  it  with 
reference  tc  their  destruction  for  reject- 
ing the  gospel,  f  For  I  work  a  work.  I 
do  a  thing.  The  thii'g  to  which  the  pro- 
phet Habakkuk  referred  was,  that  God 
would  bring  upon  thtm  the  Chaldeans, 
ihat  would  destroy  tlie  temple  and  nation. 
In  like  manner  faul  says,  that  God  in 
that  time  might  bring  upon  the  nation 
similar  calamities.  By  rejecting  the  Mes- 
v.AA  and  his  gospel,  and  by  persevering 
m  wickedness,  they  would  bring  upon 
themselves  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  city,  and  nation.  It  was  this 
threatened  destruction  doubtless  to  which 
the  apostle  referred.  IT  Which  ye  shall 
ill  no  vjise  believe.  Which  you  will  not 
believe.  So  rernarkable,  so  unusual,  so 
sufoassini:;  any  thing  which  had  occurred. 


42 


Anc    when   the   Jews   w«ire 
out   of   the   synagogue,    the 


gone 

Gentiles  besought  that  these  words 
might  be  preached  to  thein  the  » 
next  Sabbath. 

1  iyi  the  week  hetwun,  or,  in  the  Saitmih  between. 


The  original  reference  in  Habakkuk  is  ts 
the  destruction  of  the  temj-le  by  the 
Chaldeans ;  a  thing  which  the  Jews 
would  not  suppose  could  happen.  The 
temple  was  so  splendid  ;  it  had  begp 
built  by  the  direction  of  God  ;  it  Sad  been 
so  long  under  his  protection ;  that  they 
would  suppose  that  it  could  not  be  given 
into  the  hands  of  their  enemies  to  be  de- 
iJlJlished.  And  even  though  it  were 
predicted  by  a  prophet  of  God,  still  they 
would  not  believe  it.  The  same  feelings 
the  Jews  would  have  respecting  the  tem- 
ple and  city  in  the  time  of  Paul.  Though 
it  was  foretold  by  the  Messiah,  yet  they 
were  so  confident  that  it  was  protected  by 
God,  that  they  would  not  believe  that  it 
could  possibly  be  destroyed.  The  same 
infatuation  seems  to  have  possessed  them 
during  the  siege  of  the  city  by  the  Ro- 
mans.  IT  Though  a  man,  &c.  Though  it 
be  i)lainly  predicted.  We  may  learn, 
(1.)  That  men  may  see,  and  be  amazed  at 
the  works  of  God,  and  yet  be  destroyed. 
(2.)  There  may  be  a  prejudice  so  obsti- 
nate that  even  a  divine  revelation  will 
not  remove  it.  (3.)  The  fancied  security 
of  sinners  will  not  save  them.  (4.)  There 
are  men  who  will  not  believe  in  the  pos- 
sibility of  their  being  lost,  though  it  be  de- 
clared by  the  prophets,  by  apostles,  bv  the 
Saviour,  and  by  God.  They  will  still  re- 
main in  fancied  security,  and  suffer  no- 
thing to  alarm  or  rouse  them.  But  (5.)  The 
fancied  security  of  the  Jews  furnished  no 
safety  against  the  Babylonians  or  thp  Ro- 
mans. Nor  will  the  indifference  and 
unconcern  of  sinners  furnish  any  secu 
rity  against  the  dreadful  wrath  of  God 
Yet  there  are  multitudes  "vho  live  amids* 
the  displays  of  God's  pov  er  and  mere} 
in  the  redemption  of  sinners  who  witness 
the  efTects  of  his  goodness  and  truth  in 
revivals  of  religion,  who  live  to  despise 
it  all ;  who  are  amazed  and  confounded 
by  it ;  and  who  shall  yet  perish. 

42.  And  when  the  Jews,  &c.  Tli-ore  is 
a  great  variety  in  the  MSS.  on  this  vorse ; 
and  in  the  ancient  versions.  Griesbach 
and  Knapp  read  it,  "  Ana  when  they 
were  gone  out,  they  besought  them  thai 
these  words  might  be  spoken,"  &c.  The 
Syriac  reads  it,  "  When  they  departed 
from  them,  they  sought  from  them  thai 
these  wowls  might  be  spoken  to  them  n 


«02 


43  Now  wlien  the  congregation 
was  broken  up,  many  of  the  Jews 
and  religious  proselytes  followed 
Paul  and  Barnabas  :  who  speaking 
CO  them,  persuaded  them  to  con- 
tinue "  m  the  grace  of  God. 

44  And   the   next   Sabbath-day 

ac.l4.22.Heb.6.11,12:12.15. 


I  HJ^i  ACTS.  [A.  D.  45 

I  came    almost  the   whole   city  to. 
gether,  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

45  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the 
multitudes,  they  were  filled  with 
envy,  and  spake  against  those 
things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul, 
contradicting  ^  and  blaspheming. 


Q-30ther  Sabbath."  The  Arabic,  "Some 
of  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews  asked  of 
them  that  they  would  exhort  the  Gentiles 
with  them,"  &c.  If  these  readings  be 
correct,  then  the  meaning  is,  that  some 
of  the  Jews  exhorted  the  apostles  to  pro- 
claim these  truths  at  some  other  timtt; 
particularly  to  the  Gentiles.  The  JVfliS. 
greatly  vary  in  regard  to  the  passage, 
and  it  is  perhaps  impossible  to  determine 
the  true  reading.  If  the  present  reading 
m  the  English  translation  is  to  be  regard- 
ed as  genuine — of  which,  however,  there 
IS  very  little  evidence — the  meaning  is, 
that  a  part  of  the  Jews,  perhaps  a  majority 
of  them,  rejected  the  message,  and  went 
out,  though  many  of  them  followed  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  ver.  43.  IT  The  Gentiles 
besought.  This  expression  is  wanting  in  the 
Vulgate,  Coptic,  Arabic,  and  Syriac  ver- 
sions, and  in  a  great  many  MSS.  {Mill.) 
It  is  omitted  by  Griesbach,  Knapp,  &c. 
and  is  piobably  spurious.  Among  other 
reasons  which  may  be  suggested  why  it 
is  not  genuine,  this  is  one,  that  it  is  not 
evident  or  probable  that  the  Gentiles 
were  m  the  habit  of  attending  the  syna- 
gogue. Those  who  attended  there  were 
called  proselyte.'^.  The  expression,  if 
genuine,  might  mean,  either  that  the  Gen- 
tiles besought,  or  that  they  besought  the 
Gentiles.  The  latter  would  be  the  more 
probable  meaning.  IT  The  next  Sabbath. 
The  7nargin  has  probably  the  correct 
rendering  of  the  passage.  The  meaning 
of  the  verse  is,  that  a  wish  was  expressed 
that  these  doctrines  might  be  repeated  to 
them  in  the  intermediate  time  before  the 
next  Sablmlh. 

43.  When  the  congregation.  Greek, 
When  the  synagogue  was  dissolved. 
^  Broken  vp.  Dismissed.  It  does  not 
mean  that  it  was  broken  up  by  violence 
or  disorder.  It  w^as  dismissed  in  the 
usual  way.  IT  Many  of  the  Jews.  Pro- 
bably the  majority  of  them  rejected  the 
message.  See  ver.  45.  Still  a  deep  im- 
pression was  made  on  many  of  them. 
T  And  religions  proselytes.  See  ver.  10. 
f'omp.  Note,  Matt,  xxiii.  15.  Greek, 
J'rosdytes  vjot shipping.  IT  Persuaded 
Oiem  to  continue,  &e      It  would   ajipear 


from  this,  that  they  professedly  received 
the  truth  and  embraced  the  Lord  Jesus, 
This  success  was  remarkable,  and  shows 
the  power  of  the  gospel  when  it  is 
preached  faithfully  to  men.  H  In  the 
grace  of  God.  In  his  favour — in  the 
faith,  and  prayer,  and  obedience,  which 
would  be  connected  with  his  favour. 
The  gospel  is  called  the  grace  or  favour 
of  God,  and  they  were  exhorted  to  per- 
severe in  their  attachment  to  it. 

44.  And  the  next  Sabbath-day  This 
was  the  regular  day  for  worship,  and  it 
was  natural  that  a  greater  multitude 
should  convene  on  that  day  than  on  the 
other  days  of  the  week.  ^  Cavte  almost 
the  whole  city.  Whether  this  was  in  the 
synagogue  is  not  affirmed  ;  but  it  is  pr()- 
bable  that  that  was  the  place  where  the 
multitude  convened.  The  news  of  the 
presence  of  the  apostles,  and  of  theit 
doctrines,  had  been  circulated  doubtless 
by  the  Gentiles  who  had  heard  them, 
and  curiosity  attracted  the  multitude  t» 
hear  them.     Comp.  Note,  ver.  7. 

45.  They  were  filed  vnth  envy.  Greek, 
Zeal.  The  word  here  denotes  v^ralh,  in- 
dignation, that  such  multitudes  should  be 
disjx)scd  to  hear  a  message  which  they 
rejected,  and  which  threatened  to  over- 
throw their  religion.  IT  Spahe  against. 
Opposed  the  doctrine  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah ;  that  the  Messiah  would  be 
humble,  lowlv,  despised,  and  put  to 
death,  <fec.  if  Contradicting.  Contra- 
dicting the  apostles.  This  was  evidently 
done  in  their  presence,  ver.  46,  and  would 
cause  great  tumult  and  disorder.  IT  Ana 
blaspheming.  Note,  Matt.  ix.  3.  The 
sense  evidently  is,  that  they  reproached 
and  vilified  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  they 
spake  of  him  with  contempt  and  scorn. 
To  speak  thus  of  him  is  denominated 
blasphemy.  Luke  xxii.  05.  When  men 
are  enraged,  they  little  regard  the  word> 
which  thev  utter,  and  little  care  how 
they  may  be  estimated  by  God.  When 
men  attached  to  sect  and  party,  in  religion 
or  ;iolilics,  have  no  good  ayguincnts  to 
employ,  they  attemjtt  to  overvhelm  (heir 
adversaries  by  bitter  and  reproachful 
wordw     Men  in  the  heit  of  striie.  r<nJ  ir 


.i.  D.  45.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


'203 


46  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  wax- 
ed bold,  and  said,  It  was  necessary 
that  the  word  of  God  should  first  " 
have  been  spoken  to  you  :  but  see- 
ing 3^e  put  it  from  you,  and  judge 
yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting 
life,  lo,  we  ^  turn  to  the  Gentiles. 

a  ilalMO.S.  Lu.24.47.  Rom.1.16. 


professed  zeal  for  peculiar  d  Dctrines,  and 
ibr  sect  and  party,  more  frequently  utter 
blasphemy  than  they  are  aware.  Precious 
and  pure  doctrines  are  often  thus  vilified, 
because  loe  do  not  believe  them;  and  the 
heart  of  the  Saviour  is  pierced  anew,  and 
his  cause  bleeds  by  the  wrath  and  wick- 
edness of  his  professed  friends.  Comp.  ch. 
xviii.  6. 

46.  Waxed  bold.  Became  bold ;  spake 
boldly  and  openly.  They  were  not  ter- 
rified by  their  strife,  or  alarmed  by- their 
opposition.  The  contradictions  and  blas- 
phemies of  sinners  often  show  that  their 
oonsciences  are  alarmed ;  that  the  truth 
has  taken  effect ;  and  then  is  not  the  time 
to  shrink,  but  to  declare  more  fearlessly 
the  truth.  5r  It  was  necessary.  It  was  so 
designed  ;  so  commanded.  They  regard- 
ed it  as  their  duty  to  offer  the  gospel  Jirst 
to  their  own  countrymen.  Note,  Luke 
XXIV.  47.  ^  Ye  put  it  frem  you.  Ye  re- 
ject it  V  And  judge  yourselves.  By  your 
jonduct,  by  your  rejecting  it,  you  de- 
r;lare  this.  The  word  judge  here  does 
not  mean  they  expressed  such  an  opinion, 
or  that  they  regarded  themselves  as  unwor- 
thy of  eternal  life;  for  they  thought  just 
the  reverse ;  but  that  by  their  conduct 
tliey  CONDEMNED  themselves.  By  such 
conduct  they  did  in  fact  pass  sentence  on 
themselves,  and  show  that  they  were  un- 
worthy of  eternal  life,  and  of  having  the 
offer  any  farther  made  to  them. — Sinners 
by  their  conduct  do  in  fact  condemn 
themselves,  and  shov/  that  they  are  not 
only  unfit  to  be  eaved,  but  that  they  have 
advanced  so  far  m  wickedness  that  there 
is  no  hope  of  their  salvation,  and  no  pro- 
priety m  offering  them,  any  farther,  eter- 
nal life.  Note,  Matt.  vii.  6.  IT  Unworthy, 
&c.  Unfit  to  be  saved.  They  had  deli- 
berately and  solemnly  rejected  the  gospel, 
and  thus  shown  that  they  were  not  fitted 
to  enter  into  everlasting  life. — When  men, 
even  but  once,  deliberately  and  solemnly 
reject  the  offers  of  God's  mercy,  it  greatly 
endangers  their  salvation.  The  jnobabi- 
li,.y  is,  that  they  then  put  the  cup  of  salva- 
ion  for  ever  away  from  themselves.  The 
fospol  produce  sin  effect  wherever  it  is 
orear.hed      An.   when  sinners  are  hard- 


47  For  so  hath  the  Lord  com 
manded  us,  saying,  *=  I  have  set 
thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gentiles, 
that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation 
unto  the  ends  of  'o  e-xrth 

48  And  when  the  Gentiles  heaid 
this,  they  were  glad  and  gioiified 

b  Deut.32.21.  Matt.21.43.  Hom.l0.19.         c  Isa.49.6. 


ened,  and  spurn  the  gospel,  it  may  often 
be  the  duty  of  ministers  to  turn  their  ef- 
forts towards  others,  where  they  may  have 
more  prospect  of  success.  A  man  will  not 
long  labour  on  a  rocky,  barren,  sterile 
soil,  when  there  is  near  him  a  rich  and 
fertile  valley  that  will  abundantly  reward 
the  pains  of  cultivation.  II  Lo,  we  turn, 
&c.  We  shall  offer  salvation  to  them, 
and  devote  ourselves  to  seeking  their  sal- 
vation. 

47.  For  so,  &c.  Paul,  as  usual,  appeals 
to  the  Scriptures  in  order  to  justify  his 
course.  He  here  appeals  to  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, rather  than  to  the  command  of  the 
Saviour,  because  the  Jews  recognised  the 
authority  of  their  own  Scriptures,  while 
they  would  have  turned  in  scorn  from 
the  command  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  IT  1 
have  set  thee,  &c.  I  have  constituted  or 
appointed  thee.  This  passage  is  found  in 
Isa.  xlix.  6.  That  it  refers  to  the  Pvlessiah 
there  can  be  no  doubt.  From  the  xlth 
chapter  of  Isaiah  to  the  end  of  the  pro- 
phecies, Isaiah  had  a  primary  and  main 
reference  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah. 
IT  To  be  a  light.  Note,  John  i.  4.  ^  To 
the  Gentiles  This  was  in  accordance 
with  the  uniform  doctrines  of  Isaiah.  Isa. 
xlii.  1 ;  liv.  3  ;  Ix.  3.  5.  16  ;  Ixi.  6.  9  ;  Ixii. 
2;  Ixvi.  12.  Comp.  Rom.  xv.  9—12.  IT  ^or 
salvation.  To  save  sinners.  IT  Unto  tht 
ends  of  the  earth.  To  all  lands ;  in  all 
nations.     Note,  ch.  i.  8. 

48.  When  the  Gentiles  heard  this.  Heard 
that  the  gospel  was  to  be  preached  to 
them.  The  doctrine  of  the  Jews  had 
been  that  salvation  was  confined  to 
themselves.  The  Gentiles  rejoiced  that 
from  the  mouths  of  Jews  they  now  heard 
a  different  doctrine.  ^  Tliey  glorified  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  They  honoured  it  as  a 
message  from  God ;  the}-  recognised  and 
received  it  as  the  word  cf  God.  The  GS 
pression  conveys  the  ided  o£  praise  on  ai>- 
count  of  it,  and  of  reveraice  for  the  mes- 
sage as  the  word  of  God  IT  And  as  man.p 
as  were  ordained,  'oo-oi  Jjo-av  Tsray/^ls/o* 
Syriac,  "  Who  were  destined,"  or  consti 
tuted.  Vulgate,  "  As  mt^ny  as  were  fore- 
ordained (quotquot  eran-:  prjEordinati)  to 

'  eternal  life  believed."      There  has  beeir 


204 


THE  ACTS.  [A.D.4SI 


the  word  of  llie  Lord  :  and  "  as 
many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal 
life,  believed. 

49  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was 
published  throughout  all  the  region. 

50  But  the  .lews  stirred  up  the 
devout  and  honourable  women,  and 

o  c.2.47.  Roin.8.30, 

nrivich  difTereuce  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
this  expression.  One  class  of  comnieiifa- 
iors  have  supposed  that  it  refers  to  the 
doctrine  of  ele:tion — to  God's  ordaining 
men  to  eternal  life  ;  and  another  class,  to 
their  being  disponed  themsdves  to  embrace 
the  gospel — to  tliose  among  them  who 
did  not  reject  and  despise  the  gospel,  bnt 
who  were  disposed  and  inclined  to  em- 
brace it.  The  main  inquiry  is,  what  is 
the  meaning  of  the  word  rendered  or- 
dained? The  word  is  used  but  eight 
times  in  the  New  Testament.  Matt,  xxviii. 
IG,  "  Into  a  mountain  where  Jesus  ?iad  ap- 
pointed them,"  i.  e.  previously  appointed, 
or  commanded  them — before  his  death. 
Luke  vii.  8,  "  For  1  also  am  a  man  set  un- 
der authority  ;"  appointed,  or  designated, 
as  a  soldier,  to  be  under  the  authority  of 
another.  Acs  xv.  2,  "  They  determined 
that  Paul  and  Bamabas,  &c.  should  go  to 
Jerusalem."  Acts  xxii.  10,  "It  shall  be 
told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  appointed 
for  thee  to  do."  xxviii.  23,  "  And  w  hen 
they  liad  appointed  him  a  day,"  &c.  Rom. 
xiii.  1,  "Tne  powers  that  be,  are  ordained 
of  God."  1  Cor.  xvi.  15,  "They  have  ad- 
dicted themselves  to  the  mmistry  of 
samts."  The  wori  T»o-(r<«  or  Tirruj  pro- 
perly means  to  place ;  to  place  in  a  certain 
rank  or  order.  Its  meaning  is  derived 
from  arranging  or  disposing  a  body  of 
soldiers  in  regular  order;  to  arrange  in 
military  order.  In  the  places  which  liave 
been  mentioned  above,  the  word  is  used 
to  denote  the  following  things:  (1.)  7'o 
command,  or  to  designate.  Ma't.  xxviii. 
IG.  Acts  xxii.  10;  xxviii.  23.  (2)  To  in- 
Btitute,  constitute,  or  ap{)oint.  Rom.  xiii. 
1.  ('omp.  2  Sam.  vii.  11.  1  Sam.  xxii.  7. 
['3.)  To  determine,  to  take  counsel,  to  re- 
solve. Acts  XV.  2.  (4.)  To  su])ject  to  the 
authority  of  another  Luke  vii.  8.  (5.)  To 
ftddict  to;  to  devote  to.  1  Cor.  xvi.  15. 
The  meaning  may  be  thus  cxiiresKcd : 
i\.)  The  word  is  never  used  I"  denote  an 
internal  disposition  or  inclimAion  arising 
from  one'.s  own  self  It  doi «  not  mean 
that  they  disposed  tkenisclvt»  to  embrace 
eternal  life.  (2.)  It  has  uniformly  the  no- 
Uoii  of  an  ordcrinp,  dispnsinp,  or  arrang- 
wg  from  without,  i.  e.  fron\  nome  other 
Miur<e  than  iho  iri<]ividiia1  himself;  as  of 


the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  ''  rais 
ed  persecution  against  Paul  ani 
Barnabas,  and  expelled  them  out 
of  their  coasts. 

51  But  they  shook  *  off  the  d-jis 
of  their  feet  against  them,  and  camt 
unto  Iconium. 

i2Tim.3.11.  cMar.6.11.  Lu.9.5.  c.18.6. 

a  soldier,  who  is  arranged  or  classified 
according  to  the  will  of  the  proper  officer 
In  relation  to  the.se  persons  it  means 
therefore,  that  they  were  disposed  or  in 
clined  to  this  from  some  other  source 
than  themselves.  (3.)  It  does  not  proper- 
ly refer  to  an  eternal  decree,  or  directly 
to  the  doctrine  of  election ;  though  tliai 
may  be  inferred  from  it ;  but  it  refers  to 
their  being  then  in  fact  disposed  to  em 
brace  eternal  life.  They  were  then  in 
clined  by  an  influence  from  without  them 
selves,  or  so  disposed  as  to  embrace  eter 
nal  life.  It  refers  not  to  an  eternai 
decree,  but  that  then  there  was  such  an 
influence  as  to  dispose  them,  or  incline 
them,  to  lay  hold  on  salvation.  That  this 
was  done  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  is  clear  l"rom  all  parts  of  the  New 
Testament.  Titus  iii.  5,  G.  John  i.  13.  It 
was  not  a  disposition  or  arrangement  ori- 
ginating  with  themselves,  but  with  God. 
(4.)  This  implies  the  doctrine  of  election. 
It  was  171  fact  that  doctrine  expressed.  It 
w^as  nothing  but  God's  disposing  them  to 
embrace  eternal  life.  And  that  he  does 
this  according  to  a  plan  in  his  own  mind 
— a  plan  which  is  unchangeable  as  God 
himself  is  unchangeable — is  clear  from 
the  Scriptures.  Comp.  Acts  xviii.  10.  Rom. 
viii.  28— 30;  ix,  15,  IG.  21.  23.  Eph.  i.  4, 
5.  11.  The  meaning  may  be  expressed 
in  few  words — who  were  then  disposed 
and  in  good  earnest  determined,  to  embrace 
ete-fial  life,  by  the  operation  of  the  grace  of 
iJod  on  their  hearts  IF  Eternal  life.  Sal 
vation.   Note,  John  lii.  3G. 

."JO.  But  the  Jews  stirred  vp.  Excited 
opposition.  IT  Honourable  v:imien.  Note, 
Mark  xv.  43.  Women  of  influence,  and 
connected  with  families  of  rank.  Perhaps 
they  were  proselytes,  and  were  connected 
with  the  magistrates  of  the  city.  IT  And 
raised  ])ersccntion  Probably  on  the 
ground  that  they  produced  disorder  ond 
excitement.  The  aid  of  "  cA/V/rRcrt'  hat 
often  been  called  in  to  oppo.'je  revivais  of 
religion,  and  to  put  a  period,  if  possible, 
t;)  the  spread  of  ihe  gospel.  H  Out  of  then 
coasts.  Out  of  the  regions  of  their  coun 
try;  out  of  iheir  province. 

51  Jhit  they  shnok  off  the  dust,  &c.  Sec 
N(»te  Malt.  x.  14      f  Aiid  came  into  Iro 


1.  1).  'i5.J 


t  H AFTER  XIV 


205 


51  And  the  disciples  were  filled 
•vith  joy,  "  and  with  the  Holy 
txhost. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  ND  it  came  to  pass  in  Ico- 
-^-^  nium,  that  they  went  both  to- 
gether into  the  synago^e  of  the 
-ews,  and  so  spake,  that  a  great 
'•fultitude,  both  of  the   Jews  and 

isc  of  the  GreekS;  believed. 

2  But  the  unbelieving  Jews  stir- 
fA  up  the  Gentiles,  and  made 
beii  minds  evil-affected  against 
Ue  brethren, 

3  Lonj    time    therefore    abode 

aMatt.5.12.  IThess.l.G. 


uiiLin.  This  was  the  capital  of  Lycaonia. 
It  IS  now  called  Cogni,  or  Konieh,  and  is 
the  capital  of  Caramania. 

52.  And  the  disciples.  The  disciples  in 
Antioch.  ^  Were  filled  v)i!h  jo;/.  This 
happened  even  in  the  midst  of  persecu- 
tion, and  is  one  of  the  many  evidences 
that  the  gospel  is  able  to  fill  the  soul  with 
joy  even  in  the  severest  trials. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

1.  In  Iconium.  Note,  ch.  xiii.  51.  In 
this  place  it  appears  tliat  Timothy  be- 
came acquainted  with  Paul  and  his  man- 
ner of  life.  2  Tim.  iii.  10,  11.  IT  So 
spake.  Spake  with  such  power — their 
preaching  was  attended  so  much  with 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit.  ^  And  of 
the  Greeks.  Probably  proselytes  from  the 
Greeks,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  attend- 
ing the  synagogue. 

2.  But  the  unbelieving  Jews,  &c.  Note, 
ch.  xiii.  50.  II  And  made  their  minds  evil- 
effected.  Irritated,  or  exasperated  them. 
it  Against  the  brethren.  One  of  the  com- 
mon appellations  by  which  Christians 
were  known. 

3.  Long  time  therefore.  In  this  city 
they  were  not  daunted  by  persecution. 
It  seems  probable  fhat  there  were  here 
no  forcible  or  public  measures  to  expel 
them,  as  there  had  been  at  Antioch  (ch. 
xiii.  50),  and  they  therefore  regarded  it 
Bs  their  duty  to  remain.  God  granted 
them  here  also  great  success,  which  w-as 
the  main  reason  for  their  continuing  a  long 
time.  Persecution  and  opposition  may 
be  attended  often  with  signal  success  to 
the  gospel.  IT  Spake  boldly  in  the  Lord. 
In  tlie  cause  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  or  in  his 
name  and  authority.  Perhaps  also  the 
expression  includes  the  idea  of  their 
trusting  in  the  Lord.  ^  Which  gave  testi- 
■nonu     Bore  witfss  to  the  truth  of  their 


,  they  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord, 
which  *  gave  testimony  unto  th« 
word  of  his  grace,  and  granted 
signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by 
their  hands. 

4  But  the  multitude  of  the  city 
was  divided  ;  and  "  part  held  with 
the  Jews, and  part  with  the  apostles. 

5  And  when  there  was  an  as- 
sault made,  both  of  the  Gentilea 
and  also  of  tbe  Jews,  with  their 
rulers,  to  use  the7n  despitefully, 
and  to  stone  them, 

G  They  were  ware  of  it^  and 
fled  ^  unto  Lystra,  and  Derbe,  citieg 

b  Mark  1G.20.  Heb.2.4.        c  c.28.24,       d  Matt,10.23 

message  b^  working  miracles,  &c 
Comp.  Mark  xvi.  20.  This  was  evidently 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  whom  reference  is  here 
made,  and  it  shows  that  he  was  still, 
though  bodily  absent  from  them,  clothed  . 
with  power,  and  still  displayed  that 
power  in  the  advancement  of  his  cause 
The  conversion  of  sinners  accomplished 
by  him  is  always  a  testimony  as  decided 
as  it  is  cheering  to  the  labours  and  mes- 
sages of  his  servants.  IT  Unto  the  word 
of  his  grace.  His  gracious  word,  or  mes- 
sage IT  And  granted  signs,  &c.  Mira- 
cles    See  Note,  Acts  ii.  22. 

A.  Was  divided.  Into  parties.  Gi'eek, 
There  was  a  schism,  E^xiVr>i.  IT  A  pari 
held  with  the  Jews.  Held  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  Jews,  in  oppositionto  the  »»stles. 
A  revival  of  religion  may  prooroe  ex 
citement  by  the  bad  passions  of  opposers 
The  enemies  of  the  truth  may  form  par- 
ties, and  organize  opposition.  Jt  is  no 
uncommon  thing  even  r^ow  for  such 
parties  to  be  formed  ;  but  the  fault  is  not 
in  Christianity.  It  lies  with  those  who 
form  a  party  against  religion,  and  who 
confederate  themselves,  as  was  done 
here,  to  oppose  it. 

5.  An  assault  made.  Greek,  A  rush, 
lei^'<-  It  denotes  an  impetuous  excite- 
ment, and  aggression ;  a  rush  to  put 
them  to  death.  It  rather  describes  a  po- 
pular  tumult  than  a  calm  and  deliberate 
purpose.  There  v.'as  a  violent,  tur?ultu- 
ous  excitement.  IT  Both  of  the  Gentiles, 
&c.  Of  tliat  part  of  them  which  was 
opposed  to  the  Apostles.  H  To  use  them 
despitefully.  Note,  Matt.  v.  44.  To 
reproach  them;  to  bring  contempt  upon 
them  ;  to  injure  them.  IT  To  stone  them. 
To  put  them  to  death  by  stoning  ;  proba- 
bly as  blasphemers,     \cti3  vii.  57 — 59. 

0.  They  were  ware  of  ii.    Thev  wnr»> 


206 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D    i6 


of   Lycai  nia  and   (into  the  region 
that  lieti  i  rou  nd  about : 

7  And  there  they  preached  the 
gospel. 

8  And  there  sat  a  certain  man  at 
Lystra,  impotent  in  his  feet,  being- 
a  "  cripple  from  his  mother's  womb, 
who  never  had  walked. 

9  The  same  heard  Paul  speak ; 
who    steadfastly    beholding    him, 


in  some  way  informed  of  the  excitement 
and  of  their  danger.  IT  And  Jled  unto 
Lystra  Tliis  was  a  city  of  Lycaonia, 
arid  was  a  few  miles  south  of  Iconium. 
It  is  now  called  Jjalik.  If  And  Derbe. 
Derbev.as  a  short  distance  er;st  of  Lystra. 
1!  Cities  of  Lycaonia.  Lycaonia  was  one 
of  the  proviiices  of  Asia  Minor.  It  had 
Gslatia  north,  Pisidia  south,  Cappadocia 
east,  and  Phrygia  west.  It  was  formerly 
^  within  the  limits  of  Phrygia,  but  was 
'  erecied  into  a  separate  province  by  Au- 
f.' '-las.  IF  And  unto  the  region.  &c.  The 
ai.j  icent  country.  Though  persecuted, 
they  still  preached  ;  and  though  driven 
from  one  city,  they  fled  into  another. 
This  was  the  direction  of  the  Saviour. 
Matt.  X.  23. 

8.  And  there  sat.  There  dwelt. Matt, 
IX.  16.  Acts  xviii.  11.  Margin.  The 
word  sal,  however,  indicates  his  usual 
posture ;  his  helpless  condition.  Such 
persons  commonly  sat  at  the  way 
eide.Qtin  sora©..  public  place  to  ask  for 
alm3fl|^ark«rf?,4r).  U  Impuient  in  his 
feet,  ir.rzro?.-'  Without  any  power. 
Entirely  deprived  of  the  use  oi"  his  feet. 
T  Being  a  cripple.  Lame.  ^  Who  never 
had  walked.  The  miracle  therefore 
would  be  more  remarltablc,  as  the  man 
would  be  well  known,  and  there  coidd 
be  no  plea  that  there  was  an  imposition. 
As  they  were  persecuted  from  place  to 
place,  and  opposed  in  every  manner,  it 
was  desirable  that  a  signal  miracle 
shoiild  be  performed  to  carry  fjrward 
and  establish  the  work  of  the  gospel 

9.  Who  steadfastly  beholding  him.  Fix- 
ing his  eyes  intently  on  him.  Note, 
AcLsi.  10.  IT  ArtrZ  perceiving.  IIow  he 
perceived  this  is  not  said.  Perhaps  it 
was  indicated  by  the  ardour,  luimility, 
and  atrring  desire  depicted  in  his  conn- 
tenanco.  lie  had  heard  Paul,  an<l  per- 
haps fho  apr)sllo  had  dwelt  [larticnlarly 
>n  the  mirarlrx  with  which  the  gosjiel 
had  been  attested.  The  miracles  wrought 
also  in  Iconium  had  doubtless  also  been 
••leard  of  in  fivstra.     ^  Had  faith  to  be 


and  perceiving  that  he  nad  faith 
to  be  healed, 

10  Said  with  a  loud  voice,  Stand 
upright  on  thy  feet.  And  he  leap- 
ed '^  and  walked. 

11  And  when  the  people  saw 
what  Paul  had  done,  they  lift  up 
their  voices,  saying  in  the  speech 
of  Lycaonia,  The  '^  gods  are  come 
down  to  us,  in  the  likeness  of  mea. 

h  Matt.9.2S.29,        c  Isa.35.36.        d  cJ9.6. 


healed.    Compare,    JMatt.    ix.  21,  22.  28, 
29.     Luke  vii.  50  ;  xvii.  19;  xviii.  42. 

10.  Said  with  a  loud  voice.  Note 
John  xi.  43.  IT  And  he  leaped.  Note. 
Acts  iii.  8.     Comp.  Isa.  xxxv.  6  . 

11.  T/tey  lift  up  their  voices.  The> 
spoke  with  astonishment,-  such  as  might 
be  expected  when  it  was  supposed  thai 
the  gods  had  come  down.  IT  In  die 
speech  of  Lycaonia.  What  this  language 
was  has  much  puzzled  commentators. 
It  was  probably  a  mixture  of  the  Greek  and 
Syriac.  In  that  region  generally  the  Greek 
was  usually  spoken  with  more  or  less 
purity ;  and  from  the  fact  that  it  was  not 
far  from  the  regions  of  Syria,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  the  Greek  language  was  cor- 
rupted with  this  foreign  admixture. 
IT  The  gods,  &c  All  the  region  was 
idolatrous.  The  gods  which  were  wor- 
shipped there  were  those  which  were 
worshipped  throughout  Greece.  II  Are 
come  down.  The  miracle  which  Paul 
had  wrought  led  them  to  suppose  this 
It  was  evidently  beyond  human  ability, 
and  they  had  no  other  way  of  accounting 
for  it  than  by  supposing  that  their  gods 
had  personally  appeared.  IF  In  the  like 
ness  of  men.  Many  of  their  gods  were 
heroes,  whom  they  worshipped  after  they 
were  dead.  It  was  conmion  among  them 
to  suppose  that  the  gods  appeared  to  men 
in  human  form.  The  poems  of  Homer, 
of  Virgil,  &c.  are  fdled  with  accounts  of 
such  appearances,  and  the  only  way  in 
which  they  supposed  the  gods  to  take 
knowledge  of  human  aflliirs,  and  to  aid 
men,  was  by  their  personally  appearing 
in  this  form.  See  Homer's  Odyssey,  xvii 
485.  Catullus,  64.  384  Ovid's  Metamor 
phosis,  i.  212.  {Kuinoel)  Thus  Homcf 
says  : 

For  in  similitude  of  strancers  oft 

The  gods  who  can  with  case  ali  shapes  an 

siimc, 
Repair  to  popuhms  citicn,  wliore  thoy  mark 
Th'  oiitratieniis  and  the  rightcoim  ilivds  of 

men.  ('ouTKR. 

Among    the    Hindo<w,   the  opic'on    lin* 


A.  D.  4G.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


ao: 


12  And  iAey  called  Barnabas, 
/upitor;  and  Paul,  Mercurius,  bo- 
cause  he  "vas  the  chief  speaker. 

13  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter, 
which  was  before  their  city,  brought 
Dxen  and  g-arlands  unto  the  g-ates, 
and  "  would  have  done  sacrifice 
with  the  people. 

14  TPTiich,  when  the  apostles, 
Barnabas  and  Paul,  heard  o/,  they 

a  Dan.2.46.  b  Matt.26.65  c  c.10.26.  James 

B.17.  Rev.19.10. 


been  prevalent  that  there    have    been 
many  incarnations  of  their  gods. 

12.  A7id  they  called  Barnabas,  Jupiter. 
lupiter  was  represented  as  the  most  pow- 
erful of  all  the  gods  of  the  ancients.    He 
vvas  represented  as  the  son  of  Saturn  and 
Ops,  and   was   educated   in   a  cave  on 
mount  Ida,  in  the  island  of  Crete.    The 
worship  of  Jupiter  was  almost  universal. 
He  was  the  Ammon  of  Africa,  the  Belus 
of  Babylon,   the  Osiris  of  Egypt.    His 
common  appellation  was,  the   father  of 
gods  and  men.     He  was  usually  repre- 
sented as  sitting  upon  a  golden  or  an 
.very  throne,  holding  in  one  hand  a  thun- 
derbolt, and  in  the  other  a  sceptre  of  cy- 
press.  His  power  was  supposed  to  extend 
over  other  gods;  and  every  thing  was 
subservient  to  his  v/ill,  except  the  fates. 
There  is  the  most  abundant  proof  that  he 
was  worshipped  in  the  region  of  Lycao- 
nia,  and  throughout  Asia  Minor.     There 
was  besides  a  fable  among  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Lycaonia  that  Jupiter  and  Mer- 
cury had  once  visited  that  place,  and  had 
been  received  by  Philemon.    The  whole 
fable  is  related  by  Ovid.   Metam«.  8.  61], 
&c.     IF  And  Paul,  Mercurius.     Mercury, 
called  by  the  Greeks  Hermes;  was  a  cele- 
brated god  of  antiquity.  No  less  than  five 
of  this  name  are  mentioned  by  Cicero. 
The  most  celebrated  was  the  son  of  Ju- 
piter and  Mala.     He  was  the  messenger 
of  the  gods,  and  of  Jupiter  in  particular; 
-he  was  the  patron  of  travellers  and  shep- 
herds ;  he  conducted  the  souls  of  the  dead 
into  the  infernal  regions ;  and  he  presided 
over   orators,  and  dedaimers,   and   mer- 
chants;   and    he   was  also  the    god  of 
thieves,   pickpockets,  and   all    dishonest 
persons.     He  was  regarded  as  the  god  of 
'.loquence ;  and  as  light,  rapid,  and  quick 
in  his  movements.    The   conjecture  of 
Chr3'sostom  is,  that  Barnabas  was  a  large, 
Rlhleti-c  man,  and  was  hence  taken  for 
lupiler;  and  that  Paul  was  small  in  his 
pnrson  and  was  hence  supposed  to  be 
Mercurv.      ^Because  he   was  the  chief 


*  rent   their    clothes,   and    ran    ir 
among  the  people,  crying  out, 

15  And  saying-.  Sirs,  why  do  ye 
these  things  1  We  '^  also  are  men 
of  like  passions  with  you,  anc 
preach  unto  you,  that  ye  should 
turn  from  these  vanities  '^  unto  *  the 
living  God,  which  made>"  hsavep 
and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  al 
things  that  are  therein  : 

d  lSam.12.21.  lKi.16.13.  Jer.14.22.  Jno.2.8.  lCon8.4 
e  lThess.1.9.  /  Gen.1.1.  Ps.33.G;  146.6.  Rev.14.7. 


speaker.  The  office  of  Mercury  was  to 
deliver  the  messages  of  the  gods ;  and  as 
Paul  only  had  been  discoursing  he  was 
supposed  to  be  Mercury 

13.  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter.  He 
whose  office  it  was  to  conduct  the  wor- 
ship of  Jupiter,  by  offering  sacrifices,  &c. 
"ir  Which  tvas  before  their  city.  The  word 
"  which"  here  refers  not  to  the  priest,  but 
to  Jupiter.  The  temple  or  image  of  Ju- 
piter was  in  front  of  their  city,  or  near  the 
gates.  Ancient  cities  were  supposed  to 
be  under  the  protection  of  particular 
gods;  and  their  image,  or  a  temple  for 
their  worship,  was  placed  commonly  in  a 
conspicuous  place  at  the  entrance  of  the 
city.  IF  Brought  oxen.  Probably  brought 
two — one  to  be  sacrificed  to  each.  It  was 
common  to  sacrifice  bullocks  to  Jupiter. 
IT  And  garlands.  The  victims  of  sacrifice 
were  usually  decorated  with  ribands  and 
chaplets  of  flowers.  See  Kuinoel.  ^  Unto 
the  gates.  The  gates  of  the  city  where 
were  the  images  or  tem'ple  of  the  gods. 
IT  Would  have  done  sacrifice.  Would  have 
offered  sacrifice  to  Barnabas  and  Paul. 
This  the  priest  deemed  a  part  of  his 
office.  And  here  we  have  a  remarkable 
and  most  affecting  instance  of  the  folly 
and  stupidity  of  idolatry. 

14.  Which,  when  the  apostles.  Barnabas 
is  called  an  apostle  because  he  was  serU 
forth  by  the  church  ofTa  particular  mes- 
sage (ch.  xiii.  3.  Comp.  ch.  xiv.  26) ;  not 
because  he  had  been  chosen  to  the  pecu- 
liar work  of  the  apostleship — to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  life  and  resurrection  of  Christ 
See  Note,  t;h.  i.  22.  IT  They  rent  their 
clothes.  As  an  expression  of  their  abhor- 
rence of  what  they  were  doing,  and  of 
their  deep  grief  that  they  should  thus  de 
base  themselves  by  offering  worship  t<! 
men.     See  Note,  Matt.  xxvi.  G5. 

15.  And  saying.  Sirs.  Greek,  Me7i. 
IT  Why  do  ye  these  things?  This  i^  an 
expression  of  solemn  remonstrance  at  the 
folly  of  their  conduct  in  worshipping  thase 
wio  were  men.     The  abhorrence  which 


'20S 


THE  ACTS 


LA.  .0.  4b 


16  Who  ■  in  times  past  sulTered 
all  nations  to  walk  in  their  own 
ways. 

17  Nevertheless,  *•  he    left  not 

o  Ps.81.12.  c. 17.30.  b  Rom.l.2a 


ihey  evinced  at  this,  may  throw  strong 
light  on  the  rank  and  character  of  the 
t^rd  Jesus  Christ.  When  an  offer  was 
made  to  worship  Paul  and  Barnabas,  they 
shrank  from  il  with  strong  expressions  of 
indignation  and  abhorrence.  Yet  when 
similar  worship  was  offered  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  when  he  was  addressed  by  Thomas 
in  the  language  of  worship,  "My  Lord 
and  my  God"  (John  xx.  28),  he  commend- 
ed the  disciple.  For  this  act  he  uttered 
not  the  shyhtest  reproof.  Nay,  he  ap- 
proved it  ,•  and  expressed  his  approbation 
of  others  who  should  also  do  it.  ver.  29. 
Comp.  John  v.  23.  How  can  this  differ- 
ence be  accounted  for,  except  on  the  sup- 
position :hat  the  Lord  Jesus  was  divine  ? 
Would  he,  if  a  mere  man,  receive  homage 
as  God,  when  his  disciples  rejected  it  with 
horror?  %  Of  like  passioiis  with  you.  We 
are  men  like  yourselves.  We  have  no 
claim,  no  pretensions  to  any  thing  more. 
The  word  "  passions"  here  means  simply 
that  they  had  the  common  feelings  and 
propensities  of  men;  we  have  the  nature 
of  men  ;  the  affections  of  men.  It  does 
not  mean  that  they  were  subject  to  any 
improper  passions,  to  ill  temper,  &c.  as 
some  have  supposed;  but  that  they  did 
not  pretend  to  be  gods.  '  We  need  food 
and  drink;  we  are  exposed  to  pain  and 
sickness,  and  death.'  The  Latin  Vulgate 
renders  it,  '  We  are  mortal  like  your- 
Belves.'  The  expression  stands  opposed 
to  the  proper  conception  of  God.  who  is 
not  subject  to  these  affections,  who  is 
most  blessed  and  immortal.  Such  a  Being 
only  is  to  bo  worshipped;  and  the  apos- 
tles remonstrated  strongly  with  them  on 
the  folly  of  paying  religious  homage  to 
beitgs  like  them^ves.  Comp.  James  v. 
17,  '•  Elias  [Elijah]  was  a  man  subject  to 
like  passions  as  we  are,"  &c.  ^  iViat  ye 
should  turn  from  these  vanities.  That  you 
should  cease  to  WDrship  idols.  Idols  are 
often  called  van.ties,  or  vain  things. 
Deut.  xxxii.  21.  2  Kings  xi'ii.  15.  1  Kings 
xvi.  13.  26.  Jer.  ii.  5;  viii  19;  x.  8.  Jonah 
li.  8.  They  are  called  vanities,  and  oflen 
a  lie,  or  lying  vanities,  as  opposed  to  the 
living  and  true  God,  because  they  are 
unreal,  because  they  have  no  iK)vver  to 
help,  because  confidence  in  them  is  vain. 
V  Unto  the  living  (Jod.  1  Thcss.  i.  9.  Ho 
tf"  called  ihoZtt'in^God  to  distinguish  hin. 
Torn    idols.      See   Note.   Matt.   xvi.    HV 


himself  without  wituess,  in  that  he 
did  good,  and  gave  us  rain "  from 
heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling 
our  hearts  with  food  and  gladnsss. 

c  Job  5.10.  P8.147.8.  Matt.5.45. 


IT  Which  made  heaven,  &.c.  Whe  thua 
showed  that  he  was  the  only  proper  ob- 
ject of  worship.  This  doctrine,  that  thers 
was  one  God,  who  had  made  all  thingi 
was  new  to  them.  They  worshipped 
multitudes  of  divinities  ;  and  though  they 
regarded  Jupiter  as  the  father  of  gods 
and  men,  yet  they  had  no  conception  tha 
all  things  had  been  formed  from  nothing 
by  the  wdl  of  one  Infinite  Being. 

IG.  \\  ho  in  times  past.  Previous  to  the 
gospel ;  in  past  ages.  IT  Suffered  all  na 
lions.  Permitted  all  nations;  that  is,  all 
Gentiles.  Acts  xvii.  30,  "  And  the  times 
of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at."  IT  To 
walk  in  their  own  ways.  To  conduct  them- 
selves without  the  restraints  and  instruc- 
tions of  a  written  law.  They  were  per 
milted  to  follow  their  own  .reason  and 
passions,  and  their  ow  n  system  of  religion. 
He  gave  them  no  written  laws,  and  seni 
to  them  no  messengers.  Why  he  did  this 
we  cannot  determine.  It  might  have  been, 
among  other  reasons,  to  show  to  the  world 
conclusively,  (I.)  The  insufficiency  of  rea- 
.fon  to  guide  men  in  the  matters  of  reh 
gion.  The  experiment  was  made  un'Jer 
the  most  favourable  circumstances.  The 
most  enlightened  nations,  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  were  left  to  pursue  the  inquiry, 
and  failed  no  less  than  the  most  degraded 
tribes  of  men.  The  trial  was  made  for 
four  thousand  years,  and  attended  with 
the  same  results  every  where.  (2.)  It 
showed  the  need  of  revelation  to  guide 
man.  (3)  It  evinced,  beyond  the  possi 
bility  of  mistake,  the  depravity  of  man 
In  all  nations,  in  all  circumstances,  nien 
had  shown  the  same  alienation  from  God. 
By  suffering  them  to  walk  in  their  own 
ways,  it  v\a3  seen  that  those  ways  were 
sin,  and  that  some  power  more  than 
human  wasnecessary  to  bring  men  baclt. 
to  God.  ^ 

17.  Neverthdess.  Though  he  gave  thera 
no  revelation.  Ti  He  left  not  himself  with- 
out witness.  He  gave  demonstration  of 
his  existence,  and  of  his  moral  character. 
H  In  that  he  did  f^ood.  By  tloing  good. 
The  manner  in  which  ho  did  it,  he  imme* 
diately  specifies.  Idols  did  not  do  good 
or  confer  favours,  and  werf  therefore  un- 
worthy of  their  (confidence.  H  And  gave 
us  rain  from  heaven.  Rain  from  alx)VO 
fmm  the  clouds.  Mark  viii.  H.  Luke  ii 
M:  xvii.  29;  xxi.    11      lohn  vi.  3L  32 


A.  D.  46.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


208 


18  And  with  these  sayinfrs 
source  restrained  they  the  people , 
that  they  had  not  done  sacrifice 
unto  them. 

19  And  there  came  thither  :er- 


Rain  is  oiio  of  the  evidences  of  his  good- 
ness Man  could  not  cause  it ;  and  with- 
out it,  regulated  at  proper  intervals  of 
time,  and  in  proper  quantities,  the  earth 
wouL'l  £Oon  be  one  wide  scene  of  desola- 
tion. There  is  scarcely  any  thing  that 
mor<!  certainly  indicates  unceasing  care 
and  -^tsdom  than  the  needful  and  refresh- 
ing s:iowers  of  rain.  The  sun  and  stars 
move  by  fixed  laws,  whose  operation  we 
3an  see  and  anticipate.  The  falling  of 
rain  and  dew  is  regulated  by  laws  which 
've  cannot  trace,  and  seems  therefore  to 
De  poured,  as  it  were,  directly  from  God's 
hollow  hand.  Ps.  cxlvii.  8,  "  Who  cover- 
eth  the  heaven  with  clouds;  who  prepar- 
eth  rain  for  the  earth." 

*  He  sends  his  show'rs  of  blessings  down, 

To  cheer  the  plains  below  ; 
He  makes  the  grass  the  mountains  crown, 

And  corn  in  valleys  grow. 
"The  cheering  wind,  the  flying  cloud. 

Obey  his  mighty  word  ; 
With  songs  and  honours  sounding  loud. 

Praise  ye  the  sovereign  Lord." — Watts. 
%  And  fruitful  seasons.  Seasons  when 
the  earth  produces  abundance.  It  is  re- 
markable, and  a  shining  proof  of  the  di- 
vine goodness,  that  so  few  seasons  are 
unfruitful.  The  earth  yields  her  increase  ; 
and  the,  labours  of  the  hiisbandman  are 
crowned  with  success:  and  the  goodness 
of  God  demands  the  expressions  of  praise. 
His  ancient  covenant  God  does  not  forget 
(Gen.  viii.  22),  though  man  forgets  it,  and 
disregards  his  great  Benefactor.  IT  Filling 
our  hearts  with  food.  The  word  hearts  is 
here  used  as  a  Hebraism,  to  denote  ;?er- 
sons  themselves;  filliag  iis  with  food,  &c. 
Comp.  Matt.  xii.  40.  IT  Gladness.  Joy; 
comfort — the  comfort  arising  from  tiie 
supply  of  our  constantly  returning  wants. 
This  is  proof  of  ever  watchful  goodness. 
It  is  demonstration  at  once  that  there  is  a 
God,  and  that  he  is  good.  It  w^ould  be 
easy  for  God  to  withdraw  these  blessings, 
and  leave  us  to  want.  A  single  word,  or 
a  single  deviation  from  the  fulness  of  be- 
nevolence, would  blast  all  these  comforts, 
and  leave  us  to  lamentation,  wo,  and 
death.  Ps.  cxlv.  15,  16. 

'  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee,  -^ 

And  thou  givest  them  their  food  in  duesea- 
Thou  openest  thine  hand,  ['son. 

^nd  satisfies*  the  desire  of  all  thp  Uving." 
s  2 


tarn  Jews  from  Ar.tioch  and  Iconi- 
um,  who  persuaded  the  people,  and 
having  "  stoned  Paul,  drew  him  om 
of  the  city,  supposing  he  had  been 
dead. 


18.  And  with  these  sayings.  With  tlies€ 
arguments.  IT  Scarce  restrained  they  the 
people.  They  were  so  fully  satisfied  that 
the  gods  had  appeared,  and  were  so  full 
of  zeal  to  do  them  honour. 

1 9  And  there  came  thither  certain  Jews 
Not  satisfied  with  having  expelled  thera 
from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  they  still  pur 
sued  thera. — Persecutors  often  exhibit  a 
zeal  and  perseverance  in  a  bad  cause, 
which  It  would  be  well  if  Christians 
evinced  in  a  holy  cause.  Men  will  often 
travel  farther  to  do  evil  than  they  will  to 
do  good ;  and  many  men  show  more  zeal 
in  opposing  the  gospel  than  professed 
Christians  do  in  advancing  it.  ^  Antioch 
and  Iconium.  Note,  ch.  xiii.  14.  51.  IF  Who 
persuaded  the  peojde.  That  they  were 
impostors;  and  who  excited  their  rage 
against  them.  IT  And  having  stoned  Paul 
Whom  they  were  just  before  ready  to 
worship  as  a  god !  What  a  striking  in 
stance  of  the  fickleness  and  instability  of 
idolaters !  and  what  a  striiung  instance 
of  the  instability  and  uselessness  of  mere 
popularity.  Just  before,  they  were  ready 
to  adore  him;  now,  they  sought  to  put 
him  to  death.  Nothing  is  more  fickle  than 
mere  popular  favour.  The  unbounded 
admiration  of  a  man  may  soon  be  chang- 
ed into  unbounded  indignation  and  con 
tempt!  It  was  well  for  Paul  that  he  was 
not  seeking  this  popularity,  and  that  he 
did  not  depend  on  it  for  happiness.  He 
had  a  good  conscience  ;  he  was  engaged 
in  a  good  cause ;  he  w  as  under  the  pro- 
tection of  God  ;  and  his  happiness  was  to 
be  sought  from  a  higher  source  than  the 
applause  of  men,  fluctuating  and  uncer- 
tain as  the  waves  of  the  sea.  To  this 
transaction  Paul  referred  v.'hen  he  enu- 
merated his  trials,  in  2  Cor.  xi.  25,  "  Once 
was  I  stoned.''  IT  Dreio  him  out  of  the 
city.  Probably  in  haste,  and  in  populai 
rage,  as  if  he  was  unfit  to  be  in  the  city, 
and  was  unworthy  of  a  decent  burial; 
for  it  does  not  appear  that  they  contem 
plated  an  interment,  but  indignantly  drag 
ged  him  beyond  the  walls  of  the  city  to 
leave  him  there.  Such  sufferings  and 
trials  it  cost  to  establish  that  religion  in 
the  world  which  has  shed  so  many  bless- 
ings  on  man,  and  which  now  orowns  ui 
with  comfort,  and  saves  us  from  the  abo 
rainationa  and  degradations  of  idolatrj 


^lo 


THE  ACT!S. 


[A.D.  ib. 


20  Howbeit,  as  th3  disciples 
stood  round  abojt  him.  he  rose  up, 
ind  came  inta  the  city :  aivd  the 
next  day  he  departed  with  Barna- 
bis  to  Dcrbe. 

21  And  wh&a  they  had  preached 


here,  and  from  the  pains  of  hell,  hereafter, 
fl  lSupposi7ig  he  had  been  dead.  The  next 
verse  shows  that  he  was  really  not  dead, 
though  many  commentators,  as  well  as  the 
Jews,  have  supposed  that  he  was,  and 
was  miraculously  restored  to  life.  It  is 
remarkable  that  Barnabas  was  not  expos- 
ed to  this  popular  fury.  But  it  is  to  be 
remembered  that  Paul  was  the  chief 
speaker,  and  it  was  his  peculiar  zeal  that 
exposed  him  to  this  tumuh. 

20.  Howbeit.  But.  Notwithstanding 
the  supposition  that  he  was  dead.  IT  As 
the  disciples  stood  round  about  him.  It 
would  seem  that  they  did  not  suppose  that 
he  was  dead ;  but  might  be  expecting  that 
he  w'ould  revive.  11  He  rose  up,  &c.  Most 
commentators  have  supposed  that  this 
was  the  effect  of  a  miracle.  They  have 
maintained  that  he  could  not  have  risen 
50  soon,  and  entered  into  the  city,  w  ithout 
the  interposition  of  miraculous  power. 
(Calvin,  Doddridge,  Clark,  &c.)  But  the 
commentators  have  asserted  that  which 
is  not  intimated  by  the  sacred  penman. 
Nor  is  there  propriety  in  supposing  the 
intervention  of  miraculous  agency  where 
it  is  not  necessary.  The  probability  is, 
that  he  was  stunned  by  a  blow — perhaps 
a  single  blow — and  after  a  short  time  re- 
covered from  it.  Nothing  is  more  com- 
mon than  thus  by  a  violent  blow  on  tlie 
head  to  be  rendored  apparently  lifeless, 
the  effect  of  which  soon  is  over,  and  the 
person  restored  to  strength.  Prica3us  and 
VVetstein  suppose  that  Paul  feigned  him- 
self to  be  dead,  and  when  out  of  danger 
rose  and  returned  to  the  city.  But  this 
is  wholly  improbable.  ^  And  came  into 
[he  city.  It  is  remarkable  that  he  should 
have  returned  again  into  the  same  city. 
But  probably  it  was  only  among  the  now 
'jonverta  that  he  showed  himself  The 
Jews  8up{)oaed  that  lie  was  dead  i  and  it 
Joes  not  appear  that  he  again  exposed 
aimself  to  their  rage,  IF  And  the  next  daj^ 
fcc  The  opposition  here  was  such  that 
't  was  vain  to  attempt  to  preach  there  any 
lOngor.  Having  beeri  seen  by  the  disci- 
ples after  his  suppf)sod  death,  their  faith 
was  confirmed,  and  lie  dcfrdrted  to  preach 
Ui  another  place.     ^\  To  Derbc.    vcr.  G. 

21.  Had  taught  many.     Or  rathe,*,  had 
(uulo    many  diacip'es    (margin).      V  To 


the  gospel  Zo  that  city,  and  '  had 
taught  many,  they  returned  agaiL 
to  Lystra,  and  to  Iconium,  and  An 
tioch, 

22  Confirming  the  souls  of  the 
disciples,  and  exhorting  them  to 

»  Had  made  many  diiciple*. 


Lystra.  ver.  6.  IT  And  to  Iconium.  ver.  1. 
We  have  here  a  remarkable  instance  of 
the  courage  of  the  apostles.  In  these  very 
places  they  had  been  persecuted  and 
stoned,  and  yet  in  the  face  of  danger  they 
ventured  to  return.  The  welfare  of  the 
infant  churches  they  deemed  of  more 
consequence  than  their  own  safety ;  and 
they  threw  themselves  again  into  the 
midst  of  dar.ger,  to  comfort  and  strengthen 
those  JHst  converted  to  God.  There  are 
times  when  ministers  should  not  count 
their  own  lives  dear  to  them  (Acts  xx. 
24),  but  wnen  they  should  fearlessly  throw 
themselves  into  the  midst  of  danger,  con- 
fiding only  in  the  protecting  care  of  their 
God  and  Saviour. 

22.  Confirming.  Strengthening.  'Esrio-- 
TVi^il,avrt;.  The  expression  "  to  confirm" 
has  in  some  churches  a  technical  signifi- 
cation, denoting  "  to  admit  to  the  full  pri- 
vileges of  a  Christian,  by  the  imposition 
of  hands."  (Johnson.)  It  is  scarcely  ne- 
cessary to  say  that  the  word  here  refers 
to  no  such  rite.  It  has  no  reference  lo 
any  imposition  of  hands,  nor  to  the  thing 
which  is  usually  supposed  to  be  denoted 
by  the  rite  of  "  confirmation."  It  means 
simply,  that  they  established,  strengthened, 
made  firm,  or  encouraged  by  thepresen- 
tation  of  truth,  and  by  the  motiv^  of  the 
gospel.  Whether  the  rite  of  confirmar 
tion,  as  practised  by  some  churches,  bo 
founded  on  the  authority  of  the  New 
Testament  or  not,  it  is  certain  that  it  can 
receive  no  support  from  this  passage 
The  truth  was,  that  these  were  young 
converts  ;  that  they  were  surrounded  by 
enemies,  exposed  to  temptations,  anci  to 
dangers ;  that  they  had  as  yet  but  a 
slight  acquaintance  with  the  truths  oi 
the  gospel,  and  that  it  was  therefore  im- 
portant that  they  should  be  further"  in- 
structed in  the  truth,  and  established  in 
the  faith  of  the  gospel.  This  was  what 
Paul  and  Barnabas  returned  to  accora 
j)lish.  Tiiore  is  not  the  slightest  evi« 
dence  that  thoy  had  not  been  admitted  to 
the  full  privileges  of  the  church  before, 
or  that  any  ccremoni/  was  now  performed 
in  confirming  or  strengthening  th«m 
^  Wte  souls.  The  minds,  tfio  hearts ;  or 
the  disciples  themselves,  t  Disciples 
They  were  as  vet  itrhotars,  or  learnmt 


A-  D.  52.J 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


aii 


continue  "  in  the  faith,  and  that  * 
wo,  must  throucrh  much  tribulation 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
23  And  wbftn  they  had  ordained 

ac.13.43.  iRom.8.17.  2Tim.3.12. 


and  the  apostles  leturned  to  mstruct  them 
further  in  the  doctrines  of  Christ.  IF  And 
xhorting  them,  &c.  ch.  xiii.  43.  ^  In  the 
faith,  in.  the  "^eUef  of  the  gospel. 
^  And  that  we  musi.  <«<  'on  Ssi.  That  it 
s  fit  or  proper  that  we  should,  &c.  Not 
Sliat  it  is  in  itself  fixed  hy  any  fatal  ne- 
cessity i  but  that  such  is  the  nature  of 
religion,  and  such  the  wickedness  and 
opiX)sition  of  the  world,  that-it  will  hap- 
pen. We  are  not  to  expect  that  it  will  be 
otherwise.  We  are  to  calculate  on  it 
when  we  become  Christians.     Why  it  is 

S roper,  or  fit,  the  aposile  did  not  state, 
lut  we  may  remark  that  it  is  proper,  (1.) 
Because  such  is  the  opposition  of  the 
world  to  pure  religion,  that  it  cannot  be 
avoided.  Of  this  they  had  had  striking 
demonstration  in  Lystra  and  Iconium. 
,2.)  It  IS  necessary  to  reclaim  us  from 
wandering,  and  to  keep  us  in  the  path  of 
duly.  Ps.  cxix.  67.  71.  (3.)  It  is  neces- 
sary to  wean  us  from  the  world  ,  to  keep 
before  one's  mind  the  great  truth,  that 
we  have  here  "  no  continuing  city,  and 
no  abiding  place."  Trial  here,  makes  us 
pant  for  a  world  of  rest.  The  opposition  of 
sinners  makes  us  desire  that  world  where 
"the  wicked  shall  cease  firom  trou- 
bling," and  where  there  shall  be  eternal 
friendship  and  peace.  (4.)  When  we  are 
Dersecuted  and  afflicted,  we  may  remem- 
ber that  it  has  been  the  lot  of  Christians 
from  the  beginning.  We  tread  a  path 
that  has  been  watered  by  the  tears  of  the 
saints,  and  rendered  sacred  by  the  shed- 
ding of  the  best  blood  on  the  earth.  The 
Saviour  trod  that  path ;  and  it  is  enough 
that  the  "  disciple  be  as  his  master,  and 
the  servant  as  his  lord."  Matt.  x.  24,  25. 
%  Through  much  tribulation.  Through 
many  afflictions.  IT  Enter  into  the  king- 
dcm  of  God.  Be  saved.  Enter  into  hea- 
ven.    Note,  Matt.  iii.  2. 

23.  Arid  when  theif  had  ordained.  Xsj^o. 
rovvjroevTfc-  The  word  ordain  we  now 
use  in  an  ecclesiastical  sense,  to  denote  a 
setting  apart  to  an  office  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands.  But  it  is  evident  that  the 
word  here  is  not  employed  in  that  sense. 
That  imposition  of  hands  might  have  oc- 
curred in  setting  apart  afterwards  to  this 
office  is  certainly  possible,  but  it  is  not  im- 
plied in  the  word  employed  here,  and  did 
not  tako  place  in  the  transaction  to  which 
this  word  refers..    The  word  occurs  but 


them  elders  in  every  church,  and 
had  prayed  with  fasting,  they  com- 
mended them  to  the  Lord,  on  whom 
they  believed. 


in  one  other  place  in  the  New  Testament, 
2  Cor.  viii    19,  where  it  is  applied  to 
Luke,  and   translated,  "  who  was    also 
chosen  of  the  church  (i.  e.  appointed  o? 
elected    by    suffrage    by    the     church- 
es), to  travel   with  us"  &c.    The  verb 
properly  denotes  to  stretch  out  the  hand ; 
and  as  it  was  customary  to  elect  to  office, 
or  to  vote,  by  stretching  out  or  elevating 
the  hand,  so  the   word  simply  means  to 
elect,  appoint,  or  designate  to  any  office. 
The  word  here  refers  simply  to  an  elec- 
tion or  appointment  of  the  elders.     It  is 
said  indeed  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  did 
this.     But  probably  all  that  is  meant  by  it 
is'^that  they  presided  in  the  assembly 
when  the  choice  was  made.     It  does  not 
mean  that  they  appointed  them  without 
consulting  the  church ;  but  it  evidently 
means  that  they  appointed   them  in  the 
usual  way  of  appointing  officers,  by  the 
suffi-ages  of  the  people.     See  Schleusner, 
and  the  notes  of  Doddridge  and  Calvin. 
IT  Ordained  them.     Appointed  for  the  dis- 
ciples, or  for  the  church.    It  is  not  meant 
that  the   elders   w^ere   ordained  for  the 
apostles.     IT  Elders.    Greek,  Presbyters 
Literally  this  word  refers  to  the   aged. 
Note,  ch.  xi.  30.    But  it  may  also  be  a 
word   relating  to  office,  denoting  those 
who  were  more  experienced  than  others, 
to  preside  over  and  to  instruct  the  rest. 
What  was  the  nature  of  this  office,  and 
what  was  the  design  of  the  appointment, 
is  not  intimated  in  this  word.    All  that 
seems  to  be  implied  is,  that  they  were  to 
take  the  charge  of  the  churches  during 
the  absence  of  the  apostles.    The  apostles 
were  about  to  leave  them.    They  wero 
just  organized  into  churches ;  wero  in- 
experienced;  needed    counsel   and    di- 
rection ;  were  exposed   to  dangers ;  and 
it  was  necessarj.%  therefore,  that  persons 
should  be  designated  to  watch  over  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  brethren.    The 
probability  is,  that  they  performed  all  the 
fiinctions  that  were  required  in  the  in- 
fant and  feeble  churches ;  in  exhorting 
instructing,  governing,  &;c.     The  more 
experienced   and   able   would    be  most 
likely  to  be  active  in  exhorting  and  in- 
structing the   brethren ;  and  all   would 
be  useful  in  counselling  and  guiding  the 
flock.     The    same    thing    occurred    in 
the  church  at  Ephesus.    See  Notes  on 
Acts  XX.  17  -28.    It  is  not  improbable 


212 


THE  ACTS 


A.  D.  52.1 


24  And  after  they  had  passed 
throug^hout  Pisidia,  they  came  to 
Paraphylia. 

25  And  when  they  had  preached 
the  word  in  Perga,  they  went  down 
into  Attalia : 

26  And  thence  sailed  to  Antioch, 


that  the  business  of  ir»structing,  or  teach- 
ing, would  be  gradually  confined  to  the 
more  talented  and  able  of  the  elders 
and  that  the  others  would  be  concerned 
mainly  in  governing  and  directing  the 
general  affairs  of  the  church.  IT  In  every 
church.  It  is  imphed  here  that  there  were 
elders  in  each  church  ;  that  is,  that  in 
each  church  there  was  more  than  one. 
See  ch.  xv.  21.  where  a  similar  phraseolo- 
gy occurs,  and  where  it  is  evident  that 
there  was  more  than  one  reader  of  the 
law  of  Moses  in  each  city.  Titus  i.  5, 
•'  I  left  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldst 

. . .  ordain  elders  in  every  city."  Acts  xx. 
7  "  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephe- 
sus.  and  called  the  elders  of  the  church." 
It  could  not  mean,  therefore,  that  they 
appointed  a  single  minister  or  pastor  to 
each  church,  but  they  committed  the 
V,  hole  affairs  of  the  church  to  a  bench  of 
ciders.  IT  And  had  prayed  with  fasting. 
With  the  chnrch.  They  were  about  to 
leave  them.  They  had  intrusted  the  in- 
terests of  the  church  to  a  body  of  men 
chosen  lor  this  purpose  ;  and  thev  now 
commended  the  church  and  its  elders  to- 
gether to  God.  Probably  they  had  no 
prospect  of  seeing  them  again  ;  and  they 
parted  as  ministers  and  people  should 
part,  and  as  Christian  friends  .should  part, 
with  humble  prayer,  commending  them- 
selves to  the  protecting  care  of  God. 
IT  I'hey  commended  them,  &c.  They 
rr/mmilled  the  infant  church  to  the  guar- 
dianship of  the  Lord.  They  were  fee- 
ble, inexperienced,  and  exposed  to  dan- 
gers ;  but  in  his  hands  they  were  safe. 
li  To  the  Lord, ^c.  The  Lord  Jesus.  The 
•  •onnexion  shows  that  he  is  particularly 
referred  to.  In  his  hands,  the  redeemed 
are  secure.  When  we  part  with  Chris- 
tian friends,  we  may,  with  confidence, 
leave  them  in  his  holy  care  and  keeping. 

24  Throughout  Pisidia.  Note  ch.  xiii. 
II.  1i  They  came  to  Famphylia.  Note, 
rli.  xiii.  13.  These  places  they  haa  visit- 
ed before. 

2.'».  In  Pergn.  Note,  ch.  xiii.  13. 
II  They  vent  doum  into  Attalia.  This 
was  n  city  of  Pnmphvlia.  situated  on  the 
8ca-Khore.  It  was  built  by  A'talus  Phila- 
lelptiufi,  king  of  Pergamus  who  gave  it 


"  from  whence  they  had  been  re 
commended  to  *  the  grace  of  Go(* 
for  tlie  work  which  they  fulfilled 
27  And  when  they  were  corner 
and  had  gathered  the  church  toge- 
ther they  rehearsed  "  all  that  God 
had  done  with  them,  and  how  he 


his  own  name.     It  is  now  called  Aniali. 
(Rob.  Cat) 

26.  And  thence  sailed  to  Antioch.  Note, 
ch.  xi.  19.  tl  From  whence  they  had  been 
recommended,  &.C  Where  they  had  been 
appointed  to  this  missionary  tour  by  the 
church,  ch.  xiii.  1 — 4.  IT  7o  the  grace  oj 
God.  Ills  favour  and  protection  had 
been  implored  for  them  in  their  perilous 
undertaking.  IT  For  the  work  which  they 
fulfilled.  This  shows  conclusively,  (1.") 
That  they  had  accomplished  fully  the 
work  which  was  originally  coiite'm- 
plated.  It  was  strictly  a  missionary 
tour  among  the  Gentiles'.  It  was  an  im- 
portant and  hazardous  enterprise;  ana 
was  the  first  in  which  the  church  for 
mally  engaged.  Hence  so  much  import 
ance  is  attached  to  it,  and  so  faithful  a 
record  of  it  is  preserved.  (2.)  It  shows 
that  the  act  by  which  they  were  set 
apart  to  this  (Acts  xiii.  1 — 3)  was  not  an 
ordination  to  the  ministerial  office.  It 
was  an  appointment  to  a  missionary  tour. 
(3.)  It  shows  that  the  act  was  not  an  ap 
pointment  to  the  apostleship.  Paul  was  an 
apostle  before  by  the  express  ap}X)intmenl 
of  the  Saviour;  and  Barnabas  was  never 
an  apostle  in  the  original  and  proper  sense 
of  the  term.  It  was  a  designation  to  a  tem- 
porary work,  which  was  now  fulfilled. 

We  may  remark,  also,  in  regard  to 
this  missionary  tour  (1.)  That  the  work 
of  missions  is  one  which  early  engag- 
ed the  attention  of  Christians.  (2.)  It 
entered  into  their  plans,  and  was  one  in 
which  the  church  was  deeply  interested. 
(3.)  The  work  of  missions  is  attended  wilh 
danger.  Men  are  now  no  less  hostile  to 
the  gospel  than  they  were  in  Lystra  and 
Iconium.  (4.)  Missionari^'s  should  be  sus- 
tained by  the  prayers  of  the  church.  And,. 
(.5.)  In  the  conduct  of  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
missionaries  have  an  example  in  founding 
churches,  and  in  regard  to  their  own  fu- 
els and  persecutions.  If  Paiil  and  Bama 
has  were  persecuted,  mis.sionarics  may  bo 
now.  And  if  the  grace  of  (Christ  was  suf- 
ficient to  sustain  them,  it  is  not  the  le.^ 
sufficient  to  sustain  Ihose  of  our  own 
times  amidst  all  the  dangers  attending 
the  preaching  of  the  cross  in  pagan  lands. 

27.  T/iey  rehearsed,  &c   ch.  xi-4    T^t 


.\.D.  4tJ.] 


CHAPTER  XV 


213 


nad  opened  "  the  door  of  faith  unto 
the  Geiitiles. 

28  And  there   they  abode   long 
time  with  the  disciples. 

X  lCor.l6.9.  2Cor.2.12.  Rev.t>.& 


reteted  what  had  happened  ;  their  dan- 
gers an  1  their  success.  This  they  did 
because  they  had  been  sent  out  by  the 
cnurch,  and  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  ^'ive  an  account  of  their  work ; 
and  because  it  furnished  a  suitable  occa- 
sion of  gratitude  to  God  for  his  mercy. 
H  All  (hat  God  had  done,  &c.  In  protect- 
ing, guarding  them,  &c.  All  was  traced 
to  God.  IT  Had  opened  the  door  of  faith. 
Had  furnished  an  opportunity  of  preach- 
nig  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  1  Cor.  xvi. 
9.   2  Cor.  ii.  12. 

28.  And  there  they  abode.  At  Antioch. 
T[  Long  time.  How  long  is  not  intimated  ; 
but  we  hear  no  more  of  them  until  the 
council  at  Jerusalem,  mentioned  in-  the 
next  chapter.  If  the  transactions  record- 
ed m  this  chapter  occurred,  as  is  sup- 
posed, about  A.  D.  45  or  46,  and  the  coun- 
cil at  Jerusalem  assembled  A.  D.  51  or  53, 
as  IS  supposed,  then  here  is  an  interval  of 
trom  tive  to  eight  years  in  which  we  have 
n.:i  account  of  them.  Where  they  were, 
or  what  was  their  employment  in  this 
interval,  the  sacred  historian  has  not  in- 
tormed  us.  It  is  certain,  however,  that 
Paul  made  several  journeys  of  which  we 
iiave  no  particulaafclrecord  in  the  New 
Testament ;  and  it  is  possible  that  some 
of  thc«e  journeys  occurred  during  this 
interval.  Thus  he  preached  the  gospel 
as  far  as  lUyricum.  Rom.  xv.  19.  And  in 
2  Cor.  xi.  23 — 27,  there  is  an  account  of 
trials  and  persecutions,  of  many  of  which 
we  have  no  distinct  record,  and  which 
might  have  occurred  during  this  interval. 
We  may  be  certain  that  these  holy  men 
were  not  idle.  And  we  may  learn  from 
their  example  to  fill  up  our  time  with  use- 
fulness ;  to  bear  all  persecutions  and  trials 
without  a  murmur;  and  to  acknowledge 
the  good  hand  of  God  in  our  preservation 
in  our  travels  ;  in  our  defence  when  we 
are  persecuted ;  in  all  the  opportunities 
*vhich  may  be  open  before  us  to  do  good  ; 
and  in  all  the  success  which  m.ay  attend 
our  efforts.  Christians  should  remember 
that  it  is  God  who  opens  doors  of  useful- 
ness ;  and  they  should  regard  it  as  a  mat- 
ter of  thanksgiving  that  such  doors  are 
opened,  and  that  they  are  permitted  to 
rpread  the  gospel,  whatever  toil  it  may 
cost,  whatever  persecution  they  may 
endure,  whatever  perils  they  may  en- 
counter. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  ND  ^  certain  men  which  came 

-^   down  from  Judea,  taught  the 

brethren,  and  said.,  Except  ■=  ye  be 

6Gal.2.12.  eJno.7  22. 


CHAPTER  XV 

1.  And  certain  men.  These  were  men 
undoubtedly  who  had  been  Jews,  bu 
who  were  now  converted  to  Christianity. 
The  fact  that  they  were  willing  to  refer 
the  matter  in  dispute  to  the  apostles  and 
elders  (ver.  2),  shows  that  they  had  pro- 
fessedly enjbraced  the  Christian  religion. 
The  account  which  follows  is  a  record  of 
the  first  internal  dissension  which  occur 
red  in  i\i$  Christian  church.  Hitherto 
they  had  been  struggling  against  external 
foes.  Violent  persecutions  had  raged,  and 
had  fully  occupied  the  attention  of  Chris- 
tians. But  now  the  churches  were  al 
peace.  They  enjoyed  great  external  pros- 
perity in  Antioch.  And  the  great  ene- 
my of  souls  took  occasion  then,  as  he 
has  often  done  in  similar  circumstances 
since,  to  excite  contentions  in  tne 
church  itself;  so  that  when  external  vio- 
lence could  not  destroy  it,  an  effort  was 
made  to  secure  the  same  object  by  inter- 
nal dissension  and  strife.  The  history, 
therefore,  is  particularly  important,  as  it 
is  the  record  of  the  first  unhappy  debatb 
which  arose  in  the  bosom  of  the  church. 
It  is  further  important,  as  it  shows  the 
manner  in  which  such  controversies  were 
settled  in  apostolic  times ;  and  as  it  estab- 
lished some  very  important  principles  re- 
specting  the  perpetuity  of  the  religious 
rites  of  the  Jews.  IT  Came  down  from 
Judea.  To  Antioch,  and  to  the  regions 
adjacent  which  had  been  visited  by  the 
apostles,  ver.  23.  Judea  was  a  high  and 
hilly  region,  and  going  from  that  toward 
the  level  countries  adjacent  to  the  -sea, 
was  represented  to  be  descending  or  going 
down.  IT  Taught  the  brethren.  That  is, 
Christians.  They  endeavoured  to  con- 
vince them  of  the  necessity  of  keeping  the 
laws  of  Mcses.  T  ExcejA  ye  be  circum- 
cised. This  was  the  leading  or  principal 
rite  of  the  Jewish  religion.  It  was  indis- 
pensable to  the  name  and  privileges  of  a 
Jew  Proselytes  to  their  religion  wore 
Circumcised  as  well  as  native-born  Jews, 
and  they  held  it  to  be  indispensable  to 
salvation.— It  is  evident  from  this,  iJTiat 
Paul  and  Barnabas  had  dispensed  with 
this  rite  in  regard  to  the  Gentile  converts, 
and  that  they  intended  to  found  the  Chris- 
tian church  on  the  principle  that  tlie 
Jewish  ceremonies  were  trt  cease.  When 
however,  it  was  necp.s.sary  to  conciliate 


lU 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  5i4 


circumcised  after  "  the  manner  of 
Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved. 

2  Wlier  therefore  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas had  no  small  dissension  and 
disputation  with  them,  they  deter- 

a  I/ev.12.3. 


the  minds  of  the  Jews  and  to  prevent  con- 
tention, Paul  did  not  hesitate  to  practise 
fircumcision.  ch.  xvi.  3.  ^  After  the  mari- 
•a«r  of  Moses.  According  to  the  custom 
which  Moses  commanded ;  according  to 
the  Mosaic  ritual.  IF  Ye  cannot  be  saved. 
The  Jews  regarded  this  as  indispensable 
to  salvation.  The  grounds  on  which  they 
would  press  it  on  the  attention  of  Gentile 
converts  would  be  very  pimisible,  and 
such  as  would  produce  much  embarrass- 
ment. For,  (1.)  It  would  be  maintained 
that  the  laws  of  Moses  were  the  laws  of 
God,  and  were  therefore  unchangeable  ; 
and,  (2.)  It  would  doubtless  be  maintained 
that  the  religion  of  the  Messiah  was  only 
a  completing  and  perfecting  of  the  Jew- 
ish religion ; — that  it  was  designed  sim- 
ply to  carry  out  its  principles  according  to 
the  promises,  and  not  to  subvert  and  de- 
8trov  any  thing  that  had  been  established 
by  divine  authority. — It  is  usually  not  dif- 
ficult to  perplex  and  embarrass  young 
converts  with  questions  of  modes,  and 
rites,  and  fbr^ns  of  religion  ;  and  it  is  not 
uncommon  that  a  revival  is  followed  by 
some  contention  just  like  this.  Opposing 
sects  urge  the  claims  of  their  peculiar 
rites,  and' seek  to  make  proselytes,  and  in- 
troauce  contention  and  strife  into  an 
otherwise  peaceful  and  happy  Christian 
community. 

2.  Had  no  small  dissension  and  dispu- 
tation. The  word  rendered  dissension 
(o-rio-s-)  denotes  sometimes  sedition  or  in- 
testine war,  and  sometimes  earnest  and 
violent  disputation  or  controversy.  Acts 
xxiii.  7.  10.  In  this  f)lace  it  clearly  de- 
notes that  there  was  earnest  and  warm 
discussion;  but  it  is  not  implied  that 
there  was  any  improper  heat  or  temper 
on  the  part  of^  Paul  and  Barnabas.  Im- 
portant princijjles  were  to  he  settled  in 
regard  to  Ihe  organization  of  the  church. 
tXictrines  were  advanced  by  the  Judaiz- 
uig  teachers  which  were  false,  and  which 
tended  to  great  strife  and  disorder  in  the 
c\  iirch.  Those  doctrines  were  urged 
Wi  ih  great  zeal,  were  declared  to  be  es- 
sential to  salvation,  and  would  therefore 
tend  greatly  to  distract  the  minds  of 
f'hristian.H,  and  lo  produce  great  anxiety. 
It  bof-ame  llierefi>rc  necessary  to  meet 
Ihem  wilh  a  de'ermined  pur|Kise,  and  to 
'>stanliRh  tiio   tnilh   on    :ui    inunoveable 


mined  that  *  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
and  certain  Dther  of  them,  should 
go  up  to  Jerusalem,  unto  the  apos- 
tles and  elders,  abov*t  thja  ques- 
tion. 


basis. — And  the  case  shows  that  it  is  right 
to*"  contend  earnestly  for  tiie  faith"  (Jude 
3) ;  and  when  similar  cases  occur  it  ia 
proper  to  resist  the  approach  of  error  with 
all  the  arguments  which  may  be  at  our 
command,  and  with  all  the  weapons 
which  truth  can  furnioh.  It  is  further 
implied  here,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  to  defend  the  truth 
and  to  oppose  error.  P&ul  and  Barnabas 
regarded  themselves  at.  set  for  this  pur- 
pose (comp.  Phil.  i.  17  "Knowing  that 
I  am  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel") ; 
and  Christian  ministers  -should  be  (juali- 
fed  to  defend  the  truth  •  and  should  Do 
willing  with  a  proper  spirit  and  with  great 
earnestness  to  maintain  (he  doctrines  re- 
vealed. IT  They  determined.  There  was 
no  prospect  that  the  cointroversy  would 
be  settled  by  contention  and  argument 
It  would  see'ra,  from  this  statement,  that 
those  who  came  down  fnjm  Judea  were 
also  willing  that  the  whole  matter  shoulo 
be  referred  to  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem. 
The  reason  for  this  may  have  been,  (1.) 
That  Jerusalem  would  be  regarded  by 
them  as  the  source  of  authority  in  the 
Christian  church,  aMit  had  been  among 
the  Jews.  (2.)  Mos^f  tho  apostles  and 
the  most  experienced  Christians  were 
there.  They  had  listened  to  the  instruc- 
tions of  Christ  himself;  had  been  long  in 
the  church ;  and  were  supposed  to  be 
better  acquainted  with  its  design  and  its 
laws.  (3.)  Those  who  came  from  Judea 
would  not  be  likely  to  acknowledge  the 
authority  of  Paul  as  an  apostle :  the  au- 
thority of  those  at  Jerusalem  they  would 
recognise.  (4.)  They  might  have  had  a 
very  confident  expectation  that  the  de- 
cision there  would  be  in  their  favour.  The 
question  had  not  been  agitated  there. 
They  had  all  been  Jews.  And  it  is  cer- 
tain that  they  continued  as  yet  to  attend 
in  the  temple  service,  and  to  conform  t» 
the  Jewish  customs.  They  might  h*ive 
expected  therefore,  with  great  confidence, 
that  the  decision  would  be  in  their  fiivour, 
and  they  were  willing  to  refer  it  to  those 
at  Jerusalem.  H  Certain  other  of  thrm 
Of  the  brethren  ;  probably  of  each  party 
They  Jid  not  go  to  drhale  ;  or  to  givf 
their  ojiinion  ;  or  to  vo*e  in  tho  case  then, 
selves;  l)nt  lo  lay  the  question  fnirly  bo 
fore  the  aiiosllcs  and  elders.     If   Ihitr  tk$ 


A..  D.  52.J 


CHAPTER  XV. 


215 


3  And  being  "  brought  on  their 
/ray  by  the  church,  they  passed 
through  Phenice  and  Samaria,  de- 
claring the  conversion*  of  the  Gen- 
tiles :  and  they  caused  great  joy* 
unto  all  the  brethren. 

4  And  when  they  were  come  to 
Jerusalem,  they  were  received  of 
the  church,  and  of  the  apostles  and 

a  Rom. 15  24.  lCor.16.6,1 1.3  Jno.6.  b  c.14.27. 

3  Luke  15.7,10. 


apostles.  The  authority  of  the  apostles  in 
such  a  case  would  be  acknowledged  by  all. 
They  had  been  immediately  instructed  by 
the  Saviour,  and  had  the  promise  of  infal- 
lible guidance  f?l  the  organization  of  the 
church.  Notes,  JNIatt.  xvi.  19;  xviii.  18. 
T  Aiid  elders.  Note,  ch.  xi.  30.  Gr.  Presby- 
ters. See  Note,  ch.  xiv.  23.  Who  these 
were,  or  what  was  their  office  and  authori- 
ty, it  is  not  easy  now  to  determine.  It 
may  <»fer  to  the  2!^ed  men  in  the  church 
at  Jerusalem,  or  to  those  who  were  ap- 
pointed to  rule  and  to  preach  in  connexion 
with  the  apostles.  As  in  the  synagogue 
it  was  customary  to  determine  questions 
by  the  advice  of  a  bench  of  elders,  there 
s  no  improbabihty  in  the  supposition 
that  the  apostles  would  imitate  that  cus- 
tom, and  appoint  a  similar  arrangement 
in  the  Christian  church.  (Grodus.)  It  is 
generally  agreed  that  this  is  the  journey 
»o  which  Paul  refers  in  Gal.  ii.  1 — 10.  If 
60,  it  happened  Iburteen  years  after  his 
conversion.  Gal.  ii.  1.  It  was  done  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  divine  command,  "  by 
revelation."  Gal.  ii.  2.  And  among  those 
ivho  went  with  him  was  Titus,  who  was 
afterwards  so  much  distinguished  as  his 
companion.  Gal.  ii.  3.  IT  Abottt  this  ques- 
tion The  question  whether  the  ceremo- 
nial laws  of  Moses  were  binding  on  Chris- 
tian converts.  In  regard  to  the  nature 
and  design  of  this  council  at  Jerusalem, 
see  Note  on  yer.  30,  31. 

3.  And  being  brought  on  their  way  by 
the  church.  Being  attended  and  conduct- 
ed by  the  Christian  brethren.  See  Note, 
Rom.  XV  24.  It  was  customary  for  the 
Christians  to  attend  the  apostles  in  their 
travels.  Comp.  1  Cor.  xvi.  6.11.  3  John  6. 
%  Through  Phenice.  Note,  ch.  xi.  19.  ^And 
Samaria.  These  places  were  directly  on 
their  route  to  Jerusalem.  IT  Declaring  the 
conversion,  &c.  Of  the  Gentiles  in  Anti- 
och,  and  in  the  regions  in  Asia  Minor 
through  which  they  had  travelled.  These 
remarkable  events  they  would  naturally 
communicate  with  joy  to  the  Christians 
.vrtli  whom  thev  would  have  intercourse 


elders;  and  tl ey  "*  ceclared  aL 
things  that  G(  d  had  done  witk 
them. 

5  But  •  there  rose  up  certain  of 
the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  which  be- 
lieved, saying,  '  That  it  was  need- 
ful to  circumcise  them,  and  to  com- 
mand them  to  keep  the  law  of  Mo- 
ses. 


dc.21.19. 
e  ver.l. 


or,  rose  up,  said  thev,  urtatn 


in  their  journey.  IT  Caused  great  joy.  A 
the  news  of  the  extensive  spread  of  the 
gospel.  It  was  an  indication  of  their  deep 
feeling  in  the  interests  of  religion,  that 
they  thus  rejoiced.  Where  Christians  are 
themselves  awake,  and  engaged  in  the 
service  of  Christ,  they  rejoice  at  the  news 
of  the  conversion  of  sinners.  Where  they 
are  cold,  they  hear  such  news  wuth  indif- 
ference, or  with  the  utmost  unconcern.. 
One  way  of  testing  our  feelings  on  the 
subject  ol  religion  is,  by  the  emotions 
which  we  have  when  we  hear  of  exten- 
sive and  glorious  revivals  of  religion. 
Comp.  Note,  Acts  viii.  8. 

4.  They  were  received  of  the  church.  By 
the  church,  in  a  hospitable  and  friendly 
manner.  They  were  acknowledged  as 
Christian  brethreii^  and  received  with 
Christian  kindness.  See  Gal.  ii.  9.  IT  And 
they  declared.  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and 
those  with  them.  That  is,  they  stated  the 
case  ;  the  remarkable  conversion  of  the 
Gentiles,  the  evidence  of  their  piety,  an<l 
the  orig-n  of  the  present  dispute. 

5.  But  there  rose  up,  &c.  It  has  beec 
doubted  whether  these  are  the  words  of 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  relating  what  occur 
red  at  Antioch  ;  or  whether  they  are  the 
words  of  Luke,  recording  what  took  place 
at  Jerusalem.  The  correct  exposition  ia 
probably  that  which  refers  it  to  the  latter 
For,  (1.)  This  seems  to  be  the  most  obvi 
ous  interpretation.  (2.)  The  use  of  the 
words  "rose  up"  implies  that.  Those 
who  disturbed  the  church  at  Antioch  are 
said  to  have  come  down  from  Judea  (ver 
1) ;  and  if  this  place  referred  to  that  oc- 
currence, the  same  words  would  have 
been  retained.  (3.)  The  parncular  spe- 
cification here  of  "  the  sect  of  the  Phari- 
sees," looks  as  if  this  was  an  occurrence 
taking  place  at  Jerusalem.  No  such  S3e- 
eification  exists  respecting  those  wno 
came  down  to  Antioch;  but  it  would 
Beem  here,  as  if  this  party  in  Jerusalera 
resolvea  still  to  abide  by  th'^  law,  and  tc 
impose  those  rites  jn  the  Christian  coD' 
verts      However,  this   interpretation   \s 


j21o 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.D.  5-2 


(j  And  ihe  .ipostles  and  elders 
came  togetker,  '  for  to  consider  of 
this  matter. 

7  And  \v}iea  there  had  been 
much  disputing-,  Peter  rose  up  and 
said  unto  them,  Men  and  brethren, 
ye  know  ^  how  that  a  good  wliile 
ago  God  made  choice  among  us, 
that  the  Gentiles  by  my  mouth 
should  hear  the  word  of  the  gospel, 
and  believe. 

oMalt.lS.20.  i  Matt. 16.18.19.  c.10.20. 

by  no  means  certain.  IT  ^\hich  believed. 
Who  maintained,  or  taught,  IT  That  it 
was  needful,  &c.     Note,  ver.  1. 

6.  And  the  apostles  and  elders,  &c.  They 
came  together  in  accordance  with  the  au- 
thority in  Matt  xviii.  19,  20.  It  would 
seem,  also,  that  the  whole  church  was 
convened  on  this  occasion;  and  that  they 
concurred,  at  least,  in  the  judgment  ex- 
pressed in  this  case.  See  ver.  12.  22,  23. 
^For  to  consider  this  matter.  Not  to  decide 
it  arbitrarily,  or  even  by  authority,  with- 
out deliberation ;  but  to  compare  their 
views,  and  to  express  the  result  of  the 
whole  to  the  church  at  Antioch.  It  was 
a  grave  and  difficult  question,  deeply  af- 
fecting the  entire  constitution  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  theljptherefore  solemnly 
engaged  in  deliberation  on  the  subject 

7.  Much  disputing.  Or  rather,  much 
inquiry,  or  deliheration.  With  our  word 
disputing  we  commonly  connect  the  idea 
of  heat  and  anger.  This  is  not  necessa- 
rily implied  in  the  word  used  here.  It 
might  have  been  calm,  solemn,  dehberate 
inquiry,  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  it 
was  conducted  with  undue  warmth  or 
anger.  IT  Peter  rose  up  and  said.  Peter 
was  probably  the  most  aged,  and  was 
most  accustomed  to  speak,  ch.  ii.  14,  &c. 
i'..  G.  12.  Besides,  there  was  a  particular 
reason  for  his  speaking  here,  as  he  had 
oeen  engaged  in  similar  scenes,  and  un- 
derstood the  case,  and  had  had  evidence 
that  (iod  had  converted  sinners  vnlhoui 
the  Mosaic  rites,  and  knew  that  it  would 
have  been  inexpedient  to  have  imposed 
Uiese  rites  on  those  who  had  thus  been 
converted.  IT  A  good  while  ago.  See  ch. 
X.  Some  time  since.  So  long  since  that 
there  had  been  opportunity  to  ascertain 
whether  it  was  necessary  to  observe  the 
laws  of  Moses  in  order  to  the  edification 
of  the  church.  U  Gcxl  made  choice,  &c. 
That  is,  of  all  the  r.jx)st)es,  he  designated 
me  to  engage  in  this  work.  Comp.  Note, 
Matt.  XVI.  \H,  with  Acl.s  x  IT  That  the 
(jenliles.  Cornelius,  aiul  tho.se  who  were 


8  And  God,  which ''knowcth  the 
hearts,  bare  them  witness,  giving 
them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  ht 
did  unto  us ; 

C  And  put  no  difference  between 
us  and  them,  purifying  ** their  heartfi 
by  faith. 

10  ISow  therefore  why  tempt  yt 
God,  to  put  a  yoke  '  upon  the  neet 
of  the  disciples,  which  neither  oui 
fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear ! 

cc.1.24.        dHeb.9.13,14.  lPet.1.22.        eGal.5.1. 


assembled  wdth  him  at  Caesarea.  Thi*> 
was  the  first  case  that  had  occurred,  and 
therefore  it  was  important  to  appeal  to  ii 

8.  And  God,  which  Jmoweth  th",  hearts 
ch.  i.  24.  God  thus  knew  whether  they 
were  true  converts  or  not,  and  gave  a  de 
ifionstration  that  he  acknowledged  theiri 
as  his.  IT  Giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  &c 
ch.  X.  45,  46. 

9.  A?id  put  no  difference,  Arc.  ^ougb 
they  had  not  been  circumcised,  and 
though  they  did  not  conform  to  the  lavv' 
of  Moses.  Thus  God  showed  that  the 
observance  of  these  rites  was  not  neces- 
sary in  order  to  the  true  conversion  ol 
men,  and  to  acceptance  with  hirn.  H«s 
did  not  give  us,  who  are  Jews,  any  ad 
vantage  over  them,  but  justified  f.nd  puri 
fied  all  in  the  same  manner.  H  I'urifyin^ 
their  hearts.  Thus  giving  the  best  evi 
dence  that  he  had  renewed  them,  and 
admitted  them  to  favour  with  h.m.  IT  By 
faith.  By  believhig  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  This  showed  that  the  plan  on 
which  God  was  now  about  to  show  fa 
vour  to  men,  was  not  by  external  rites 
and  ceremonies,  but  by  a  scheaie  which 
required  faith  as  the  only  condition  of  ac 
ceptance.  It  is  further  implied  here,  tha'. 
there  is  no  true  faith  which  dees  not  pu 
rily  the  heart. 

10.  Why  tempt  ye  God  ?  Why  provoke 
him  to  displeasure  ?  Why,  since  he  hah 
shown  his  determination  to  accept  them 
without  such  rites,  do  you  provoke  him  bj 
attempting  to  impose  on  his  own  people 
rites  without  his  authority,  and  againsi 
his  manifest  will  ?  The  argument  is,  thai 
God  had  already  accepted  them.  To  at 
tempt  to  impose  these  rites  would  be  Id 
provoke  him  to  anger;  to  Introduce  ob 
servances  which  he  had  show  n  it  was  hif 
purpose  should  now  be  abolished.  If  Tt 
put  a  yoke.  That  which'  would  ho  bur 
dcnsonie  and  oppressive,  or  which  woulo 
infringe  on  their  just  freedom,  ns  the  chi'- 
drcn  of  God.  It  is  called  in  Gal.  v.  1  •*  6 
yoke  of  bondace."    Note.  Malt,  xxiii.  4 


K,  1>.  52.] 


CHAPTER  X\ 


211 


11  But  we  believe  that  through 
*the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they. 

12  Then  all  the  multitude  kept 
silence,  and  gave  audience  to  Bar- 
nabas and  Paul,  declaring  what 
miracles  and  wonders  God  had 
wrought '  among  the  Gentiles  by 
them. 

a  Rom.2.3i.  Epa.2.8.  Tit.3.4,5.  i  0.14.37. 


A  yoke  is  an  emblem  of  slavery  or  bond- 
dge  (1  Tim.  vi.  1) ;  or  of  affliction  (Lam. 
iii.  27);  or  of  punishment  (Lam.  i.  14);  or 
of  oppressive  and  burdensome  ceremo- 
nies, as  in  this  place ;  or  of  the  restraints 
of  Christianity.  Matt.  xi.  29,  30.  In  this 
place  they  are  called  a  yoke  because, 
;l.)  They  were  burdensome  and  oppres- 
sive ;  and,  (2.)  Because  they  would  be  an 
infringement  of  Christian  freedom.  One 
design  of  the  gospel  was  to  set  men  free 
from  such  rites  and  ceremonies.  The  yoke 
here  referred  to  is  not  the  moral  law,  and 
the  just  restraints  of  religion  ;  but  the  ce- 
remWiial  laws  and  customs  of  the  Jews. 
IT  Which  neither  our  fathers,  &c.  Which 
have  been  found  burdensome  at  all  times. 
They  were  expensive,  and  painful,  and 
oppressive  ;  and  a.s  they  had  been  found 
to  be  so,  it  was  not  proper  to  impose  them 
on  the  Gentile  converts,  but  should  rather 
rejoice  at  any  evidence  that  the  people 
of  God  might  be  delivered  from  them. 
^  Were  able  to  bear.  Which  are  found  to 
be  oppressive  and  burdensome.  They 
were  attended  with  great  inconvenience, 
and  many  transgressions,  as  the  conse- 
quence. 

11.  But  we  believe.  We  apostles,  who 
have  been  with  them,  and  have  seen  the 
evidences  of  their  acceptance  with  God. 
IT  Through  the  grace,  &c.  By  the  grace 
or  mercy  of  Christ  alone,  without  any  of 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Jews. 
T  We  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they.  In  the 
same  manner,  by  the  mere  grace  of  Christ. 
So  far  from  being  necessary  to  their  sal- 
vation, they  are  really  of  no  use  in  ours. 
We  are  to  be  saved  not  by  these  ceremo- 
nies, but  by  the  mere  mercy  of  God  in 
the  Redeemer  They  should  not,  there- 
fore, be  imposed  on  others. 

12.  Tkeyi  all  the  multitude.  Evidently 
the  multitude  of  private  Christians  who 
were  assembled  on  this  occasion.  That 
it  does  not  refer  to  a  synod  of  ministers 
and  elders  merely,  is  apparent,  (1.)  Be- 
cause the  church,  the  brethren,  are  repre- 
sented as  having  been  present,  and  con- 
«urring  in  the  final  opinion  (ver.  22,  23^ ; 

T 


13  And  after  they  had  held  theii 
peace,James  answered,  saying, JNlen 
a7id  brethren,  hearken  unto  me  ; 

14  Simeon  hath  declared  =  how 
God  at  the  first  did  visit  the  Gen- 
tiles, to  take  out  of  them  a  people 
for  his  name. 

15  And  to  this  agree  the  words 
of  the  prophets  ;  as  it  is  written,** 

cLu.2.31,32.  d  At^9.:  l,ii. 

and,  (2.)  Because  the  word  multitude  (tJ 
^;-.,jrc,-)  would  not  have  been  used  in  de 
scribing  the  collection  of  apostles  and 
elders  merely.  Comp.  Luke  i.  10,  11.  13, 
T.  6;  vi.  17;  xix.  37.  John  v.  3;  xxi.  6. 
Acts  iv.  32 ;  vi.  2.  Matt.  iii.  7.  IF  Gav^ 
audience.  Heard,  listened  attentively  to. 
II  Barnabas  and  Paul.  They  were  deeply 
interested  in  it ;  and  they  were  qualified 
to  give  a  fair  statement  of  the  facts  as 
they  had  occurred.  IT  Declaring  what 
miracles  and  wonders,  &c.  The  argu- 
ment here  evidently  is,  that  God  had  ap- 
proved their  work  by  miracles ;  that  he 
gave  evidence  that  what  they  did  had 
his  approbation  ;  and  that  as  all  this  was 
done  without  imposing  on  them  the  rites 
of  the  Jews,  so  it  would  fdlow  that  those 
were  not  now  to  be  commanded. 

13.  James  answered.  James  the  Less, 
son  of  Alpheus.  See  Note,  ch.  xii.  1. 
IT  Hearken  unto  me.  This  whole  transac- 
tion shows  that  Peter  had  no  such  autho- 
rity in  the  church  as  the  Papists  pretend, 
for  otherwise  his  opinion  would  have 
been  followed  without  debate.  James 
had  an  authority  not  less  than  that  of  Pe- 
ter. It  is  possible  that  he  might  have 
been  next  in  age  (comp.  1  Cor.  xv.  7), 
and  it  seems  morally  certain  that  he  re- 
mained for  a  considerable  part  of  his  life 
in  Jerusalem.  Acts  xii.  17  ;  xxi.  18.  Gal 
i.  19;  ii.9.  12. 

14.  Simeon.  This  a  Hebrew  name 
The  Greek  mode  of  writing  it  commonly 
was  Simon.  It  was  one  of  the  names  of 
Peter.  Matt.  iv.  IS.  IT  To  fake  out  of  them 
a  people.  To  choose  from  among  the  Gen- 
tiles those  who  should  be  his  friends. 

15.  The  words  of  the  prophets.  Amo» 
ix.  11.  i2.  It  was  a  very  material  point 
with  them,  as  Jews,  to  inquire  whether 
this  was  in  accordance  with  the  predic- 
tions of  the  Scriptures.  The  most  power- 
ful revivals  of  religion,  and  the  most 
striking  demonstrations  of  the  divine  pre- 
sence, will  be  in  accordance  with  the 
Bible ;  and  should  be  tested  by  them. 
Thi?  habit  was  always  manifested  by  the 
apostles  ar.d  early  Christians,  and  should 


21H 


IHE  ACTS. 


[A    D.  52 


16  After  this  I  will  ruturn,  and 
will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of 
David,  which  is  fallen  down ;  and 
1  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof, 
and  I  will  set  it  up  : 


be  followed  by  Christians  at  all  times. 
Unless  a  supposed  work  of  grace  accords 
«vith  the  Bible,  and  can  be  defended  by 
•t,  it  must  be  false,  and  should  be  opposed. 
Ccmp.  Isa.  viii.  20. 

16.  After  this.  This  quotation  is  not 
made  literally  cither  from  the  Hebrew,  or 
the  Septuagint,  which  diflers  also  from 
the  Hebrew.  The  17ih  verse  is  quoted 
literally  ii-om  the  Septuagint;  but  in  the 
16lh  the  general  sense  only  of  the  passage 
is  retained.  The  rnairi  point  of  the  quo- 
tation, as  made  by  James,  was,  to  show 
that  according  to  the  prophets  it  was  con- 
templated that  the  Gentiles  should  be  in- 
troduceij  to  the  privileges  of  the  children 
of  God  ;  and  on  diis  point  the  passage  has 
a  direct  beanng.  The  prophet  Amos  (ix. 
y— 10)  had  described  the  calami'ies  that 
shoidd  come  u[K)n  the  nation  of  the  Jews, 
by  their  being  scattered  and  driven  away. 
This  implied  that  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  temple,  and  the  walls  of  the  city 
should  be  destroyed.  But  after  that  (Heb. 
•' on  that  day,"  ver.  11,  that  is,  the  day 
when  he  should  revisit  them,  and  recover 
themj,  he  would  restore  them  to  their 
fc;rmer  privileges ;  would  rebuild  their 
temple,  their  city,  and  their  walls,  ver. 
11.  And  not  only  so,  not  only  should  the 
blessing  descend  on  the  Jews,  but  it 
tihould  also  be  extended  to  others.  The 
"  remnant  of  Edom,"  "the  heathen  upon 
whom"  his  "name  would  be  called" 
(.'\mos  ix.  12),  should  also  partake  of  the 
mercy  of  God,  and  be  subject  to  the  Jew- 
i.sh  people ;  and  a  time  of  general  pros- 
perity and  of  permanent  blessings  should 
follow.  Amos  ix.  13 — 15.  James  under- 
stands this  as  referring  to  the  times  of  the 
Messiah,  and  to  the  introduction  of  the 
gospel  to  the  Gentiles.  And  so  the  pas- 
fcage  (Amos  ix.  12)  is  rendered  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint. See  ver.  17.  IT  /  will  return. 
When  the  people  of  God  are  subjected  to 
•  calamities  and  trials,  it  is  often  represented 
a.s  if  Go<l  hr.d  denarted  from  them.  This 
retnrninfr,  theremre,  is  an  image  of  their 
restoration  to  his  favour,  and  to  prosperity. 
This  is  not,  however,  in  the  Hebrew,  in 
AmoH  ix.  11.  11  /  v}ill  build  again.  In 
the  ralamitios  that  should  come  upon  the 
nation  (Amos  ix.  8).  it  is  implied  that  the 
temple  and  the  city  should  be  deatroyed. 
To  bind  them  again  would  !)e  a  proof  of 
k'iB  ret'ir  ling  favour.     If  77ie  tabernacle  of 


17  'J'hat  the  residue  of  men  might 
seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the 
Gentiles,  upon  whom  my  name  is 
called,  saith  the  Lord,  who  doetb 
all  these  things. 


David.  The  <en<  of  David.  Here  it  meana 
the  house,  or  royal  residence  of  David, 
and  the  kings  of  Israel.  That  i*,  he  would 
restore  them  to  thr.ir  former  gloiy  and 
splendour,  as  his  people.  The  reference 
here  is  not  to  the  temple,  which  was  the 
work  of  Solomon  ;  but  to  the  magnificence 
and  splendour  of  the  dwelling  place  of 
David  ;  that  is,  to  the  full  enjoyment  of 
their  former  high  privileges  and  blessings. 
IT  Which  is  falUn  down.  Which  would 
be  destroyed  by  the  capiivity  under  the 
king  of  Babylon,  and  by  (he  long  neglect 
and  decay  resulting  from  their  being  car- 
ried to  a  distant  land.  IT  The  ruins  there- 
of. Heb. "  close  up  the  breaches  thereof" 
That  is,  it  should  be  redtored  to  its  formei 
prosperity  and  magnificence  ;  an  emblem 
of  the  favour  of  (iod,  and  of  the  spiritual 
blessings  that  should  in  future  times  de- 
scend on  the  Jewish  people.  *■ 

17.  That  the  residue  of  men.  This  verse 
is  quoted  literally  from  the  Septuagint 
and  differs  in  some  respects  from  the  He- 
brew. The  phrase  "the  residue  of  men" 
here,  is  evidently  understood,  both  by  the 
LXX.  and  by  James,  as  referring  to  others 
than  Jews,  to  the  Gentiles.  The  rest  of 
the  world — implying  that  many  of  them 
would  be  admitted  t«  the  friendship  and 
favour  of  God.  The  Hebrew  is,  "  that 
they  may  possess  the  remnant  of  Edom." 
This  change  is  made  in  the  Septuagint 
by  a  slight  difference  in  the  reading  of 
two  Hebrew  words.  The  LXX.,  instead 
of  the  Hebrew  iz'n^i,  shall  inherit,  read 
•]tt'm>,  shall  seek  of  thee ;  and  instead  ol 
CDnX,  Edom,  they  read  dik.  Man,  or 
mankind,  i.  e.  men.  Why  this  variation 
occurred,  cannot  be  explained  ;  but  the 
sense  is  not  materially  different.  In  the 
H3brew,  the  word  Edom  has  undoubted 
reference  to  another  nation  than  the 
Jewish ;  and  the  expression  means,  thai 
in  the  great  prosperity  of  the  Jews,  after 
their  return,  they  sliould  extend  the  in- 
fluence of  iheir  religion  to  other  nations; 
that  is,  as  James  applies  it,  the  Genlilet 
might  be  bro-ipht  to  tlic  jtrivileges  of  the 
children  of  God.  1'  And  also  the  Gentiles 
Heb.  All  the  heathen;  i.  e.  all  whc 
were  not  Jews.  This  was  a  clear  predic- 
tion that  othor  nations  were  to  bo.  favoured 
wall  the  light  of  the  true  roligion,  Ud3 
that  without  any  mention  of  their  OOD 


A    D.  52.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


'219 


18  Known"  unto  God  are  all  his 
works,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world. 

19  Wherefore  my  sentence  is, 
that  we   trouble  not  them,  which 

a  Num.23.19.  l3a.4S.10. 


forming  to  thej-ites  of  the  Jewish  people. 
Ti  Upon  whom  my  name  is  called.  VVho 
are  called  by  my  name,  or  who  are  re- 
garded by  me  as  my  people.  ^  Who  doeth 
ail  these  ihingx.  That  is,  who  will  cer- 
tainly accomplish  this  in  its  time. 

18.  Known  unto  God,,  &c.  Note,  eh.  i. 
24.  The  meaning  of  this  verse,  in  this 
connexion,  is  this.  God  sees  every  thing 
future  ;  he  knows  what  he  will  accom- 
plish ;  he  has  a  plan ;  and  all  his  works 
are  so  arranged  in  his  mind,  that  he  sees 
all  things  distinctly  and  clearly.  As  he 
foretold  these,  it  was  a  part  of  his  plan  ; 
lind  as  it  was  a  part  of  his  plan  long  since 
foretold,  it  should  ncyt  be  opposed  and  re- 
sisted by  U.S. 

19.  My  se>itencr,.  Gr.  I  judge  (xfiVx.); 
Jhat  is,  I  give  my  opinion.  It  is  the  usual 
language  in  which  a  judge  delivers  his 
opinion  ;  but  it  does  not  imply  here  that 
Jarries  assumed  authority  to  settle  the 
case,  but  merely  that  he  gave  his  opinion, 
or  counsel.  IT  That  we  trouble  not  them. 
That  we  do  not  molest,  disturb,  or  oppress 
them,  by  imposing  on  them  unneces- 
sary and  burdensome  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies. 

20.  Thai  we  write  unto  them.  Express- 
mg  our  judgment,  or  our  views  of  the 
case.  This  verse  has  greatly  perplexed 
commentators.  The  main  grounds  of 
difficulty  have  been,  (1.)  Why  fornica- 
tion— an  offence  against  the  moral  law, 
and  about  which  there  could  be  no  dis- 
pute— should  have  been  included ,  and. 
(2.)  Whether  the  prohibition  to  abstain 
from  blood  is  still  binding.  IF  l^hat  they 
abstain.  That  they  refrain  from  these 
things,  or  whollv  avoid  them.  IT  Pollii- 
lions  of  idols.  The  word  rendered  poZZ«- 
Uons  means  any  kind  of  defilement.  ■  But 
nere  it  is  evidently  used  to  denote  the 
fiesh  of  those  animals  that  were  ofTered 
in  sacrifice  to  idols.  See  ver.  29.  That 
Jlesh,  after  being  offered  in  sacrifice,  was 
often  exposed  for  sale  in  the  markets,  or 
ivas  se^l^  up  at  feasts.  1  Cor.  x.  25— 
29.  It  eHPme  a  very  important  question 
whether  it  was  right  for  Christians  to 
partake  of  it.  The  Jews  would  contend 
that  it  was,  in  fact,  partaking  of  idolatry. 
The  Gentile  converts  would  albge  that 
lh6\-  'iid  not  eat  it  a.«  a  sacrifice  t"  idols,  or 


from  among  the  Gc.itiles  are  tarned 
to  God  : 

20  But  that  we  write  unto  them, 
that   they  abstain  from  jjollutions 


of  <=  idols. 

and  from  fornication," 

fclThess.1.9. 
2.14,20;  9.20. 

cEx.20.4,5.  lCor.8.1,&c.  10.23.  Rt?. 
dlCor.6.9,18.  Col.3.5    lThesa.4.3. 

lend  their  countenance  in  any  way  to  the 
idolatrous  worship  where  it  had  been 
offered.  See  this  subject  discussed  al 
length  in  1  Cor.  viii.  4—13.  As  idolatry 
was  forbidden  to  the  Jews  in  every  form, 
and  as  partaking  even  of  the  sacrifices 
to  idols,  in  their  feasts,  might  seem  to 
countenance  idolatry,  the  Jews  would  be 
utterly  opposed  to  it ;  and  for  the  sake  ol 
peace,  James  advised  that  they  be  recom- 
m.ended  to  abstain  from  this.  To  partake 
of  that  food  might  not  be  morally  wrong 
(1  Cor.  \iii.  4),  but  it  would  give  occasion 
for  scandal  and  offence  \  and,  therefore, 
as  a  matter  o( expediency,  it  w'as  advised 
that  they  should  abstain  from  it.  11  And 
from  fornication.  The  word  used  here 
{^'.gviiu)  is  applicable  to  all  illicit  inter 
course ;  and  may  refer  to  adultery,  incest 
and  licentiousness  in  any  form.  There 
has  been  much  diversity  of  opinion  in  re 
gard  to  this  expression.  Interpreters  hav€ 
been  greatly  perplexed  to  understand 
why  this  violation  of  the  moral  law  ha» 
been  introduced  amidst  the  violations  of 
the  ceremonial  law  \  and  the  question  is 
naturally  asked,  whether  this  was  a  sin 
about  which  there  could  be  any  debiito 
between  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  coi> 
verts  ?  Were  there  any  who  would  prac- 
tise it,  or  plead  that  it  was  lawful  ?  If 
not,  why  is  it  prohibited  here  ?  Various 
interpretations  have  been  proposed.  Some 
have  supposed  that  James  refers  here  to 
the  offerings  which  harlots  would  make 
of  their  gains  to  the  service  of  religion, 
and  that  James  would  prohibit  the  recef>- 
tion  of  it.  Beza,  Selden,  and  Schleusner 
suppose  the  word  is  taken  for  idolatry,  aa 
It  is  often  represented  in  the  Scriptures  a8 
consisting  in  unfaithfulness  to  God,  and 
as  it  is  often  called  adultery.  Heringius 
supposes  that  marriage  between  idolaters 
and  Christians  is  here  intended.  But, 
after  all,  the  usual  interpretation  of  the 
word,  as  referring  to  illicit  intercourse  of 
the  sexes  of  any  kind,  is  undoubtedly 
here  to  be  retained.  There  is  no  reason 
for  departing  from  the  ordinary  and  ueual 
meaning  of  the  word.  If  it  be  asked, 
then,  why  this  was  particularly  forbidden, 
and  was  introduced  in  this  connexion,  we 
may  reply,  (1.)  That  tnis  vice  prevaded 
every  where  among  the  (Jpntiles.  and 


220 


THE  ACTS. 


l^A.  D.  52 


'"■■ni    from    things    strangled,    aiid    in  every  city  them  that  preach  him 
from  *  blood.  being  ^  read    in    the    synagogues 

31   For  Moses  of  old  time  haih    every  sabbath-day : 

Ac.  13,15^. 

The  eating  of  blood  was  strictly  forbidden 
to  the  Jews.  The  reason  of  this  was  that 
it  contained  the  life  Lev.  xvii.  11.  14. 
See  Note  on  Rom.  iii.  25.  The  use  of 
blood  was  common  among  the  Gentiies. 
They  drank  it  often  at  their  sacrifices, 
and  in  making  covenants  or  compacts. 
To  separate  the  Jews  from  them  in  this 
respect  was  one  design  of  the  prohibition. 
See  Spencer,  De  Leg.  Hebra;.  pp.  144, 145 
169.  235  rt77.  381.  594.  Ed.  1732.  See 
also  this  whole  passage  examined  at 
length  in  Spencer,  pp  588 — 626.  The 
primary  reason  or  the  prohibition  was, 
that  It  wa.«  thus  used  in  the  feasts  and 
compacts  of  idolaters.  That  blood  was 
thiis  drank  bv  the  heathens,  particularly 
by  the  Sabians,  in  their  sacrifices,  is  fully 
prnv(-d  by  Spencer,  De  Leg.  pp.  377 — 380 
But  the  prohibition  specifies  a  higher  rea- 
son, that  the  life  is  in  the  blood,  and  that 
therefore  it  should  not  be  eaten.  On  this 
opinion  see  Note,  Rom.  iii.  25.  This  rea- 
son existed  before  any  ceremonial  law ; 
IS  founded  in  the  nature  of  things ;  has 
no  particular  reference  to  any  custom  of 
the  Jews ;  and  therefore  is  as  forcible  in 
any  other  circumstances  as  in  theirs.  It 
was  proper,  therefore,  to  forbid  it  to  the 
early  Christian  converts ;  and  for  the 
same  reason  its  use  should  be  abstained 
from  every  where.  It  adds  to  the  force 
of  these  remarks,  when  we  remember 
that  the  same  principle  was  settled  be- 
fore the  laws  of^  Moses  were  given  ;  and 
that  God  regarded  the  fact  that  the  life 
was  in  the  blood  as  of  so  much  im{X)rtance 
as  to  make  the  shedding  of  it  worthy  of 
death.  Gen.  ix.  4 — 6.  It  is  supposed, 
therefore,  that  this  law  is  still  obligatory. 
Perhaps  also  there  is  no  food  more  un- 
wholesome than  blood  ;  and  it  is  a  further 
circumstance  of  some  moment  that  all 
men  naturally  ievolt  from  it  as  an  article 
of  food. 

21.  For  Moses.  The  meaning  of  thia 
verse  is,  that  the  law  of  Moses,  prohibit- 
ing these  things,  was  read  in  the  syna- 
gogues constantly.  As  these  commands 
were  constantly  read,  and  as  the  Jewish 


a  Lev.17.14.  Deut.12. 16,03. 

was  that  to  which  all  were  particularly 
exposed.  (2.)That  it  was  not  deemed  oy 
the  Gentiles  disgraceful.  It  WM  practised 
without  shame,  and  without  remorse. 
Terance,  Adelph.  1,  2.  21.  See  (irotius. 
It  was  important,  tiierefore  that  ibe  pure 
laws  of  C hritianity  on  this  su bject  should 
be  known,  ;ind  that  special  pains  should 
be  taken  to  instruct  the  early  converts 
roin  paganism  in  those  laws.  The  same 
dung  IS  necessary  still  in  heathen  lands. 
.3.)  This  crime  was  connected  with  re- 
ligion. It  was  the  practice  not  only  to 
ntroduce  indecent  pictures  and  emblems 
jito  their  worship,  but  also  for  females  to 
devote  themselves  to  the  service  of  par- 
lieu  lar  temples,  and  to  devote  the  avails 
of  indiscnminate  prosi  tntion  to  the  ser- 
vice of  the  god,  or  the  g-Tddess.  The  vice 
was  connected  with  no  sniai  part  o*^  the 
pagan  worship ,  and  ihe  images,  the  em- 
blems, and  the  cu«ioms  of  idolatry  every 
where  ten.'ed  to  sanction  and  promote  it. 
A  mass  of  e-  .dence  on  this  subject,  which 
sickens  the  heart — but  which  would  be 
too  long  and  too  indelicate  «o  introduce 
here — may  be  seen  in  Tholuck's  Nature 
and  Moral  Influence  of  Heathenism,  in 
the  Biblical  Rei)0.si.ury,  for  July,  1832, 
pp.  441 — 464.  As  this  vice  was  almost 
universal ;  as  it  was  practised  without 
shame  or  disgrace ;  as  there  were  no  laws 
among  the  heathen  to  prevent  it ;  as  it 
was  connected  with  all  their  views  of 
idol  worship,  and  of  religion;  it  was  im- 
portant for  the  early  Christians  to  frown 
upon  and  to  oppose  it,  and  to  set  a  pecu- 
liar guard  against  it  in  all  the  churches. 
It  was  the  sin  to  which,  of  all  others,  they 
were  the  most  exposed,  and  which  was 
most  likely  to  bring  scandal  on  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  It  is  for  this  cause  that  it 
•s  so  often  and  so  pointedly  forbidden  in 
ths  New  Testament.  Rom.  i.  29.  1  Cor. 
vi.  13  18.  Gal.  v.  19..Eph.  v.  3.  1  Thess. 
IV.  3  IT  Avd  from  things  strangled. 
That  is,  from  animals  or  birds  that  were 
killed  witjiout  shedding  their  blood.  The 
rea.sfm  why  these  were  considered  by  the 
leivs  unlawful  to  be  eaten  was,  that  thus 
thoy  would  bo  under  a  neceasitv  of  eat- 
rng  blo(Ml,  which  was  positively  f»rbiddcn 
by  the  law.  Ucnco  it  was  commanded 
in  the  law,  that  when  any  beast  or  fowl 
was  taken  in  a  nnare,  the  blood  should  be 
poured  out  before  it  was  lawful  to  be 
•&ten     Lev.  Kvii.  13.    'i  An4  from  Idnod. 


converts  would  not  sotui  leajg^that  their 
ceremonial  law  had  ceastd  f^&ii  binding, 
it  was  deemed  to  be  a  matter  of  expe- 
diency that  no  needless  offence  shoulil  be 
given  to  them.  F'or  the  sake  of  peace,  it 
was  iK'ttor  that  they  should  abstain  from 
meat  offered  to  idols  than  to  give  offeno* 


A   D.  52. J 


CHAPTEK  XV. 


32  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles 
and  elders,  with  the  whole  church, 
to  send  chosen  men  of  their  own 
company  to  Antioch,  with  Paul  and 
Barnabas  ;  namely,  Judas  surnamed 
Barsabas,  '  and  Silas,  chief  men 
among  the  brethren : 

23  And  wrote  letters  by  them 
after  this  manner :  The  apostles 
and  elders,  and  brethren,  send  greet- 
ing unto  the  brethren  which  are  of 

a  c.1.23. 

to  the  Jev/ish  converts,  t-^omp.  1  Cor.  vui. 
10—13.  'HOfotdtime.  Greek,  From  an- 
cient generations.  It  is  an  estabhshed 
custom ;  and  therefore  his  laws  are  well 
known,  and  have,  in  their  view,  not  only 
the  authority  of  revelation,  but  the  vene- 
rableness  of  antiquity.  IT  In  every  city. 
Where  there  were  .Tews.  This  was  the 
case  in  all  the  cities  to  which  the  discus- 
sion here  had  reference.  ^  Them  that 
preach  him.  That  is,  by  reading  the  law 
of  Moses  But  in  addition  to  reading  the 
law,  it  was  customary  also  to  offer  an 
explanation  of  its  meaning.  See  Notes 
on  Luke  iv.  16—22. 

22.  Then  it  pleased.  It  seemed  fit  and 
proper  to  them.  IT  The  apostles  a7id  elders. 
To  whom  the  business  had  been  particu- 
larlv  referred,  ver.  2.  Comp.  ch.  xvi.  4. 
IT  With  the  whole  church.  All  the  Chris- 
tians who  were  there  assembled  together. 
They  concurred  in  the  sentiment,  and  ex- 
pressed their  approbation  in  the  letter 
that  was  sent.  ver.  23,  Whether  they  were 
consulted,  does  not  particularly  appear. 
But  as  it  is  not  probable  that  they  would 
volunteer  an  opinion  unless  they  were 
consulted,  it  seems  most  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  apostles  and  elders  sub- 
mitted the  case  to  them  for  their  approba- 
tion. It  would  seem  that  the  apostles  and 
elders  deliberated  on  it,  and  decided  it; 
but  still,  for  the  sake  of  peace  and  unity, 
they  also  took  measures  to  ascertain  that 
their  decision  agreed  with  the  unanimou.= 
sentiment  of  the  church.  ^  Chosen  men. 
Men  chosen  for  this  purpose.  IT  Of  their 
oiim  company.  From  among  themselves. 
Greater  weight  and  authority  would  thus 
be  attached  to  the»r  message.  ^  Judas, 
surnamed  Barsalas.  Possibly  the  same 
who  was  nominated  to  the  vacant  place 
in  the  apostleship.  ch.  i.  23.  But  Grotius 
supposes  that  it  was  his  brother.  ^  And 
Silas.  He  was  afterwards  the  travelling 
companion  of  Paul.  ver.  40.  ch.  xvi.  25. 
29;  xvii.  4.  10.  15.  He  is  also  the  same 
person,  probably,  who  is  mentioned  bv  the 
t3 


221 

Antioch,  and  Syria*, 


the  Gentiles  in 
and  Cilicia : 

24  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard, 
ihat  certain  *  which  went  cut  from 
us  have  troubled  *=  you  with  words, 
"*  subverting  your  souls,  saying.  Ye 
must  be  circumcised,  and  keep  the 
law :  to  whom  *  we  gave  no  swA 
commandment: 

25  It  seemed  good  unto  us,  being 
assembled  with  one  accord,  to  send 

iver.l,        cGal.5.12.        d  Gal.5.4.         e  Gal. 2.4. 

name  of  Silvanus.  2  Cor.  i.  19.  1  Thess.  i. 
1.  2  Thess.  i.  1,  1  Pet.  v.  12.  H  Chief  men 
among  the  brethren.  Greek, Leaders.  Comp, 
Luke  xxii.  26.  Men  of  influence,  experi- 
ence, and  authority  in  the  church.  Judas 
and  Silas  are  said  to  have  been  prophets. 
ver.  32.  They  had,  therefore,  been  en- 
gaged as  preachers  and  rulers  in  the 
church  at  Jerusalem. 

23.  And  ivrote  letters.  Greek,  Having 
hritten.  It  does  not  mean  that  they  wrot€ 
more  than  one  epistle.  IT  By  them.  Greek, 
By  their  hand.  IT  After  this  manner 
Greek,  These  things.  H  Send  greeting. 
A  word  of  salutation,  expressing  their  de- 
sire of  the  happiness  (z^'f^")  of  the  per- 
sons addressed.  Comp.  Matt.  xxvi.  49; 
xxvii.  29.  Luke  i.  28.  John  xix.  3.  IT  In 
Antioch.  Where  the  difficulty  first  arose. 
IT  And  Syria.  Antioch  was  the  capital 
of  Syria,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  dis 
pute  was  not  confined  to  the  capi 
II  And  Cilicia.  Note,  Acts  vi.  9.  Cili» 
was  adjacent  to  Syria.  Paul  and  Pan 
bas  had  travelled  through  it;  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  same  difficulty  would 
exist  there  which  had .  disturbed  tho 
churches  in  Syria. 

24.  Foraxmuch.  Since  we  have  heard 
H  That  certain.  That  some.  ver.  1.  '^  Have 
troubled  you  with  words.  With  doctrines 
They  have  disturbed  your  minds,  and 
produced  contentions,  if  Subverting  yom 
souls.  The  word  here  used  occurs  no- 
whei-e  else  in  the  New  Testament  (»i'xj- 
xivi^ovTsg).  It  properly  means  to  collect 
together  the  vessels  used  in  a  house — the 
household  furniture — for  the«purpos  of 
removing  it.  It  is  applied  to  marauders, 
robbers,  and  enemies,  who  remove  and 
bear  off  property  ;  thus  producing  distress, 
confusion,  and  disorder.  It  is  thus  used 
in  the  sense  of  disturbing,  or  destroying  ; 
and  here  denotes  that  they  unsettled  their 
minds ;  that  they  produced  anxiety,  di.s- 
turbance,  and  distress,  by  these  docirines 
about  Moses.  IT  To  whom  we  gave  no  suet 
commandment.      They   went.    therefojr« 


ilB- 


£22 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  52. 


chosen  men  unlo  you,  N-sith  our  be- 
loved IJarnabas  and  Paul, 

26  Men  that  have  hazarded " 
their  lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

27  We  have  sent  therefore  Judas 
and  Silas,  v/ho  shall  also  tell  you 
the  same  things  by  '  mouth. 

2S  For  it  seemed  good  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon 
you  no  greater  burthen  *  than  these 
necessary  things ; 

a  c.13.50:  14.19.  i.  vcord.  i  Rev.2.24. 


without  authority.  Self-constituted  and 
self-sent  teachers  not  unfrequently  pro- 
duce disturbance  and  distress.  Had  the 
apostles  been  consulted  on  this  subject, 
the  difliculty  would  have  been  avoided. 
By  thus  saying  that  they  had  not  given 
tliem  a  command  to  teach  these  things, 
they  practically  assured  the  Gentile  con- 
verts that  they  did  not  approve  of  the 
course  which  those  who  w'ent  from  Judea 
had  taken. 

26.  Men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives, 
&c.  See  ch.  xiv.  This  was  a  noble  tes- 
timony to  the  character  of  Barnabas  and 
Paul.  It  was  a  commendation  of  them  to 
the  confidence  of  the  churches,  and  an' 
implied  expression  that  they  wished  their 
authority  to  be  regarded  in  the  establish- 

nt  and   organization  of  the   church. 
~'or  the  name.     In  the  cause  of  the 
Jesus. 

27.  The  same  things.  The  same  things 
that  we  wrote  to  you.  They  shall  con- 
firm all  by  their  own  statements. 

28.  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 
This  is  a  strong  and  undoubted  claim  to 
iris[)iration.  It  was  with  special  reference 
to  the  organization  of  the  church,  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  had  been  promised  to  them 
by  the  Lord  Jesus.  Matt,  aanii.  18—20. 
John  xiv.  2G.  IT  No  greater  burthen.  -To 
impose  no  greater  restraints;  to  enjoin  no 
other  observances.  See  Note,  ver.  10. 
1  Than  these  necessary  things.  Necessary, 
\1.)  In  order  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the 
fchurth.  (2.)  To  conciliate  the  minds  of 
ihc  Jewi-sh  converts,  ver.  21.  (3.)  Neces- 
sary in  their  circumstances,  particularly, 
because  the  crime  which  is  specified — 
licentiousness — wasone  to  which  all  early 
converts  were  particularly  exposed.  Note, 
ver.  20. 

29.  From  meats  offered  to  idols.  7'his 
txplains  what  is  meant  liy  "  pollutions  of 
tiola."  ver.  20.     M  Ye  shal  do  well.    You 


29  That  ye  abstam  '  from  meats 
offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood, 
and  from  things  strangled,  and 
from  fornication:  from  which  if  yc 
keep ''yourselves,  ye  shall  do  well 
Fare  ye  well. 

30  So  when  they  were  dismissed, 
they  came  to  Antioch ;  and  when 
they  had  gathered  the  multitude 
together,  they  delivered  the  epistle : 

31  H'hic/i,  when  they  had  read, 
they  rejoiced  for  the  '^  consolation. 

c  ver.20.  d  2Cor.ll.9.  Jam.1.27.  lJco.S.21.  Jude 

20,21.  '■»  or,  exhortation. 


will  do  what  ought  to  be  done  in  regard 
to  the  subjects  ol' dispute. 

3].  They  rejoiced/or  the  consolation. 
They  acquiesced  in  the  decision  of  tha 
apostles  and  eiders,  and  rejoiced  that  they 
were  not  to  be  subjected  to  the  burden 
some  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Jewish 
religion.  This  closes  the  account  of  the 
first  Christian  council.  It  was  conducted 
throughout  on  Christian  principle?,  in  a 
mild,  kind,  conciliatory  spirit;  and  is  a 
model  for  all  similar  assemblages.  It 
came  together,  not  to  promote,  but  to 
silence  disputation;  not  to  persecute  the 
people  of  God,  but  to  promote  their  peace ; 
not  to  be  a  scene  of  harsh  and  angry  re- 
crimination, but  to  be  an  example  of  all 
that  was  mild,  and  tender,  and  kind 
Those  who  composed  it  came  together, 
not  to  carry  a  point,  not  to  overreach 
their  adversaries,  nol  to  be  party  men. 
but  to  mingle  their  sober  counsels,  to  uj- 
quire  what  was  right,  and  to  express,  in  e. 
Christian  manner,  that  which  was  prope>' 
to  be  done.  Great  and  important  princi- 
f)les  were  to  be  established,  in  regard  to 
the  Christian  chur-.-h;  and  they  engaged 
in  their  work  evidendy  with  a  deep  sense 
of  their  responsibility,  and  with  a  just 
view  of  their  dependence  on  the  aid  of 
die  Holy  S|)irit.  How  haj)py  would  it 
have  been  il'  this  spirit  had  been  posses* 
ed  by  all  professedly  Christian  councils. 
How  happy,  if  all  had  really  sought  the 
peace  and  harmony  of  the  ctiurches ; 
and  if  none  had  ever  been  convened  tc 
kindle  the  fires  of  persecuUon,  to  evince 
the  spirit  of  party,  or  to  rend  and  destroy 
the  church  of  God  ! 

This  council  has  been  u.sually  appealen 
to  as  the  authority  (or  councils  in  the 
church,  as  a  permanent  arrangement; 
and  especially  as  an  authority  for  courts 
of  appeal  and  contri  1.  But  it  e.^tablishea 
neither,  and  should  1)6  brought  as  an  au 


A    D.  5-2.] 


CHAPTER  XV 


223 


32  And  Judas  and  Silas,  being 
prophets  also  themselves,  exhorted 
the  brethren  with  many  words,  and 
confirmed  "  them. 

33  And   after  they   had   tarried 


Thority  for  neither.  For,  (\.)  It  was  not  a 
court  of  appeal  in  any  intelligible  sense. 
It  was  an  assembly  convened  for  a  spe- 
cijil  purpose ;  designed  to  settle  an  in- 
quiry which  arose  in  a  particular  part  of 
ttie  church,  and  which  required  the  col- 
lected wisdom  of  the  apostles  and  elders 
to  settle.  (2.)  It  had  none  of  the  marks 
or  appendages  oio.  court.  The  term  court, 
or  judicature,  is  nowhere  applied  to  it; 
nor  to  any  assembly  of  Christian  men,  in 
the  New  Testament.  Nor  should  these 
terms  be  used  now  in  the  churchf^. 
Courts  of  judicature  imply  a  degree  of 
authority,  which  cannot  be  proved  from 
tKe  New  Testament  to  have  been  con- 
ceded to  any  ecclesiastical  body  of  men. 
(3.)  There  is  not  the  slightest  intimation 
that  any  thing  like  permanency  was  to  be 
attached  to  this  council ;  or  that  it  would 
be  periodically  or  regularly  repeated.  It 
will  prove,  indeed,  that  when  cases  of 
difficulty  occur;  when  Christians  are  per- 
plexed and  embarrassed ;  or  when  con- 
tentions arise,  it  will  be  proper  to  refer  to 
Christian  men  for  advice  and  direction. 
Such  was  the  case  here ;  and  such  a 
course  is  obviously  proper.  If  it  should 
be  maintained  that  it  is  well  that  Chris- 
tian ministers  and  laymen  should  assem- 
ble periodically,  at  stated  intervals,  on 
(he  supposition  that  such  cases  may  arise, 
this  is  conceded  ;  but  the  example  of  the 
apostles  and  elders  should  not  be  pleaded 
as  makmg  such  assemblies  of  divine  right 
and  authority,  or  as  being  essential  to  the 
existence  of  a  church  of  God.  Such  an 
arrangement  has  been  deemed  to  be  so 
desirable  by  Christians,  that  it  has  been 
adopted  by  Episcopalians  in  their  reg\ilar 
annual  and  triennial  conventions ;  by 
Methodists  in  their  conferences;  by  Pres- 
byterians in  their  general  assembly;  by 
Friends  in  their  yearly  meetings  ;  by  Bap- 
tists and  Congregationalists  in  their  asso- 
ciations, &c.  But  the  example  of  the 
council  summoned  on  a  special  emergency 
at  Jerusalem,  should  not  be  pleaded  as 
giving  divine  authority  to  all,  or  to  any 
of  these  periodical  assemblages.  They 
are  wise  and  prudent  arrangements,  con- 
tributing to  the  peace  of  the  church;  and 
the  example  of  the  council  at  Jerusalem 
^an  be  adduced  as  furnishing  as  much 
divine  authority  for  one  as  for  another ; 


there  a  epace,  ihey  were  let  go  ^  in 
peace  from  the  brethren  unto  the 
apostles. 

34  ^Notwithstanding,   it   pleased 
Silas  to  abide  there  still 

b  lCor.l6.11.2Jno.!0. 

that  is,  it  does  not  make  all  or  either  of 
them  of  divine  authority,  or  as  obligatory 
on  the  church  of  God.  (4.)  It  should  be- 
added,  that  a  degree  of  authority  (conp. 
ch.  xvi.  4)  would,  of  course,  be  attached 
to  the  decision  of  the  apostles  and  elders 
at  that  time,  which  cannot  be  to  any  body 
of  ministers  and  laymen  now.  Besides  it 
should  never  be  forgotten — what,  alas,  it 
seems  to  have  been  the  pleasure  and  thw 
interest  of  ecclesiastics  to  forget — thai 
neither  the  a^-ostles  nor  elders  asserted  any 
jurisdiction  over  the  churches  of  Antioch, 
Syria,  and  Cilicia;  that  they  did  not  claim 
a  right  to  have  these  cases  referred  to 
them  ;  that  they  did  not  attempt  "  to  lord 
it"  over  their  laith  or  their  consciences. 
The  case  was  a  single,  specific,  definite 
question,  referred  to  them;  and  they  de- 
cided it  as  such.  They  asserted  no  ab- 
stract right  of  such  jurisdiction  ;  they 
sought  not  to  intermeddle  with  it;  they 
enjoined  no  future  reference  to  them,  to 
their  successors,  or  to  any  ecclesiastical 
tribunal.  They  evidently  regarded  the 
churches  as  blessed  with  the  most  ample 
freedom  ;  and  evidently  contemplated  no 
arrangement  of  a  permanent  character, 
asserting  a  right  to  legislate  on  articles 
of  faith,  or  to  make  laws  for  the  direction 
of  the  Lord's  freemen. 

32.  Being  prophets.  See  Note,  ch.  xi. 
27.  This  evidendy  implies  that  they  had 
been  preachers  before  they  went  to  An 
tioch.  What  was  the  precise  nature  of 
the  office  of  a  prophet  in  the  Christian 
church,  it  is  not  easy  to  ascertain.  Possi- 
bly it  may  imply  that  they  were  teachers 
of  unusual  or  remarkable  ability.  H  Con- 
firmed them,.  Strengthened  them  ;  that  is. 
by  their  instructions  and  exhortations 
Note,  ch.  xiv.  22. 

33.  A  space.  For  some  time.  IT  They 
were  let  go  in  peace.  An  expression  im 
plying  that  they  departed  with  the  affec- 
tionate regard  of  the  Christians  to  whom 
they  had  ministered,  and  with  their  high- 
est wishes  f^r  their  prosperity.  1  Cor.  xvi. 
11.  2  John  10.  Silas,  however,  it  seems 
chose  to  remain.  IT  Unto  the  apostles.  At 
Jerusalem.  Many  MSS.  however,  in 
stead  of  "  unto  the  apostles,"  read,  "  unto 
those  who  had  sent  them."  Ttie  sense  is 
not  materially  different. 

34    Notwithstandins  &c.     This  whcl«=» 


£24 

35  Paul  also  and  Barnabas  con- 
tinued in  Anti.och,  teaching  and 
preaching  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
with  many  others  also. 

36  And  some  days  after,  Paul 
said  unto  Barnabas,  Let  us  go  again 
and  visit  our  brethren  in  ^  every 
city  where  we  have  preached  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  see  how 
Ihey  do. 

37  And  Barnabas  determined  to 
take  with  them  John  *  whose  sur- 
name was  Mark. 

38  But  Paul  thought  not  good  to 


ic. 12.12,25.  Col.4.10. 


THE  ACTS.  jA.  D  52, 

take  him  with  them,  who  departed 
from   them   from    Pamphylia,  and 
went  not  with  them  to  the  work. 

3D  And  the  contention  was  so 
sharp  between  them,  that  they  de- 
parted asunder  one  from  the  other  ; 
and  so  Barnabas  took  Mark,  and 
sailed  unto  Cyprus  : 

40  And  Paul  chose  Silas,  and 
departed,  being  recommended  "*  by 
the  brethren  unto  the  grace  of 
God. 

41  And  he  went  through  Syria  and 
Cilicia,  confirming  *  the  churches. 

cc.13.13.        dc. 14.26;  20.32.         ec.l63 


\erse  is  wanUng  in  many  MSS.  in  the 
Syriao,  Arabic,  and  Coptic  versions;  and 
is  regarded  as  spurious  by  Mill,  Gries- 
bach,  and  by  other  critics.  It  was  proba- 
bly introduced  by  some  early  transcriber, 
who  judged  it  necessary  to  complete  the 
narr-ative.  The  Latin  Vulgate  reads,  "  It 
seemed  good  to  Silas  to  remain,  but  Ju- 
das went  alone  to  Jerusalem." 

35.  Paul  also,  and  Barnabas  continued 
m  Anfioch.  How  long  a  time  is  unknown. 
It  is  probable  that  at  this  time  the  unhap- 
py incident  occurred  between  Paul  and 
Peter,  which  is  recorded  in  Gal.  ii.  11 — 14. 

36.  Let  us  go  again  and  visit  our  bre- 
thren. That  is,  in  the  churches  which 
they  had  established  in  Asia  Minor,  ch. 
xiii.  xiv.  This  was  a  natural  wish  ;  and 
was  an  enterprise  that  might  be  attended 
with  important  advantages  to  those  feeble 
churches. 

37.  But  Barnabas  determined.  Greek, 
Willed,  or  was  disposed  to  (J^ouXsOtrctro). 
^  John,  &c.  Note,  ch.  xii.  12.  He  had 
been  with  them  before  as  a  travelling  com- 
panion, ch.  xii.  25;  xiii.  5.  He  was  the 
son  of  a  sister  of  Barnabas  (Col.  iv.  10),  and 
it  is  probable  that  Barnabas'  affection  for 
his  nephew  was  the  main  reason  for  iu- 
'iucing  him  to  wish  to  take  him  with  him 

n  the  journey. 

38.  But  raid  thought  not  good.  Did 
not  think  it  proper.  Because  he  could 
not  confide  in  his  perseverance  with  them 
in  the  toils  and  perils  of  their  journey. 
^  Who  departed  from  them,  &.C.  ch.  xiii. 
13.  Why  he  did  this  is  not  known.  It 
was  evidently,  however,  for  some  cause 
which  Paul  did  not  consider  satisfactory, 
and  which  in  his  view  disqualified  him 
from  being  their  atfcr.'Jp.nt  again.  H  To 
the  v)orh.     Of  prenchinif  the  gospeJ. 

39.  And  the  contention  was  so  sharp. 
The  word  used  here  (jrotfojuo-zitij)  is  that 


from  which  our  word  paroxysm  is  derived 
It  may  denote  any  excitement  of  mind, 
and  is  used  in  a  good  sense  in  Heb.  x.  24. 
It  here  means  evidently  a  violent  alterca- 
tion that  resulted  in  their  separation  for 
a  time,  and  in  their  engaging  in  different 
spheres  of  labour.  1  Aiid  sailed  unto 
Cyprus.  This  was  the  native  place  ot 
Barnabas.     Note,  ch.  iv.  36. 

40.  Being  recommended.  Being  com- 
mended 1  '  prayertoGod.  Note.ch.  xiv.26 

41.  ^'' r/a  and  Cilicia.  These  were 
countries  lying  near  to  each  other, 
which  Paul,  in  company  with  Barnabas, 
had  before  visited.  H  Co7iJirming  the 
churches.  Strengthening  them  by  instruc- 
tion and  exhortation.  It  has  lio  reference 
to  the  rite  of  confirmation.  See  Note, 
Acts  xiv.  22. 

In  regard  to  this  unhappy  contention 
between  Paul  and  Barnabaj,  and  the- 
separation  from  each  other,  we  may  makt 
the  following  remarks.  (1  )  That  no  apo- 
logy or  vindication  of  i:  is  offered  by  the 
sacred  writer.  It  was  undoubtedly  im- 
proper and  evil.  It  was  a  melancholy 
instance  in  which  even  apostles  evincetl 
an  improper  spirit,  and  engaged  in  im- 
proper strife.  (2.)  In  this  contention  it  is 
probable  that  Paul  was,  in  the  main, 
right.  Barnabas  seems  to  have  been  in- 
fluenced by  attach^rent  to  a  relative ; 
Paul  sought  a  helper  who  would  not 
shrink  from  duty  and  danger.  It  is  clear 
that  Paul  had  the  sympathies  and  prayer* 
of  the  church  in  his  favour  (ver.  40^. 
and  it  is  more  tlian  probable  that  Barna- 
bas departed  without  any  such  sympathy, 
ver.  39.  (3.)  There  is  reason  to  think 
that  this  contention  wascverruled  for  the 
furtherance  of  the  gospel.  They  went  to 
difforont  |)laces,  and  preached  to  different 

t)Coi)le.     It  often   happon.s  that   the  im 
lappy  and  wicked  strifes  of  Chnstiaa 


A  D    53. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


!^3a 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
npHEN  came  he  to  Derbe  "  and 
^  Lystra :  and  behold,  a  certain 
disciple  was  there,  named  Timo- 
theus,  ^  the  son  of  a  '^  certain  wo- 
man, which  was  a  Jewess,  and  be- 
lieved ;  but  his  father  was  a  Greek  : 
2  Which  was  well  **  reported  of 


a  c.  14.6. 
«;iE.1.5. 


2;c.l9,22.  Rom.  16.21.  lCor.4.n. 
d  c.6.3.  lTim.5.10.  Heb.U.2. 


are  the  means  of  exciting  their  zeal,  and 
of  extending  the  gospel,  and  of  establish- 
ing churches.  But  no  thatiks  to  their 
contention ;  nor  is  the  guilt  of  their  anger 
and  strife  mitigated  by  this.  (4.)  Ihis 
difference  was  afterwards  reconciled,  and 
Paul  and  Barnabas  again  became  travel- 
ling companions.  1  Cor.  ix.  6.  Gal.  li.  9. 
(5.)  There  is  evidence  that  Paul  also  be- 
came reconciled  to  John  Mark.  Col.  iv. 
10.  Philem.  24.  2  Tim.  iv.  11.  How  long 
ikis  separation  continued  is  not  known ; 
'■ut  perhaps  in  this  journey  with  Barnabas, 
John  gave  such  evidence  of  his  'lourage 
and  zeal  as  induced  Paul  again  to  admit 
nim  to  his  confidence  as  a  tiavelling  com- 
oanion,  and  as  to  become  a  profitable  fel- 
low-labourer. See  2  Tim.  iv.  11,  "Take 
Mark,  and  bring  him  with  thee;  for  he  is 
profitable  to  me  for  the  ministry."  (6.) 
This  account  proves  that  there  was  no 
colbision  or  agreement  among  the  apostles 
to  impose  upon  mankind.  Had  there 
iieen  such  an  agreement,  and  had  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament  been  an  im- 
posture, the  apostles  would  have  been  re- 
presented as  perfectly  harmonious,  and  as 
united  in  all  their  views  and  efforts. 
What  impostor  would  have  thought  of  the 
device  of  representing  the  early  friends 
of  the  Christian  religion  as  divided.,  and 
contending,  and  separating  from  each 
other  ?  Such  a  staffiment  "has  an  air  of 
candour  ar)d  honesty,  and  at  the  same 
time  is  apparently  so  much  against  the 
truth  of  the  system,  that  no  impostor 
vould  have  thought  of  resorting  to  it. 
CHAPTER  XVI. 
1.  TTien  came  he.  That  is,  Paul,  in 
conpany  with  Silas-  Luke  does  not 
give  us  the  history  of  Barnabas,  but  con- 
fines his  narrative  to  the  journey  of  Paul. 
*i  To  Derbe  and  Lystra.  Note,  ch.  xiv.  6 
f  A7tl  behold  a  certain  disciple  named  Ti- 
m.olheus.  it  was  to  this  disciple  that  Paul 
afterv'vards  addressed  the  two  epistles 
which  bear  his  name.  It  is  evident  that 
he  was  a  native  of  one  of  these  places, 
but  whether  of  Derbe  or  Lystra  it  is  im- 
po-ssible  to  determine.    ^  The  .«nn  of  a 


by  the  brethren  that  were  at  Lystra 
and  Iconium. 

3  Him  would  Paul  have  to  g-o 
forth  with  him ;  and  took  and  cir- 
cumcised him,  *  because  of  the 
Jews  f  which  were  in  those  quar- 
ters ;  for  they  knew  all  that  his 
father  was  a  Greek. 

e  Gal.2.3-8;  5.1-3.       /  lCor.9.20. 


certain  woman,  &c.  Her  name  was  Euni-oe. 
2  Tim.  i.  5.  IT  And  believed.  And  was  a 
Christian.  It  is  evident  also  that  her 
mother  was  a  woman  of  distinguished 
Christian  piety.  2  Tim.  i.  5.  It  was  not 
lawful  for  a  Jew  to  marry  a  woman  of 
another  nation,  or  to  give  his  daughter  in 
marriage  to  a  Gentile.  Ezra  ix.  12.  But 
it  is  probable  that  this  law  was  not  re- 
garded very  strictly  by  the  Jews  who 
lived  in  the  midst  of  heathen  nations.  If 
is  evident  that  Timothy,  at  this  time,  was 
very  young ;  for  when  Paul  besought 
him  to  abide  at  Ephesus,  to  take  charge 
of  the  church  there  (1  Tim.  i.  3)  he  ad- 
dressed him  then  as  a  young  man.  1  Tim. 
iv.  12,  "  Let  no  man  despise  thy  youth." 
IT  But  his  father  was  a  Greek.  Evidently 
a  man  who  had  not  been  circumcised,  fox 
had  he  been,  Timothy  would  have  been 
also. 

2.  Which.  That  is,  Timothy.  The  con- 
nexion requires  us  to  understand  this  of 
him.  Of  the  character  of  his  father  no- 
thing is  known.  If  Was  well  reported  of 
Was  esteemed  highly  as  a  young  man  of 
piety  and  promise.  Note.  ch.  vi.  3.  Comp. 
1  Tim.  V.  10.  Timothy  had  been  reli- 
giously educated.  He  was  carefully 
trained  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  was  therefore  the  better 
qualified  for  his  work.     2  Tim.  iii.  15. 

3.  Him  would  Paul  have,  &c.  This  was 
an  instance  of  Paul's  selecUng  young  men 
of  piety  for  the  holy  ministry.  It  shows 
(1.)  That  he  was  disposed  to  look  up  and 
call  forth  the  talent  that  might  be  in  the 
church,  that  might  be  usefully  employed. 
It  is  quite  evident  that  Timothy  would 
not  have  thought  of  this,  had  it  not  been 
suggested  by  Paul.  The  same  thing.  Edu- 
cation societies  are  attempting  now  to  ac- 
complish. (2.)  That  Paul  sought  proper 
qualifications,  and  valued  them.  Those 
were,  (a)  That  he  had  a  good  reputation 
for  piety,  &c.  ver.  2.  This  he  demanded 
as  an  indispensable  qualification  for  a 
minister  of  the  gospel.  1  Tim.  iii.  7 
"  Moreover  he  (a  bishop)  must  nave  8 
eood  report  of  them  which  are  r/ithnut' 


W6 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  L    bd. 


4  And  as  they  W3iit  through  the 
nties,  they  deliver'id  them  the  de- 
;rces  for  to  keep,  that  were  ordain- 
ed "  of  the  apostles  and  elders 
•vhich  were  at  Jerusalem. 

5  And  so  were  the  churches  ^  es- 
■^blished  in  the  faith,  and  increased 
'n  number  daily. 


Jomp.  Acts  xxii.  12.  (6)  Paul  esteemed 
him  10  be  a  young  man  of  talents  and 
prudence.  His  admitting  him  to  a  part- 
nership in  his  labours,  and  his  intrusting 
to  him  the  afTairs  of  the  church  at  Ephe- 
sus,  prove  this,  (c)  He  had  been  care- 
fully trained  in  tlie  Holy  Scriptures.  A 
foundation  was  thus  laid  for  usefulness. 
And  this  qualification  seems  to  have  been 
deemed  by  Paul  of  indispensable  value 
fit  the  right  discharge  of  his  duties  in 
'his  holy  office.  H  A7id  he  took  and  cir- 
cumcised him.  This  was  evidently  done 
to  avoid  the  opposition  and  reproaches  of 
the  Jews.  It  was  a  measure  not  binding 
in  Itself  (comp.  ch.  xv.  1.  28,  29) ;  but  the 
neglect  of  which  would  expose  to  conten- 
tion and  opposition  among  the  Jews, 
and  greatly  retard  or  destroy  his  useful- 
ness. It  was  an  act  of  expediency  for 
tiie  sake  of  peace,  and  was  in  accordance 
with  Paul's  uniform  and  avowed  princi- 
ple of  conduct.  1  Cor.  ix.  20,  "  And  unto 
ihe  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might 
*ain  the  Jews."     Comp.  Acts  xxi.  23 — 26. 

4.  And  as  (hey  went  through  the  cities. 
The  cities  of  Syria,  Cilicia,  &c.  IF  They 
delivered  them.  Paul  and  Silas  delivered 
k)  the  Christians  in  those  cities.  IT  The 
decrees.  Ti  iiyf^xTx.  The  decrees  in  re- 
gard to  the  four  things  specified  inch.  xv. 
20.  29.  The  word  translated  decrees  oc- 
curs in  Luke  ii.  1,  "A  decree  from  Cffisar 
Augustus;"  in  Acts  xvii.  7,  "The  de- 
crees of  Caesar;"  in  Eph.  ii.  15,  and  in 
Col.  ii.  14.  It  properly  means  a  law  or 
edict  ol  a  king,  or  legislature.  In  this 
instance  it  was  the  decision  of  the  coun- 
cil in  a  case  submitted  to  it ;  and  implied 
an  obligation  on  the  Christians  to  submit 
to  that  dec  i.sion.  The  laws  of  the  apoe- 
ibs  would,  and  ought  to  be,  in  such  cases, 
eslceined  to  be  binding.  It  is  probable 
(hat  a  correct  and  attested  copy  of  the 
l«ltor  (ch.  XV.  23—29)  would  be  sent  to 
ihe  various  churclies  of  the  Gentiles. 
1[  I'o  kf-e/).  To  obey,  or  to  observe. 
«j  7yiat  were  ordainnl.  Gr.  That  were 
adjudged,  or  determined. 

6.  EslaHirhcd  in  the  faith.     Confirmed 


6  Now  when  they  had  gone 
throughout  Phrygia  and  the  region 
of  "=  Galatia,  and  were  forbidden  of 
**  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  tha 
word  in  *  Asia, 

7  After  they  were  come  to  Mysia 
they  assayed  to  go  into  Bythinia; 
but  the  Spirit  sutiered  them  not. 

cGal.l.2.  IPet.l.l.  d  Amos  8.11,12.    Cor.l2.1f 

c  Rev. 1.4,11. 

in  the  belief  of  the  gospel.  The  efleet 
of  the  wise  and  conciliatory  measure  was 
to  increase  and  strengthen  the  churches. 

6.  Throughout  Phrygia.  This  was  the 
largest  province  of  Asia  Minor.  It  had 
Byihinia  noith  ;  Pisidia  and  Lycia  south; 
Galatia  and  Cappadocia  east;  and  Lydia 
and  Mysia  west.  %  And  the  region  of 
Galatia.  This  province  was  directly  east 
of  Phrygia.  The  region  was  formerly 
conquered  by  the  Gauls.  They  settled 
in  it,  and  called  it,  after  their  own  name 
Galatia.  The  Gauls  invaded  the  country 
at  different  times,  and  no  less  than  three 
tribes  or  bodies  of  Gauls  had  possession 
of  it.  Many  Jews  were  also  .settled  there. 
It  was  from  this  cause  that  so  many  par- 
ties could  be  formed  there,  and  that  so 
much  controversy  would  arise  between 
the  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts.  See 
the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  H  And  wer^ 
forbidden.  Probably  by  a  direct  revela- 
tion. The  reason  of  this  was,  doubtless, 
that  it  was  the  intention  of  God  to  extend 
the  gospel  farther  into  the  regions  of 
Greece  than  would  have  been  done  if 
they  had  remained  in  Asia  Minor.  This 
prohibition  was  the  means  of  the  first  in- 
troduction of  the  gospel  into  Europe. 
H  In  Asia.  See  Note,  ch.  ii.  9.  This  was 
doubtless  the  region  of  proconsular  Asia. 
This  region  was  also  called  Ionia.  Ol 
this  region  Ephesus  fyas  the  capital ;  and 
here  were  situated  also  the  cities  of 
Smyrna,  Thyatira,  Philadelphia,  &c., 
within  which  the  seven  churches  men- 
tioned in  Rev.  i.  ii.  iii.  were  established. 
Cicero  speaks  of  proconsular  Asia  as  con- 
taining the  provinces  of  Phrygia,  Mysia, 
Caria,  and  Lydia.  In  all  this  region  the 
gospel  was  afterwards  preached  v^itb 
great  snccess.  But  now  a  more  imp(jrtant 
and  a  wider  field  was  opened  before  Paul 
and  Barnabas,  in  the  extensive'  country 
of  Macedonia. 

7.  Mi/sia.  This  was  a  province  of  Asia 
Minor,  having  Propontis  on  the  norlh, 
Byiliinia  on  the  cast,  Lydia  on  the  sontli, 
and  the  /Egean  sea  on  the  west.  IT  Thef 
assayed.    They   endeavoured  ;    they  at 


V.D,  5-2.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


8  And  they  passing  by  Mysia, 
came  down  to  "  Troas. 

9  And  a  vision  appeared  to  Paul 
in  the  nig-ht ;  There  stood  a  man  ^ 
of  Macedonia,  and  prayed  him,  say- 
ing, Come  over  into  Macedonia,  and 
help  us. 

10  And  after  he  had  seen  the 
vision,  immediately  v/e  endeavour- 
ed to  go'"  into  Macedonia,  assuredly 
g-athering  that  the  Lord  had  called 

a,  8Cor.2.12.  2Tim.4.13.        i  c.19.30.         c  2Cor.2.13. 


tempted.     ^  Irdo  Bytkinia.     A  province 
of  Asia  Minor,  lying  east  of  Mysia. 

8.  Came  down  to  Troas.  I'his  was  a 
city  of  Plirygia  or  Mysia,  on  the  Helles- 
Bont,  between  Troy  north,  and  Assos 
south.  Sometimes  the  name  Troas,  or 
Troad,  is  used  to  denote  the  whole  coun- 
try of  the  Trojans,  the  province  where 
the  ancient  city  of  Troy  had  stood.  This 
region  was  much  celebrated  in  the  early 
periods  of  Grecian  history.  It  was  here 
that  the  events  recorded  in  the  Iliad  of 
Homer  are  supposed  to  have  occurred. 
The  city  of  Troy  has  long  since  been 
completely  destroyed.  Troas  is  several 
times  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament 
2  Cor.  ii.  12.  2  Tim.  iv.  13.  Acts  xx.  5. 

9.  And  a  vision.  Notceh.ix.  lO.ITTAere 
stood  a  man,  &c.  The  appearance  of  a 
man,  who  was  known  to  be  of  Macedonia, 

frobably,  by  his  dress  and  language. 
Vhether  this  was  in  a  dream,  or  whether 
It  was  a  representation  made  to  the  senses 
while  awake,  it  is  impossible  to  tell. 
The  will  of  God  was  at  different  times 
nade  known  in  both  these  ways.  Comp. 
Matt.  ii.  12.  Note,  Acts  x.  3.  Grotius 
«upposes  that  this  was  the  guardian  angel 
of  Macedonia,  and  refers  for  illustration 
o  Dan.  X.  12,  13.  20,  21.  But  there  seems 
to  be  no  foundation  for  this  opinion.  %  Of 
Macedonia.  This  was  an  extensive  coun- 
try of  Greece,  having  Thrace  on  the  north, 
rhessaly  south,  Epirus  west,  and  the 
/Egean  sea  east.  It  is  supposed  that  it 
was  peopled  by  Kittim,  son  of  Javan.  Gen. 
r.  4.  The  kingdom  rose  into  celebrity 
chiefly  under  the  reign  of  Philip  and  his 
eon  Alexander  the  Great.  It  was  the  first 
region  in  Europe  in  which  we  have  any 
record  that  the  gospel  was  preached. 
f  And  help  us.  That  is,  by  preaching 
Ihe  gospel.  This  was  a  call  to  preach 
the  gospel  in  an  extensive  heathen  land, 
amidst  many  trials  and  danger^.  To  this 
cail,  notwithstanding  all  this  prospect  of 
JangeiV  they  cheerfr.ily  resporded,  and 


227 

preach  the  gospel  unto 


us  for  to 

them. 

•     1 1  Therefore  loosing  from  Troas, 

we  came  with  a  straight  course  to 

Samothracia,  and  the  r^^xt  day  to 

Neapolis ; 

12  And  from  thence  to  Pbilippi,* 
which  is  the  '  chief  city  of  tl  at  pan 
of  Macedonia,  and  a  colony.  And 
we  were  in  that  city  abiding  cer 
tain  days. 

dPhil.l.l.  1  or,  t/i«yir»v. 


gave  themselves  to  the  work.  Their  con 
duct  was  thus  an  example  to  the  church. 
From  all  portions  of  the  e'arth  a  similar 
call  is  now  coming  to  the  churches. 
Openings  of  a  similar  character,  for  the 
introduction  of  the  gospel,  are  presented 
in  all  lands.  Appeals  are  coming  from 
every  quarter;  and  all  that  seems  now 
necessary  for  the  speedy  conversion  of 
the  world  is,  for  the  church  to  enter  into 
these  vast  fields  with  the  self  denial,  spi 
rit,  and  zeal  which  characterized  the  apos- 
tle Paul. 

10.  We  endeavoured.  This  is  the  first 
instance  in  which  Luke  refers  to  himself 
as  being  in  company  with  Paul.  It  is 
hence  probable  that  he  joined  Paul  and 
Silas  about  this  time;  and  it  is  evident 
that  he  attended  him  in  his  travels,  as  re 
corded  throughout  the  remainder  of  the 
Ads.  *^  Assuredly  gathering.  Being  cer 
tainly  convinced. 

11.  Loosing  from  Troas.  Setting  sail 
from  this  place.  IF  To  Samothracia.  This 
was  an  island  in  the  yEgean  sea,  not  far 
from  Thrace.  It  waf  peopled  by  inhabit 
ants  from  Samos  and  from  Thrace,  and 
hence  called  Samothracia.  It  was  about 
twenty  miles  in  circumference  ;  and  was 
an  asylum  for  fugitives  and  criminals. 
^And  the  next  day  to  Neapolis.  This  was  a 
maritime  city  of  Macedonia,  near  the  bor- 
ders of  Thrace.    It  is  now  called  Nnpnli. 

12.  And  from  thence  to  Philippi,  The 
former  name  of  this  city  was  Dathos.  It 
was  repaired  and  adorned  by  Philip,  the 
father  of  Alexander  the  Great,  and  afie» 
him  was  called  Philippi,  It  was  famous 
for  having  been  the  place  where  several 
battles  were  fought  in  the  civil  wars  of 
the  Romans,  and  among  others,  for  the 
decisive  battle  between  Brutus  and  An- 
tony. At  this  place  Brutus  killed  himself 
To  the  cnurch  in  this  place  Paul  after- 
wards wrote  the  epistle  which  bears  iLs 
name.  H  Which  is  the  chief  city  of  that 
part  of  Maci'uoma.     This  vrholn   regJTi 


028 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  5a 


13  And  on  the  •  sabbath  we  went 
out  of  the  city  by  a  river  side,  where 
prayer  "  was  wont  to  be  made :  and 
■^'c  sat  down,  and  spake  unto  the 
women  which  resorted  tJiither. 

14  And  a  certain  woman  named 
Lydia,  a  seller  of  purple,  of  the  city 
of  Thy  atira,  which  worshipped  God, 
heard  m5.-   whose  heart '  the  Lord 

t  tabbath-day  «  c.tl.5.  b  Luke  24.43. 

had  been  conquered  by  the  Romans  un- 
der Paulus  Emilius.  By  him  it  was  di- 
vided into  four  parts  or  provinces.  {Livy.) 
Vhe  Syriac  version  renders  it,  "  a  city  of 
\\\e  first  part  of  Macedonia ;"  and  there  is 
a  medal  extant  which  also  describes  this 
region  by  this  name.  It  has  been  pro- 
posed, therefore,  to  alter  the  Greek  text 
in  accordance  with  this,  since  it  is  known 
that  Amphipoiis  was  made  the  chief  city 
by  Pauhis  Emilius.  But  it  may  be  re- 
marked, that  although  Amphipoiis  was 
the  chief  city  in  the  time  of  Paulus  Emi- 
lius, it  may  have  happened  that  in  the 
lapse  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  years 
from  that  time,  Philippi  might  have  be- 
come the  most  extensive  and  splendid 
city.  The  Greek  here  may  also  mean 
simply  that  this  was  ihe  first  city  to  which 
ihey  arrived  in  their  travels.  IT  And  a 
colony.  This  is  a  Latin  word,  and  means 
that  this  'A'as  a  Roman  colony.  The  word 
denotes  a  city  or  province  which  was 
planted  or  occupied  by  Roman  citizens. 
On  one  of  the  coins  now  extant,  it  is  re- 
corded that  Julius  Caesar  bestowed  the 
advantages  and  dignity  of  a  colony  on 
P)iilil)pi,  which  Augustus  afterv»'ards  con- 
firmed and  augmenied.  See  Rob.  Cal. 
Art.  Philippi.  ^\  Certain  days.  Some  days. 
13.  And  on  the  Sabbath.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  in  this  city  there  were  Jews. 
In  the  time  of  the  apostles  they  were  scat- 
tered extensively  throughout  the  known 
world,  f  J}y  a  river  side.  What  river 
tliia  was,  is  not  known.  It  is  known,  how- 
ever, that  the  Jews  were  accustomed  to 
provide  water,  or  to  build  their  syna- 
gogues and  oratories  near  water,  for  the 
convenience  of  the  numerous  washings 
bcfiireand  during  t'.ieir  religious  services. 
1  Where  prayer.  Where  there  was  a 
j.rosLiuha:,  or  place  of  prayer;  or  where 
prayer  was  commonly  onered.  The  Greek 
>vill  bear  either;  but  the  sense  is  the 
Karae.  Places  for  prayer  were  erected 
by  the  lews  in  the  vicjnily  of  cities  and 
lowriH,  anfl  particularly  where  there  were 
not  Jewish  liinulics  cncugh,  or  where 
iliev  were  forbidden  by  the  nH)i)(iutrate  to 


opened,  that  she  attended  unto  the 
things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul. 

15  And  when  she  was  baptized, 
and  her  household,  she  besought  * 
us,  saying.  If  ye  have  judged  me 
to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into 
my  house,  and  abide  there.  And  she 
constrained  us. 

16  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  we 


erect  a  synagogue.  These  proseiichce,  or 
places  n  p'ayer,  were  simple  enclosujpes 
made  of  stones  in  a  grove,  or  under  a  tree, 
where  there  woul9  be  a  retired  and  eon 
venient  place  for  worship.  IT  Was  wont. 
Was  accustomed  to  be  offered  ;  or  where 
it  was  established  by  custom.  IT  Ana 
spake  unto  the  women,  &c.  This  was  pro- 
bably before  the  regular  service  of  the 
place  commenced. 

14.  A  seller  of  purple.  Purple  was  a 
most  valuable  colour,  obtained  usually 
from  shell-fish.  It  was  chiefly  worn  by 
princes  and  by  the  rich  ;  and  the  traffic  in 
it  might  be  very  profitable.  T  7'Ae  city 
of  Thyatira.  This  was  a  city  of  Lydia 
in  Asia  Minor,  now  called  Ak-hsar.  The 
art  of  dying  was  particularly  cultivated, 
as  appears  from  an  inscription  found 
there.  (See  Kuinoel.)  IT  Which  worship- 
ped God.  A  religious  woman,  a  prose- 
lyte. Note,  ch.  siii.  IG.  IT  Whose  heart  the 
Lord  opened.     See  Note,  Luke  xxiv.  45. 

15.  And  when  she  w<is  baptized.  Appa- 
rently without  any  delay.  Comp.  Acts  ii. 
41 ;  viii.  38.  U  was  usual  to  be  baptized 
immediately  on  believing.  IF  And  her 
household.  Greek,  Her  house  (J  o7xo5  iuT^i). 
Her  family.  No  mention  is  made  ofthei? 
having  believed.  And  the  case  is  one 
that  affords  a  strong  presumptive  proof 
that  this  was  an  instance  of  household  or 
infant  baptism.  For,  (1.)  Her  believing  is 
particularly  mentioned.  (2.)  It  is  not  in 
timated  that  they  believed.  On  the  con 
trary,  it  is  slroiigly-implied  that  ihey  did 
not.  (3.)  It  is  manifestly  implied  that  the^ 
were  baptized  because  she  believed.  It 
was  the  offering  of  her  family  to  'he  Ijord 
It  is  just  such  an  account  as  would  now 
be  given  of  a  household  or  family  that 
were  baptized  on  the  fauh  of  the  parent. 
IT  If  ye  have  judgrd  me  to  be  faithful.  If 
you  deem  me  a  Christian,  or  a  believer. 
il  And  .-ihe  ronslramtd  vs.  She  urged  ua 
This  was  an  instance'of  grent  hospitality 
and  nl.so  an  evidence  of  her  desire  for  fur- 
ther in.struction  in  the  dcclrinos  of  leli 


gion. 

10.  As  we  went  to  jtrayir 


:rvk.> 


\.  D.  53.] 

went  to  prayer,  a  certain  damsel 
possessed  *  with  a  spirit  of  '  divi- 
nation met  us,  rtrhich  brought  her 
masters  much  gain  *  by  soothsay- 
ing : 

17  The  same  followed  Paul  and 
as,  and  cried,  saying.  These  men 
are  the  servants  of  the  most  high  '^ 


CHAPTER  XV!. 


229 


a  )Saa>  28.7. 
ftja.l4  18-22. 


or,  Python. 


A  i  were  going  to  the  proseuchcs,  the  place 
of  prayer,  ver.  13.  Whether  this  was  on 
the  same  day  in  which  the  conversion  of 
Lydia  occurred,  or  at  another  time,  is  not 
■iientioned  by  the  historian.  IT  A  certain 
■lamsel.  A  maid,  a  young  woman.  IT  Pos- 
sessed vjilk  a  spirit  of  divijiation.  Gr.  Py- 
thon, See  the  margin.  Python,  or  Pythios, 
was  one  of  the  names  of  Apollo,  the  Gre- 
cian god  of  the  fine  arts,  of  music,  poetry, 
medicine,  and  eloquence.  Of  these  he  was 
esteemed  .o  have  been  the  inventor.  He 
was  reputed  to  be  the  third  son  of  Jupiter 
and  Latona.  He  had  a  celebrated  temple 
and  oracle  at  Delphi,  which  was  resorted 
to  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  which 
was  perhaps  the  only  oracle  that  was  in 
universal  repute.  The  name  Python  is 
said  to  have  been  given  him  because,  as 
soon  as  he  was  born,  he  destroyed  with 
ar'-ows  a  serpent  of  that  name,  that  had 
been  sent  by  Juno  to  persecute  Latona ; 
hence  his  common  name  was  the  Pythian 
Apollo.  He  had  temples  on  mount  Par- 
nassus, at  Delphi,  Delos,  Claros,  Tenedos, 
&c. ,  and  his  worship  was  almost  univer- 
sal. In  the  celebrated  oracle  at  Delphi, 
the  priestess  of  Apollo  pretended  to  be 
inspired  i  became  violently  agitated  during 
the  periods  of  pretended  inspiration ,  and 
during  those  periods  gave  such  responses 
to  inquirers  as  were  regarded  as  the  ora- 
cles of  the  god.  Others  would  also  make 
pretensions  to  such  inspiration ;  and  the 
art  of  fortune-telling,  or  of  jugglery,  was 
extensively  practised,  and  wa.s  the  source 
of  much  gain.  See  Note,  ch  viii.  8 — 10. 
What  was  the  cause  of  this  extensive  de- 
lusion in  regard  to  the  oracle  at  Delphi, 
it  is  not  necessary  now  to  inquire.  It  is 
plain  that  Paul  regarded  this  as  a  case  of 
demoniacal  po.ssession  and  treated  it  ac- 
cordingly. '^  Her  mjstei  s.  Those  in  whose 
employ  she  was.  IT  By  soothsaying.  Pre- 
tending to  foretell  future  events. 

i7.  The  same  followed  Paul,  &,c.  Why 
she  old  this,  or  under  what  pretence,  the 
sacred  v»riter  has  not  informed  us.  Vari- 
ous conjectures  have  been  formed  of  the 
reason  why  ihis  was  done.  It  may  have 
IT 


God,  which  shew  unto  ds  the  way 
of  "^  salvation. 

18  And  this  she  did  many  days. 
But  Paul,  bein^  grieved,  turned  and 
said '  to  the  spirit,  I  command  thee 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
come  out  of  her.  And  ^  he  came 
out  the  same  hour. 


d  C.1S.26.  Heb.10.20. 
16.17. 


e  Mark  1.25,i4.        /  Mark 


been.  (1.)  That  as  she  prophesied  for 
gain,  she  supposed  that  Paul  and  Silas 
would  reward  her  if  she  publicly  pro- 
claimed that  they  were  the  servants  of 
God.  Or,  (2.)  Because  she  was  conscious 
that  an  evil  spirit  possessed  her,  and  that 
she  feared  that  Paul  and  Silas  would 
expel  that  spirit;  and  that,  by  proclaiming 
them  to  be  the  servants  of  God,  she  hoped 
to  conciliate  their  favour.  Or,  (3.)  More 
probably,  it  was  because  she  saw  evident 
tokens  of  their  being  sent  from  God,  and 
that  their  doctrine  would  prevail ;  and  by 
proclaiming  this  she  hoped  to  acquire 
more  authority,  and  a  higher  reputation  v 
for  being  herself  inspired.  Comp.  Mark 
v  7. 

18.  Bnl  Paul,  being  grieved.  Being 
molested,  troubled,  offended.  Paul  w^ 
grieved,  probably,  (1.)  Because  her  pre- 
sence was  troublesome  to  him;  (2.)  Be- 
cause It  might  be  said  that  he  v.  as  in 
alliance  with  her,  and  that  his  pretensiom 
were  just  like  hers;  (3.)  Because  what 
she  did  was  for  the  sake  of  gain,  and  was 
a  base  imposition ;  (4.)  Because  her  state 
was  one  of  bondage  and  delusion,  and  it 
was  proper  to  free  her  from  this  demoni 
acal  possession ;  and,  (5.)  Because  the  sys- 
tem under  which  she  was  acting  was  a 
part  of  a  vast  scheme  of  delusion  and  im 
posture,  which  had  spread  over  a  large 
portion  of  the  pagan  world,  and  which 
was  then  holding  it  in  bondage.  Through- 
out the  Roman  em.pire,  the  inspiration  of 
the  priestesses  of  Apollo  was  believed  in, 
and  temples  were  every  where  reared  to 
perpetTiate  and  celebrate  the  delusion 
Against  this  extensive  system  of  impos- 
ture and  fraud,  Christianity  must  oppose 
Itself;  and  this  was  a  favourable  instance 
to  expose  the  delusion,  and  to  show  the 
power  of  the  Christian  religion  over  all 
the  arts  and  powers  of  imposture.  The 
mere  fact  that  in  a  very  few  instances — 
of  which  this  was  one — they  spoke  tho 
truth,  did  not  make  it  improper  for  Paul 
to  interpose.  That  fact  would  only  tend 
to  perpetuate  the  delusion,  and  to  make 
his  interposition  more  proper  and  neces 


30 


19  And  when  her  masters  saw 
inat  the  h  .pe  of  their  orains  "  w  as 
gone,  they  caught  Paul  and  Silas, 
and  drew  theta  into  '  the  market- 
place, unto  ^  the  rulers, 

20  And  brouoht  them  to  the  ma- 


tt Mark  c.  19.24,27. 


or,  cxturt. 


rKK  ACTS.  [A.  D.  53 

gistrates,  saying,  These  men,  being 
Jews,  do  exceedingly  trouble  *=  our 
city, 

2\  And  teach  customs  which  are 
not  lawiul  for  us  to  receive,  neithei 
to  ob.serve,  being  Romans. 

c  IKings  18.17.  c.17.6. 


gar}'.  The  expulsion  of  the  evil  spirit 
would  also  aflbrd  a  signal  proof  of  the 
fact  tliat  ihe  apostles  were  really  from 
God.  A  far  better  proof  than  her  noisy 
and  troublesome  proclamation  of  it  would 
furnish.  1  In  the  name  (if  Jesus  Christ. 
Or,  by  th«  authority  of  Jesus  Christ.  See 
Note,  ch.  iii.  6. 

19.  The  hope  of  their  gains  was  gone.  It 
was  this  that  troubled  and  enraged  them. 
And  this  is  as  likely  to  enrage  men  as 
any  thing.  Instead  of  regarding  the  act 
as  proof  of  divine  power,  they  were  intent 
only  on  their  profits.  And  their  indigna- 
tion furnishes  a  remarkable  illustration 
of ihe  fixedness  with  which  men  wdl  re- 
gard wealth  ;  of  the  fict  that  ihe  love  of  it 
will  blind  them  to  all  the  truths  of  reli- 
gion, and  all  the  proofs  of  the  power  and 
presence  of  God  ;  and  of  the  fact  that  any 
interposition  of  divine  power  that  destroys 
their  hopes  ef  gain,  fills  them  with  wrath 
and  hatred  and  murmuring.  Many  a  man 
has  been  opitosed  to  God  and  his  gospel, 
because,  if  religion  should  be  extensively 
prevalent,  the  hopes  of  gain  would  be 
gone.  Alany  a  slave-dealer,  and  many 
a  trafficker  in  ardent  spirits,  and  many  a 
man  engaged  in  other  iirdawful  modes 
of  gain,  have  been  unwilling  to  abandon 
their  employments,  simply  because  the 
hopes  of  their  gain  would  be  destroyed. 
]\o  small  part  of  the  opposition  to  the  gos- 
pel arises  fr<jm  the  fact,  that  if  embraced, 
it  would  strike  at  so  much  of  the  dislion- 
ourable  employments  of  men,  and  make 
them  honest  and  conscientious.  H  The 
rnarket-place.  The  court  or  forum.  The 
marketplace  was  a  j)!ace  of  concourse  ; 
and  the  courts  were  ofien  held  in  or  near 
those  places.  11  The  rulers.  The  term 
used  here  refers  commonly  to  civil  ma- 
t;i  si  rates. 

20.  A  ufl  hroughl  them  to  the  magistrates. 
To  the  military  rulers  {<rrexT^,yc:;'\.  or  prc- 
t'jrs.  Phillippi  wa.s  a  Roman  colony  ;  and 
it  is  probable  that  ihe  ofJicrrs  of  He  army 
exercised  the  double  function  (  f  civil  and 
military  rulers.  %  Do  cxtecdivply  trouhle 
our  riti/.  In  what  way  they  did  it  lluy 
Bpecifv  in  the  next  vcrne.  The  char^'o 
whii;h  they  wish."(i  to  substantiate  was, 
Jial  of  l>oinp[  disl  irbrr«  of  tb'^    public 


peace.  All  at  once  they  became  con 
scientious.  They  forgot  the  subject  of 
their  gains,  and  were  greatly  distressed 
about  ihe  violation  of  the  laws.  There 
is  nothing  that  will  make  men  more  hy 
jMJcritically  conscientious,  than  to  de 
nounce,  and  detect,  and  destroy  their  ui^ 
lawful  and  dishonest  practices.  Men  who 
are  thus  exposed,  become  suddenly  filled 
with  reverence  for  the  law  or  for  religion; 
and  they,  who  have  heretofore  cared  no- 
thing for  either,  become  greatly  alarmed 
lest  the  public  peace  should  be  disturbed 
Men  slumber  quietly  in  sin,  and  pursue 
their  w  icked  gain^ ;  they  hate  or  despise 
all  law  and  all  forms  of  religion  ;  but  the 
moment  their  course  of  life  is  attacked 
and  exposed,  they  become  full  of  zeal  for 
laws  that  they  would  not  themselves  hesi- 
tate to  violate,  and  for  the  customs  of  re- 
ligion, which  in  their  hearts  they  tho 
roughly  despise.  Worldly-minded  men 
often  thus  complain  that  their  towns,  and 
cities,  and  villages  are  disturbeu  by  re- 
vivals of  religion  ;  and  the  preaching  of 
the  truth  and  attacking  vice  often  arouses 
this  hypocritical  conscientiousness,  ana 
makes  them  alarmed  for  the  laws,  and  f()r 
religion,  and  for  order,  which  they  at 
other  times  are  the  first  to  disturb  and 
disregard. 

21.  And  teach  aistoms.  The  word  cus- 
toms here  {Ibr.)  refers  to  religious  riles  or 
forms  of  worship.  See  IS'ote,  ch.  vi.  14. 
They  meant  to  charge  the  aposlles  with 
introducing  a  new  mode  of  worship  and 
a  new  religion,  which  was  unauthorized 
by  the  Koman  laws.  This  was  a  cunning 
and  artful  accu.'iation.  it  is  perfecllv  ev  i- 
dent  that  they  cared  nothing  either  for 
the  religion  of  the  Romans  or  of  the  JewH. 
]\or  were  they  really  concerned  alM>ut 
any  change  of  religion.  Paul  had  de- 
Ktn)yed  their  hopes  of  gain;  and  as  they 
could  r<ot  prevent  that  except  by  securing 
his  punishment  or  exi>ulsion,  and  as  they 
had  no  way  of  revenge  excejit  by  en- 
deavouring lo  excite  indignalion  against 
him  and  Silas  for  violaling  ihe  laws, 
they  endeavoured  to  conviil  ihriii  of  such 
violation.  This  is  one,  among  many  ru' 
Plances.  where  wicked  and  unprindiiUd 
men  will  endeavour  Jo  make  reliKion  th? 


K    D   i>3.j 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


•231 


22  And  the  multitude  rose  up  to- 
gether against  them :  and  the  ma- 
^ristrates  rent  otf  their  clothes,  and 
commanded  to  beat  them. 

23  And  when  they  had  laid  many 
»  stripes  upon  them,  they  cast  them 

o2Cor.6.5;  11.23,25.  lThe8S.2.22. 

means  of  promoting  their  own  interest. 
It  they  can  make  money  by  it,  they  vvill 
become  its  professed  friends;  or  if  they 
can  annoy  Christians,  they  will  at  once 
have  remarkable  zeal  for  the  laws  and 
for  the  puriiy  of  religion.  Many  a  man 
opposes  revivals  of  religion  and  the  real 
progress  of  evangelical  piety,  from  pro- 
fessed zeal  for  truth  and  order.  IT  Which 
are  iiot  lawful  for  ns  to  receive.  There 
were  lawx  of  the  Roman  empire  under 
which  they  might  shield  themselves  in 
this  charge,  though  it  is  evident  that  their 
zeal  was,  not  because  they  loved  the  laws 
ninre^  but  because  they  loved  Christianity 
leas.  Thus  Servius  on  Virgil,  ^Enead, 
viii.  187,  says,  "Care  was  taken  among 
the  Athenians  and  the  Romans,  that  no 
one  should  introduce  new  religions.  It 
was  on  this  account  that  Socrates  was 
condemned,  and  the  Chaldeans  or  Jews 
were  banished  from  the  city."  Cicero 
,de  Legibus  ii.  8)  says,  "No  person  shall 
have  any  separate  gods,  or  new  ones  ; 
nor  shall  he  privately  worship  any  strange 
jods,  unless  they  be  publicly  allowed." 
VVetstein  (in  loco)  says,  "  The  Romans 
would  indeed  allow  foreigners  to  worship 
their  own  gods,  but  not  unless  it  were 
dune  secretly,  so  that  the  w'orship  of  fo- 
reign gods  would  not  interfere  with  the 
allowed  worship  of  the  Romans,  and  so 
that  occasion  for  dissension  and  contro- 
vecsy  might  be  avoided.  Neither  was  it 
lawful  among  the  Romans  to  recommend 
a  new  religion  to  the  citizens,  contrary  to 
that  which  was  confirmed  and  established 
by  the  public  autliority,  and  to  call  off  the 
people  I'rom  that.  It  was  on  this  account 
that  there  was  such  a  hatred  of  the.  Ro- 
mans against  the  Jevi's."  {Kuinoel.)  Ter- 
tullian  says,  that  "there  was  a  decree 
that  no  god  should  be  consecrated,  unless 
approved  by  the  senate."  (Grofins.)  See 
many  other  authorities  quoted  in  bishop 
W^atson's  "  Apology  for  Christianity." 
V  To  observe.  To  do.  IT  Being  Romans. 
Having  the  privileges  of  Roman  citizens. 
Note,  \er.  12. 

22.  And  tke  rmdlilude,  &;c.  It  is  evi- 
dent th^it  t'.iis  was  done  in  a  popular  tu- 
rt?a)r.  and  vithnut  oven  the  lorm  of  law. 
')f  this,  Paul  afierwarJa  justly  coraolain- 


into  prison,  cnarging  the  jailer  to 
keep  them  safely : 

24  Who  having-  received  such  a 
charge,  thrust  them  into  the  innei 
prison,  and  m'ade  their  feet  fast  in 
the  stocks. 


ed,  as  it  was  a  violation  of  the  privilege* 
of  a  Roman  citizen,  and  contrary  to  the 
laws.  See  Note,  ver.  37.  It  was  one  in- 
stance in  which  men  affect  great  zeal  for 
the  honour  of  the  law,  and  yet  are  among 
the  first  to  disregard  it.  i.  And  the  ma- 
gistrates, ver.  20.  They  who  should  have 
been  their  protectors  until  they  had  had  a 
fair  trial  according  to  law.  IT  Rent  off 
their  clothes.  This  was  always  done 
when  one  was  to  be  scourged  or  whip- 
ped. The  criminal  was  usually  stripped 
entirely  naked.  Livy  saj-s  (ii.  5),  "  The 
lictors,  being  sent  to  inflict  punishment, 
beat  them  with  rods,  being  naked."  Ci- 
cero against  Verressays, "  He  commanded 
the  man  to  be  seized,  and  to  be  stripped 
naked  in  the  midst  of  the  forum,  and  to 
be  bound,  and  rods  to  be  brought."  ^Aiid 
commanded  to  beat  them.  'VxoSiCav.  To 
beat  them  with  rods.  This  was  done  by 
lictors,  whose  office  it  was,  and  was  "a 
common  mode  of  punishment  among  the 
Romans.  Probably  Paul  alludes  to  thih 
when  he  says  (2  Cor.  xi.  25),  "Thrice  was 
I  beaten  with  rods." 

23.  And  when  they  had  laid  many  stripes 
on  them.  The  Jews  were  by  law  prohi 
bited  from  inflicting  more  than  forty 
stripes,  and  usually  inflicted  but  thirty- 
nine.  2  Cor.  xi.  24.  But  there  was  no 
such  law  among  the  Romans.  They 
were  unrestricted  in  regard  to  the  number 
of  lashes  ;  and  probably  inflicted  many 
more.  Perhaps  Paul  refers  to  this  when 
he  says  02  Cor.  xi.  23),  "  In  stripes  above 
measure,"  i.  e.  beyond  the  usual  measure 
among  the  Jews,  or  bej^ond  moderation. 
IT  They  cast  them  into  prison.  The  ma- 
gistrates (ver.  36,  37),  as  a  punishment, 
and  probably  with  a  view  hereafter  of 
taking  vengeance  on  them,  more  accord 
ing  to  the  forms  of  law. 

24.  Thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison. 
Into  the  most  retired  and  secure  part  oi 
the  prison.  The  cells  in  the  interior  ot 
the  prison  would  be  regarded  as  more 
safe,  being  doubtless  more  protected,  and 
the  difficulty  of  escape  would  be  greater 
IT  And  made  their  feet  fast  in  the  stocks 
Greek,  And  made  their  leet  secure  t«f' 
wood.  The  word  stocks,  with  us,  denotes 
a  machine  made  of  two  piece*  of  tiraijer 


'23ti 


I'HE  A(J'r«. 


[A.  D   53 


'25  And  at  midnight  Paul  and 
bilas  prayed"  and  sang^  praises 
anto  God :  and  the  prisoners  heard 
them 

21)  And   suddenly  there  was    a 


belsveen  which  the  feet  of  the  criminals 
are  placed,  and  in  which  they  are  thus 
made  secure.  The  account  here  does  not 
imply  necessarily  that  they  were  secured 
precisely  in  this  way,  but  that  they  were 
fastened  or  secured  by  the  feet,  probably 
by  cords,  to  a  piece  or  beam  of  wood,  so 
that  they  could  not  escape.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  the  legs  of  the  prisoners  were 
bound  to  large  pieces  of  wood,  which  not 
only  encumbered  them,  but  which  often 
were  so  placed  as  to  extend  their  feet  to 
a  considerable  distance.  In  this  condition 
it  might  be  necessary  for  them  to  lie  on 
their  backs;  and  if  this,  as  is  probable, 
was  on  the  cold  ground,  after  their  severe 
scourging,  their  sufferings  must  have  been 
very  great.  Yet  in  the  midst  of  this  they 
eang  praises  to  God. 

25.  A7id  at  midnight.  Probably  their 
painful  posture,  the  sufferings  of  their  re- 
cent scourging,  prevented  their  sleeping. 
Vet  though  they  had  no  repose,  they  had 
a  quiet  conscience,  and  the  supports  of 
religion.  H  Prayed.  Though  they  had 
suffered  much,  yet  they  had  reason  to  ap- 
prehend more.  They  sought,  therefore, 
the  sustaining  grace  of  God.  H  And  .sang 
praiaes.  Nothing  but  religion  would  have 
enabled  them  to  do  this.  They  had  en- 
dured much,  but  they  had  cause  still  for 
gratitude.  A  Christian  may  find  more 
true  joy  in  a  prison,  than  the  monarch  on 
his  throne.  IF  And  the  prisoners  heard 
them.  And  doubtless  with  astonishment. 
Prayer  and  praise  were  not  common  in  a 
priison.  The  song  of  rejoicing  and  the 
language  of  praise  is  not  usual  among 
men  lying  bound  in  a  dungeon.  From 
this  narrative  we  may  learn,  (1.)  That  the 
Christian  has  the  sources  of  his  happiness 
within  him.  External  circumstances  can- 
not destroy  his  peace  and  joy.  In  a  dun- 
geon he  may  find  as  real  happiness  as 
on  a  throne.  On  the  cold  earth,  beaten 
and  bruised,  he  may  be  as  truly  happy  as 
on  a  bed  of  down.  (2.)  The  enemies  of 
Christians  cannot  destroy  their  j)eace. 
They  may  incarcerate  the  body,  but  they 
cannot  iond  the  spirit.  They  may  ex- 
clude from  cfirlliiv  c((mf()rTs,  but  they 
cannot  shut  them  out  from  the  presence 
and  sustainuig  gr.ice  of  God.  (3.)  We 
see  the  value  of  a  good  conecience.  No- 
thing else   can  give  peace  •  and  amidst 


great  earthquake,  sn"^  that  the  foun 
dations  of  the  prison  vere  shaken 
and    immediately  ^   all   the    dooia 
were  opened,  and  every  one's  band? 
w'ere  loosed. 


tllsa.42.'i    c.5.19: 12.7,10. 


the  wakeful  hours  of  the  night,  whelhei 
in  a  dungeon  or  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  it  ia 
of  more  value  than  all  the  wealth  of  the 
world.  (4.)  We  see  the  inestimable 
worth  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  It  fits 
for  all  scenes  ;  supports  in  all  trials  ;  up- 
holds by  day  or  by  night;  inspires  the 
soul  with  confidence  in  God  ;  and  puts 
into  the  lips  the  songs  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving.  (5.)  We  have  here  a  sub- 
lime and  holy  scene,  which  sin  and  infi- 
delity could  never  furnish.  What  more 
sublime  spectacle  has  the  earth  witnessed 
than  that  of  scourged  and  incarcerated 
men,  suffering  from  unjust  and  cruel  in- 
flictions, and  anticipating  still  greater 
sorrows;  yet,  with  a  calm  mind,  a  pure 
conscience,  a  holy  joy,  pouring  forth  their 
desires  and  praises  at  midniglit,  into  the 
ear  of  the  God  who  always  hears  prayer  I 
The  darkness,  the  stillness,  the  loneliness, 
all  give  sublimity  to  the  scene,  and  teach 
us  how  invaluable  is  the  privilege  of  ac- 
cess to  the  throne  of  mercy  in  this  suffer- 
ing world. 

26.  And  sudde7ily.  While  they  were 
praying  and  singing.  IF  A  great  earth 
quake.  Matt,  xxviii.  2.  An  earthquake, 
m  such  circumstances,  was  regarded  as  a 
symbol  of  the  jjrcsence  of  God,  and  as  an 
answer  to  prayer.  See  Note,  ch.  iv.  31. 
The  design  of  this  was,  doubtless,  to  fur- 
nish them  proof  of  the  presence  and  pro- 
tection of  God,  and  to  provide  a  way  for 
them  to  escape.  It  was  one  among  the 
series  of  wonders  by  which  the  gospel 
was  established,  and  the  early  Christiana 
protected  amidst  their  dangers.  IT  And 
immediatelij  all  the  doors  were  ojiened.  An 
effect  that  would  naturally  follow  from 
the  violent  concussion  of  the  earthquake. 
(Jomp.  ch.  V.  19.  IT  Every  one's  bandk 
were  loosed.  This  was  evidently  a  mi- 
racle. Some  have  supposed  that  their 
chains  were  di.-solved  by  electric  fluids 
but  the  narrative  gives  no  account  of  any 
such  fluid,  even  supposing  such  ar.  effect 
to  be  possible.  It  was  evidently  a  direct 
inferpo'iition  of  divine  power.  But  fJ)r 
what  purpose  it  was  done  ia  not  recorder!. 
Grotius  sujiposcs  that  it  was  tliat  they 
might  know  that  t'-e  njiostics  might  ne 
useful  to  them  and  to  others,  anti  that  by 
thom  their  sjiiritual  bonds  might  be  loosed 
Probably  the  desian  was  to  impress  all  thi 


\  D    5.1.  J 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


233 


27  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison 
awaking  out  of  his  sleep,  and  see- 
ing the  prison  doors  open,  he  drew 
out  his  sword,  and  would  have  kill- 
ed himself,  supposing  that  the  pri- 
soners had  been  fled. 

28  But "  Paul  cried  with  a  loud 

a  PrjT.24.11,12.  ITheas.S.lo. 


■^iiiionsts  vAth  the  conviction  of  the  pre- 
sence and  power  of  God,  and  thus  to  pre- 
pare them  to  receive  the  message  of  hfe 
from  the  lips  of  his  servants  Paul  and  Si- 
as.  They  had  just  before  heard  them 
singing  and  praying;  they  were  aware, 
doubtless,  of  the  cause  for  which  they 
were  imprisoned ;  they  saw  evident  to- 
kens that  they  were  the  servants  of  the 
Most  High,  and  under  his  protection  ;  and 
their  own  minds  were  impressed  and 
awed  by  the  terrors  of  the  earthquake, 
and  by  the  fact  of  tneir  own  liberation. 


voice,  saying.  Do  th  yse  If  *  no  harm ', 
for  we  are  all  here. 

29  Then  he  called  for  a  light, 
and  sprang  in,  and  came  trem- 
bling, "  and  fell  down  before  Paul 
and  Silas  • 

30  And   brought  them  out,  and 

b  ZccLSAI.  cJer.5.22. 


themselves  no  harm.  They  would  pr> 
mote  their  own  best  interests  here,  and 
their  eternal  welfare  hereafter. 

29.  Then  he  called  for  a  light.  Greek, 
Lights,  in  the  plural.  Probably  severa] 
torches  were  brought  by  his  attendants. 
IT  Aiid  came  tremhling.  Alarmed  at  the 
earthquake,  and  amazed  that  the  prison- 
ers were  still  there,  and  probably  not  a 
little  confounded  at  the  calmness  of  Paul 
and  Silas,  and  overwhelmed  at  the  proof 
of  the  presence  of  God.  Comp.  Jer.  v.  22, 
■'  Fear  ye  not  me,  saith  the  Lord  I  wdl  ye 


[t  renders  this  scene  the  more  remarkable,  j  not  tremble  at  my  presence  ?"  &c.   IT  And 
that  chough  the  doors  were  opened,  and  \fell  down,  &c.     This  was  an  act  of  pro- 


the  prisoners  loosed,  yet  no  one  made  any 
attempt  to  escape. 

27.  Would  have  killed  himself.  This 
was  .ill  done  in  the  midst  of  agitation  and 
alarm.  He  supposed  that  the  prisoners 
had  fled.  He  pVesumed  that  their  escape 
would  be  charged  on  him.  It  was  cus- 
tomary to  hold  a  jailer  responsible  for  the 
safe  keeping  of  prisoners,  and  to  subject 
him  to  the  punishment  due  them,  if  he 
suffered  them  to  escape.  See  ch.  xii.  19. 
It  should  be  added,  that  it  was  common 
and  approved  am.ong  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans for  a  man  to  commit  suicide  when 
he  was  encompassed  with  dangers  from 
which  he  could  not  escape.  Thus  Cato 
was  guilty  of  self-murder  in  Utica ;  and 
thus,  at  this  very  place — at  Philippi — Bru- 
tus and  Cassius,  and  many  of  their  friends, 
fell  on  their  own  swords,  and  ended  their 
lives  by  suicide.  The  custom  was  thus 
sanctioned  by  the  authority  and  example 
of  the  great;  and  we  are  not  to  wonder 
that  the  jailer,  in  a  moment  of  alarm, 
should  also  attempt  to  destroy  his  own 
Ufe.  It  is  not  one  of  the  least  benefits  of 
Christianity,  that  it  has  proclaimed  the 
e  -il  of  self-murder,  and  that  it  has 
so  much  to  drive  it  from  the  world. 

"38.  Do  thyself  no  harm.  This  is  the 
isrAeian  command  of  religion  yu  his  case, 
and  in  all  others.  It  enjoins  on  men  to 
do  themselves  no  harm — by  self-murder, 
whether  by  the  sword,  the  pistol,  the  hal- 
ter or  by  intemperance,  and  lust,  and 
dissipadon.  In  all  cases,  Chnslianitv 
ieeks  the  true  welfare  of  man.  In  all 
naseg,  h"  it  were  obeyed,  men  would  do 
u2 


m 


found  reverence.  See  Note,  Matt.  ii.  11 
It  is  evident  that  he  regarded  them  as  the 
favourites  of  God,  and  was  constrained  to 
recognise  them  in  their  character  as  reli- 
gious teachers. 

30.  And  brought  them  out.  From  the 
prison.  IT  Sirs.  Greek,  xuj.oi,  lords — an 
address  of  respect ;  a  title  usually  given  to 
masters,  or  owners  of  slaves.  IT  What 
must  I  do  to  he  saved  ?  Never  was  a  more 
important  question  asked  than  this.  It  is 
evident  that  by  this  question  he  did  not 
refer  to  any  danger  to  which  he  might  be 
exposed  from  what  had  happened.  For 
(1.)  The  apostles  evidenUy  understood 
him  as  referring  to  his  eternal  salvation, 
as  is  manifest  from  their  answer  ;  since  to 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  would  have  no 
effect  in  saving  him  from  any  danger  of 
punishment  to  which  he  might  be  expos- 
ed from  what  had  occurred.  (2.)  He  could 
scarcely  consider  himself  as  exposed  to 
punishm.ent  by  the  Romans.  The  prison 
ers  were  all  safe  ;  none  had  escaped,  oi 
showed  any  disposition  to  escape  :  and  be- 
sides, for  the  earthquake  and  its  effects  he 
could  not  be  held  responsible.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  there  was  much  confu- 
sion in  his  mind.  There  would  be  a  rush 
of  many  thoughts ;  a  state  of  agitation 
and  alarm,  and  fear ;  and  in  view  of  all 
he  would  na'.u  rally  ask  those  whom  h« 
now  saw  to  be  men  sent  by  God,  and  un 
der  his  protection,  what  he  should  do  tr 
obtain  the  favour  of  that  great  Being  undei 
whose  protection  he  saw  mat  they  mani 
festly  were  Perhaps  the  following 
thoughts  might  have  go:)'?  to  j^rt^'ui-e  this 


S34 

said.  Sirs,  what 
saved  1 


THE  ACTS 


LA.  D.  53 


must  I  do  to  be 


state  ot  agitation  and  alarm.  (\.)  They 
had  been  designated  by  the  Pythoness 
(ver.  17)  as  religious  teachers  sent  from 
God,  and  appointed  to  "show  the  loay  of 
salvfitioti,"  and  in  her  testimony  he  m'ight 
have  been  disposed  to  put  confidence,  or 
it  might  now  be  brought  fresh  to  his  re- 
collection. {2.)  lie  manifestly  saw  that  they 
were  under  the  protection  of  God.  A  re- 
markable interposition— an  earthquake — 
an  event  which  all  the  heathen  regarded 
as  ominous  of  the  presence  of  the  divinity 
—had  showed  this.  (3.)  The  guilt  of  their 
imprisonment  might  rush  upon  his  mind  ; 
and  he  might  suppose  that  he,  the  agent 
of  the  imprisonment  of  the  servants  of 
God,  would  be  exposed  to  his  displeasure. 
(4  )  His  own  guilt  in  attempting  his  own 
life  might  overwhelm  him  with  alarm. 
(5.)  The  whole  scene  was  fitted  to  show 
him  the  need  of  the  protection  and  friend- 
ship of  the  God  that  had  thus  interposed. 
In  this  state  of  agitation  and  alarm,  the 
apostles  directed  him  to  the  only  source 
of  peace  and  safety — the  blood  of  the 
atonement.  The  feelings  of  an  awaken- 
ed sii.ner  are  often  strikingly  similar  to 
chose  of  this  jailer.  He  is  agitated,  alarm- 
ed, and  fearful;  he  sees  that  he  is  a  sin- 
ner, and  trembles;  the  sins  of  his  life  rush 
over  his  memory,  and  fill  him  with  deep 
anxiety,  and  he  inquires  what  he  must  do 
to  be  saved.  Often  too,  as  here,  the  pro- 
vidence of  God  is  the  means  of  awaken- 
.ng  the  sinner,  and  of  leading  to  this  in- 
quiry. Some  alarming  dispensation  con- 
vinces him  that  God  is  near,  and  that  the 
soul  IS  m  danger.  The  loss  of  health,  or 
property,  or  of  a  friend,  may  thus  alarm 
the  soiil;  or  the  presence  of  the  pesti- 
lence, or  any  fearful  judgment,  may  ar- 
rest the  attention,  and  lead  to  the  inquiry, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  Reader, 
have  you  ever  made  this  inquiry?  Have 
you  ever,  like  the  heathen  jailer  at  Phi- 
lippi,  seen  yourself  to  be  a  lost  sinner,  and 
been  willing  to  ask  the  way  to  life  ? 

In  this  narrative  we  see  the  contrast 
which  exists  in  periods  of  distress  and 
alarm  between  Christians  and  sinners. 
The  puilty  jailer  was  all  agitation,  fear, 
distress,  and  terror;  the  apostles,  all  peace, 
calmness,  joy.  The  one  was  filled  with 
thjughts  of  self  murder;  the  others,  intent 
on  savinj;  life  and  doing  pwtd.  This  dif- 
ference is  1[>  be  traced  to  religion.  It  was 
i'r>nfi('ence  in  God  that  gave  f)eace  to 
Ihem  ;  it  was  the  want  of  that,  which  led 
to  agitation  and  alarm   n  him     It  is  so 


31  And  they  said,  Believo  *  od 
the  Lord  Jesus    Christ,  and   then 

b  Hab.2.4.  Jno.3.16,36;  6  47.  c.13.3?. 


Still.  In  the  trying  scenes  of  this  life,  the 
same  difference  is  still  seen.  In  bereave 
menls,  in  sickness,  in  times  of  pestilenci>, 
in  death,  it  is  still  so.  The  Christian  isi 
calm  ;  the  sinner  is  agitated  and  alarmed. 
The  Christian  can  pass  through  sucfe 
scenes  with  peace  and  joy ;  to  the  sinner, 
they  are  scenes  of  terror  and  of  dread. 
And  thus  it  will  be  beyond  the  grave.  In 
the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  the  Chria» 
tian  will  rise  with  joy  and  triumph  ;  the 
sinner,  with  fear  and  horror.  And  thus 
at  the  judgment-seat.  Calm  and  serene, 
the  samt  shall  witness  the  solemnities  ot 
that  day,  and  triumphantly  hail  the  Judge 
as  his  jriend :  fearful  and  trembling,  the 
sinner  shall  regard  these  solemnities,  and 
with  a  soul  filled  with  horror,  shall  listen 
to  the  sentence  that  consigns  him  to  eter- 
nal wo!  With  what  solicitude,  then,  should 
we  seek,  without  delay,  an  interest  in  that 
religion  which  alone  can  give  peace  to 
the  soul ! 

31.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
This  was  a  simple,  a  plain,  and  an  effec- 
tual direction.  They  did  not  direct  hira 
to  use  the  means  of  grace,  to  pray,  or  to 
continue  to  seek  for  salvation.  They  did 
not  advise  him  to  delay,  or  to  wait  for  the 
mercy  of  God.  They  told  him  to  believe 
at  once ;  to  commit  his  agitated,  and 
guilty,  and  troubled  spirit  to  the  Saviour, 
with  the  a.ssurance  that  he  should  find 
peace.  Thoy  presumed  that  he  would 
understand  what  it  was  to  believe ;  and 
they  commanded  him  to  do  the  thinp.  And 
this  was  the  unif()rm  direction  which  the 
early  preachers  gave  to  those  inquiring 
•  the  way  to  life.  See  Note,  Matt.  xvi.  IG. 
Comp.  Note,  Acts  viii.  22.  IT  And  thy 
house.  And  thy  family.  That  is,  the  same 
salvation  is  equally  adapted  to,  and  offered 
to  your  family.  It  does  not  mean  that  hia 
family  woulcl  be  saved  simply  by  his  be- 
lieving ;  but  that  the  offers  had  reference 
to  them  as  well  as  to  himself;  that  they 
might  be  saved  as  well  as  ho.  His  atten- 
tion was  thus  called  at  once,  as  every 
Bq's  should  be,  to  his  family.  He  wfia 
lindcd  that  they  i;^<'ded  salvation  ;  and 
was  presented  with  the  assurance  that 
they  miglit  unite  with  him  in  the  peace 
aiul  jov  o^  redooniing  mercy.  Comp. 
Note,  ch.  ii.  39.  It  mni/  he  im|)lied  here 
that  the  faith  of  a  father  may  je  ex 
poctcd  to  hi'  the  moans  of  the  salvation 
of  his  fiuiily  It  often  is  so  in  fart  :  but 
the  direct  meaning  of  this  is,  ihnt  salva 
tion  was  ofli-red  to  his  family  as  well  os 


A.  D    5'i.\ 


(JHAFTKK  XVI. 


235 


bhalt  be  saved,  and  ihj  *  house. 

32  And  they  spake  unto  him  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and ''  to  all  that 
were  in  his  house. 

33  And  he  took  them  the  same 
aour  of  the  night,  and  washed  their 
stripes  ;  and  was  baptized,  he,  and 
all  his,  straightway. 

34  And  when  he  had  brought 
them  into  his  house,  he  set  meat " 

ac.2.39.  iRom.l. 14,16.  Luke  5.29. 


himself;  implying  that  if  they  beUeved, 
they  should  also  be  saved. 

32.  To  all  thai  were  m  his  house.  Old 
and  young.  They  instructed  them  in  the 
doctrines  of  religion,  and  doubtless  in  the 
nature  of  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and 
then  baptized  the  entire  family. 

•33.  And  he  took  tliem.  To  a  convenient 
place  for  washing.  It  is  evident  from 
this,  that  though  the  aposdes  had  the  gift 
of  miracles,  that  they  did  not  exercise  it 
in  regard  to  their  own  sufferings,  or  to 
heal  their  own  wounds.  They  restored 
others  to  health  ;  not  themselves.  11  And 
washed  their  stripes.  The  wounds  which 
had  been  inflicted  by  the  severe  scourg- 
ing which  they  had  received  the  night 
before.  We  have  here  a  remarkable  in- 
stance of  the  effect  of  religion  in  produc- 
ing humanity  and  tenderness.  This  same 
man,  a  few  hours  before,  had  thrust  them 
into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  them  fast 
in  the  stocks.  He  evidently  had  then 
^^no  concern  about  their  stripes  or  their 
^ijfcvvounds.  But  no  sooner  was  he  convert- 
->•  ad.and  his  heart  changed,  than  one  of  his 
first  acts  was  an  act  of  humanity.  He 
saw  them  suffering;  he  pitied  the'm,  and 
hastened  to  minister  to  them  and  to  heal 
their  wounds.  Till  the  time  of  Christian- 
icy,  there  never  had  been  a  hospital  or  an 
almshouse.  Nearly  all  the  hospitals  for 
the  sick  since,  have  been  reared  by  Chris- 
tians. They  who  are  most  ready  to  mi- 
nister to  the  sick  and  dying  are  Chris- 
tians. They  who  are  willing  to  encoun- 
ter the  pestilential  damps  of  dungeons  to 
aid  the  prisoner,  are,  like  Kov.-ard,  Chris- 
tians. Who  ever  saw  an  infidel  attending 
a  dying  bed,  if  he  could  help  it?  and 
where  has  infidelity  ever  reared  a  hospi- 
tal or  an  almshouse,  or  made  provision 
for  the  widow  and  the  fatherless  ?  Often 
one  of  the  most  striking  changes  that  oc- 
curs in  conversion  is  seen  in  the  disposi- 
tion to  be  kind  and  humane  to  the  suffer- 
ing. Comp.  James  ..  27.  IT  And  was  bap- 
tized. This  was  done  straightway ;  that 
us   immediately.     As  ' .  is  altogether  im 


before  them,  and  rejoiced,''  believ- 
ing in  God  with  all  his  house. 

35  And  when  it  was  day,  the 
magistrates  sent  the  Serjeants,  say- 
ing, Let  those  men  go. 

36  And  the  keeper  of  the  prisoL 
told  this  saying  to  Paul,  The  ma^ 
gistrates  have  sent  to  let  you  go : 
now  therefore  depart,  and  go  in 
peace. 

d  Rom. 5. 11. 

probable  that  either  in  his  house  or  in  the 
prison  there  would  be  water  sufficient  for 
immersing  them,  there  is  every  reason  to 
suppose  that  this  was  performed  in  some 
other  mode.  All  the  circumstances  lead 
us  to  suppose  that  it  was  not  by  immer- 
sion. It  was  at  the  dead  of  night;  in  a 
prison;  amidst  much  agitation;  and  evi- 
dently performed  in  haste. 

34.  He  set  meat  before  them.  Food.  Gr. 
He  placed  a  table.  The  word  7neat  for- 
merly meant  food  of  all  kinds.  IT  And 
rejoiced.  This  was  the  effect  of  believ- 
ing. Religion  produces  joy.  See  Note, 
ch.  viii.  8.  He  was  free  from  danger  and 
alarm  ;  he  had  evidence  that  his  sins  were 
forgiven,  and  that  he  was  the  friend  of 
God.  The  agitating  and  alarming  scenes 
of  the  night  had  passed  away ;  the  pri- 
soners were  safe ;  and  religion,  with  its 
peace,  and  pardon,  and  rejoicings,  had 
visited  his  family.  What  a  change  to  be 
produced  in  one  night !  What  a  difference 
between  the  family,  when  Paul  was  thrust 
into  prison,  and  when  he  was  brought  out 
and  received  as  an  honoured  guest- at  the 
very  table  of  the  renovated  jailer  I  Such 
a  change  would  Christianity  produce  in 
every  family,  and  such  joy  would  it  dif- 
fuse through  every  household.  II  With 
all  his  house.  With  all  his  family.  Whe- 
ther they  believed  before  they  were  bap- 
tized, or  after,  is  not  de<!lared.  But  the 
whole  narrative  would  lead  us  to  suj> 
pose,  that  as  soon  as  the  jailer  believed, 
he  and  all  his  family  were  baptized.  It 
is  subsequently  added  that  they  believed 
also.  The  joy  arose  from  the  fact,  that 
they  all  believed  the  gospel ;  Ihe  baptism 
appears  to  have  been  performed  on  ac- 
count of  the  faith  of  the  head  of  the  fa 
mily 

35.  And  when  it  was  dai ,  &c.  It  is  evi 
dent  from  the  narrative  that  it  was  not 
contemplated  at  first  to  release  them  so 
soon.  ver.  22 — 24.  But  it  is  not  know* 
what  produced  this  change  of  purpose  in 
the  magistrates.  It  is  probable,  however 
that  they  had  been  brought  to  reflection 


236 


37  But  Paul  said  unto  them, 
They  have  beaten  us  openly  un- 
f^ondemned,  *  being   Romans,  and 


THE  ACTS.  |A.  D.     ^ 

have  cast  us  into  piison;  and  i  JW 
do  they  thrust  us  out  privily  1  Nay, 
verily  ;    but  let  them  co.xie  them, 


somewhat  as  the  jailer  had,  by  the  earth- 
quake; and  that  their  consciences  had 
been  troubled  by  the  fact  that  in  order 
to  please  the  multitude,  they  had  caused 
strangers  to  be  beaten  and  imprisoned 
without  trial,  and  contrary  to  the  Roman 
laws.  An  earthquake  is  always  fitted  to 
alarm  the  guilty  ;  and  among  the  Romans 
it  was  regarded  as  an  omen  of  the  anger 
of  the  gods,  and  was  therefore  fitted  to  pro- 
duce agitation  and  remorse.  Their  agi- 
tation and  alarm  were  shown  by  the  fact 
that  they  sent  the  officers  as  soon  as  it  was 
day.  The  judgments  of  God  are  eminent- 
ly adapted  to  alarm  sinners.  Two  an- 
cient RISS.  read  this,  "  The  magistrates, 
U>ho  were  alarmed  by  the  earthquake,  sent," 
&c.  (JJuddridge.)  Whether  this  reading 
be  genuine  or  not,  it  doubtless  expresses 
the  true  cause  of  their  sending  to  release 
the>  apostles.  ^\  The  sergeants.  g^iScvx^^;- 
Literally,  those  having  rods ;  the  lictors. 
These  were  public  officers,  who  went  be- 
fore magistrates  with  the  emblems  of  au- 
thority. In  Rome,  they  bore  before  the 
senators  the  fasces  ;  that  is,  a  bundle  of 
rods  with  an  axe  in  its  centre,  as  a  sym- 
bol of  office.  They  performed  somewhat 
the  same  office  as  a  beadle  in  England, 
or  as  a  constable  in  our  courts. 

37.  They  have  beaten  us  openly  uncon- 
dermied.  There  are  three  aggravating 
circumstances  mentioned,  of  wliich  Paul 
complains.  (1.)  That  they  had  been 
beaten,  contrary  to  the  Roman  laws.  (2.1 
That  it  had  been  public;  the  disgrace  had 
been  in  the  presence  of  the  people,  and 
the  reparation  ought  to  be  as  public  ;  and, 
•3.)  That  it  had  been  done  without  a  trial, 
and  while  they  were  uncondemned  ;  and 
therefore  the  magistrates  ought  them- 
selves to  come  and  release  them,  and  :hus 
publicly  acknowledge  their  error.  Paul 
knew  the  privileges  of  a  Roman  citizen  ; 
and  at  proper  times,  when  the  interests 
of  justice  and  religion  required  it,  he  did 
not  hesitate  to  assert  them.  In  all  this, 
he  understood  and  accorded  with  the 
Roman  laws.  The  Valerian  law  declared, 
that  if  a  citizen  appealed  from  the  magis- 
trate to  the  ppojile,  it  should  not  be  lawful 
fiir  the  magistnile  to  beat  him  with  rods, 
or  lo  belicad  him.  Plutarch,  Life  of  P. 
ValoriuK  Publicola.  Livy,  ii.  8.  By  the 
Porcian  law,  it  was  expressly  forbidden 
tlia*.  a  citizen  should  bo  beaten.  Livy,  iv. 
9     Cicero  (Pro.  Rabir    ch.  4)   says,  that 


the  body  of  every  Roman  citizen  was  in^ 
violable.  "The  Porcian  law,"  he  adds, 
"  has  removed  the  rod  from  the  body  of 
every  Roman  citizen."  And  in  his  cele 
brated  oration  against  Verres,  he  eays, 
"  A  Roman  citizen  was  beaten  with  rodi 
in  the  forum,  O  judges;  where,  in  the 
mean  time,  no  groan,  no  other  voice  of 
this  unhappy  man  was  heard,  except  the 
cry, '  I  am  a  Roman  citizen  !'  Take  away 
this  hope,"  he  says,  "  take  aw  ay  this  de 
fence  from  the  Roman  citizens,  let  there 
be  no  protection  in  the  cry  /  am  a  Roman 
citizen,  and  the  pra?tor  can  with  impunity 
inflict  any  punishment  on  him  who  de 
Clares  himself  a  citizen  of  Rome,"  &c. 
IT  Being  Romans.  Being  Romans,  or  hav- 
ing the  privilege  of  Roman  citizens.  They 
were  born  Jews,  but  they  claimed  thai 
they  were  Roman  citizens,  and  had  a 
right  to  the  privileges  of  citizenship.  On 
the  ground  of  this  claim,  and  the  reason 
why  Paul  claimed  to*  be  a  Roman  citizen, 
see  Notes,  ch.  xxii.  28.  II  Privily.  Pri- 
vately. The  release  should  be  as  public 
as  the  unjust  act  of  imprisonment.  As 
they  have  publicly  attempted  to  disgrace 
us,  so  they  should  as  publicly  acquit  us. 
This  was  a  matter  of  mere  justice  ;  and  as 
it  was  of  great  iniportance  to  their  charac- 
ter and  success,  they  insisted  on  it.  H  Aay, 
verily  ;  but  let  them  c(me,  &c.  It  was  pro- 
per  that  they  should  be  required  to  do£L 
this,  (1.)  Because  they  had  been  illegally 
imprisoned,  and  the  injustice  of  the  ma- 
gistrates should  be  acknowledged.  (2.) 
Because  the  Roman  laws  had  been  vio- 
lated, and  the  majesty  of  the  Roman  peo- 
ple thus  insulted,  and  honour  should  be 
done  to  the  laws.  (3.)  Injusiic^iad  been 
done  to  Paul  and  Silas,  and  they  had  a 
right  to  demand  just  treatment  and  protec- 
tion. (4.)  Such  a  public  act  on  the  part 
of  the  magistrates  would  sirenpihen  the 
young  converts,  and  show  them  that  the 
apostles  were  not  guilty  of  a  violation  of 
the  'aws.  (5.)  It  would  tend  to  the  honoui 
anu  to  the  furtherance  of  religion.  It  would 
be  a  public  acknow  Irdgnient  of  their  \r  no 
cence ;  and  would  go  far  towards  Irfid 
ing  to  ihcm  the  sanction  oi  tlie  laws  as  reli 
gious  teiichers.  We  may  loam  from  ihit 
a  so,  (1.)  That  though  Christiaritv  requires 
meekr.oss  in  the  reception  of  irijurips,  yet 
that  there  are  occasions  where"  ChriKtiBM 
may  insist  on  their  rights  acconling  to  tho 
laws.     Comp.  John  xviii.  23.     (2.)  That 


\.  1)    bS 


(mAPTER  XVI. 


231 


selves, "  and  fetch  us  out. 

.38  And  the  snrjeants  told  these 
words  unto  the  magistrates ;  and 
ihey  feared,  when  they  heard  that 
they  were  Romans. 

39  And  they  came  and  besought* 
thern,  and   brought  the?7i  out,  and 


«  DaD.6,18,19.  Matt.19.16. 


6Sx.ll.9.Rev.3.9. 


this  is  to  be  done,  particularly  where  the 
honour  of  rehgion  is  concerned,  and 
where  by  it  the  gospel  will  be  promoted. 
A  Christian  may  bear  much  as  a  man  in 
a  private  capacity,  and  may  submit,  with- 
out any  effort  to  seek  reparation ;  but 
where  the  honour  of  the  gospel  is  con- 
cerned ;  where  submission,  wuhout  any 
effort  to  obtain  justice,  might  be  followed 
by  disgrace  to  the  caase  of  religion,  a 
higher  obligation  may  require  him  to  seek 
a  vindication  of  his  character,  and  to  claim 
the  protection  of  the  laws.  His  name,  and 
character,  and  influence  belong  to  the 
church.  The  laws  are  designed  as  a  pro- 
tection to  an  injured  name,  or  of  violated 
property  and  rights,  and  of  an  endangered 
life.  And  when  that  protection  can  be 
had  only  by  an  appeal  to  the  laws,  such 
an  appeal,  as  m  the  case  of  Paul  and  Silas, 
is  neither  vindictive  nor  improper.  My 
private  interests  I  may  sacrifice,  if  I 
choose  ,•  my  public  name,  and  character, 
and  principles  belong  to  the  church  and 
the  world ;  and  the  laws,  if  necessary, 
may  be  called  in  for  their  protection. 

38.  They  feared  token  they  heard,  &c. 
They  were  apprehensive  of  punishment 
for  having  imprisoned  them  in  violation 
of  the  lawfj  of  the  empire.  To  punish 
unjustly  a  Roman  citizen  was  deemed  an 
jff'ence  to  the  majesty  of  the  Roman  peo- 
ple, and  was  severely  punished  by  the 
laws.  Dionysius  Hali.  (Ant.  Rom.ii.)  says, 
that  "  The  punishment  appointed  for  those 
who  abrogated  or  transgressed  the  Vale- 
rian law  was  death,  and  the  confiscation 
of  his  property."  The  emperor  Claudius 
deprived  the  inhabitants  of  Rhodes  of 
freedom  for  having  crucified  some  Roman 
citizens.  Dio.  Cass.  lib.  60.  (See  Kuvidcl 
and  Grotius.) 

39.  And  Ihey  came  and  besought  them. 
A  most  humiliating  act  for  Roman  magis- 
trates, but  in  thi3  case  it  was  unavoidable. 
The  apostles  had  them  completely  in  their 
power,  and  could  easily  effect  their  dis- 
grace and  ruin.     Protkably  they  besougld 


desired"  them  to  depart  out  of  the 
city. 

40  And  they  went  out  of  the 
prison,  and  entered  into  the  house 
of  Lydia  :  ^  and  when  they  had  seen 
the  brethren,  they  comforted  them 
and  departed. 

c  Mitt.8.54.  d  Ter.i4. 


them  by  declaring  them  innocent;  by  af- 
firming that  they  were  ignorant  that  they 
were  Roman  citizens,  &c.  IT  Ajid  desired 
them  to  depart,  &c.  Probably,  (1.)  To  save 
their  own  character,  and  be  secure  from 
their  taking  any  further  steps  to  convict 
the  magistrates  of  violating  the  lafts;  and, 
(2.)  To  evade  any  further  popular  tumult 
on  their  account.  This  advice  they  saw 
fit  to  comply  with,  after  they  had  seen 
and  comforted  the  brethren,  ver.  40. 
They  had  accompbshed  their  main  pur 
pose  in  going  to  Philippi ;  they  had 
preached  the  gospel ;  had  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  a  flourishing  church  (comp.  the 
Epistle  to  the  Philippians) ;  and  they  were 
now  prepared  to  prosecute  the  purpose 
of  their  agency  into  surrounding  regions. 
Thus,  the  opposition  of  the  people  and  the 
magistrates  at  Philippi  was  the  occasion 
of  the  founding  of  the  church  there  ;  and 
thus  their  unkind  and  inhospitable  re- 
quest that  they  should  leave  them,  was 
the  means  of  the  extension  of  the  gospel 
into  adjacent  regions. 

40.  They  comforted  thern.  They  exhort- 
ed them,  and  encouiaged  them  to  per- 
severe, notwithstanding  ihe  opposition  and 
persecution  which  they  might  meet  with. . 
•ff  And  departed.  That  is,  Paul  and  Silas 
departed.  It  would  appear  probable  that 
Luke  and  Timothy  remained  in  Philippi, 
or,  at  least,  did  not  attend  Paul  and  Silas 
For  Luke,  who,  in  ch.  xvi.  10,  uses  the 
first  person,  and  speaks  of  himself  as  with 
Paul  and  Silas,  speaks  of  them  now  in  the 
third  person,  implying  that  he  was  not 
with  them  until  Paul  had  arrived  at 
Troas,  where  Luke  joined  him  from  Phi- 
lippi. ch.  XX.  5,  6.  In  ch.  xvii.  14,  also, 
Timothy  is  mentioned  as  being  at  Berea 
in  company  with  Silas,  from  which  it  ap- 
pears that  he  did  not  accompany  Paul 
and  Silas  to  Thessalonica.  Comp.  ch. 
xvii.  1.  4.  Paul  and  Silas,  when  they  de- 
parted trom  Philippi,  went  to  Thessalo 
nica.  ch.  xvii.  L 


Me 


THK    /VCTS. 


[A  b.  53 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

lyi  OW  when  they  had  passed 
^^  through  Amphipolis  and  Apol- 
lonia,  they  came  to  Thessalonica, 
where  was  a  synagogue  of  the 
Jews : 
2  And  Paul,  as  his  manner  was,** 

a  Luke  4.16,  c.9.20:  13.5,14. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
1.  Amphipolis.  This  was  the  capital 
of  the  eastern  province  of  Macedonia. 
it  was  originally  a  colony  of  the  Athe- 
nians; but  under  the  Romans  it  was 
made  the  capital  of  that  part  of  Mace- 
donia. *  It  was  near  to  Thrace,  and  was 
situated  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Strymon,  which  flowed  around  the 
cili/,and  thus  occasioned  its  name,  around 
the  city.  In  the  middle  ages  it  was  called 
Chrysopolis.  The  village  which  now 
stands  upon  the  site  of  the  ancient  city, 
is  called  Empoli  or  Yamboli,  a  corruption 
of  Amphipolis.  {Rob.  Cal.)  IT  And  Apol- 
Ionia.  Tliis  city  was  situated  between 
Amphipolis  and  Thessalonica,  and  was 
formerly  much  celebrated  for  its  trade. 
IT  They  came  to  Thessalonica.  This  was 
ft  seaport  of  the  second  part  of  Macedonia. 
It  is  situated  at  the  head  of  the  bay  Ther- 
niaicus.  It  was  made  the  capital  of  the 
second  division  of  Macedonia  by  yEmilius 
Paulus,  when  he  divided  the  country  into 
four  districts.  It  was  formerly  called 
Therma,  but  afterwards  received  the 
name  of  Thessalonica,  either  from  Cas- 
sander,  in  honour  of  his  wife  Thessalo- 
iiica,  the  daughter  of  Philip,  or  in  honour 
of  a  victory  which  Philip  obtained  over 
the  armies  of  Thessaly.  It  was  inhabited 
by  Greeks,  Romans,  and  Jews.  It  is  now 
called  Saloniki,  and  is  a  w  retched  place, 
though  it  has  a  population  of  near  sixty 
thousand.  In  this  place  a  church  was 
collected,  to  which  Paul  afterwards  ad- 
dressed the  two  epistles  to  the  Thessalo- 
nians.  IT  Where  was  a  synagogue.  Gr. 
Where  was  thk  synagogue  (;,  a-wxywyr,) 
of  the  Jews.  It  has  been  remarked  by 
Grotius  and  Kuinoel,  that  the  article  used 
here  is  emphatic,  and  denotes  that  there 
was  probably  no  synagogue  at  Amphipo- 
lis and  Apollonia.  "This  was  the  reason 
why  I  hey  jtassed  through  those  places 
witho'it  making  any  delay. 

2.  His  manner  v>as.  His  custom  was 
to  attend  on  the  worship  of  the  synagogue, 
and  to  preach  the  gospel  to  his  country- 
man first,  cli.  ix.  20  ;  xiii.  5.  14.  IT  Reason- 
*a  with  them.  Discoursed  to  them,  or  at- 
templed  to  prove  that  ^esuswasthe  Mes- 


ffcnt  in  unto  them,  and  three  sab 
bath-days  reasoned  with  Ihcm  ou* 
of  the  Scriptures, 

3  Opening  and  alleging,  thai 
Christ  must  *  needs  have  suffered, 
and  risen  again  from  the  dead ;  an** 
that  this  '  Jesus,  whom  I  preach 

b  Luke  24.26,.:6.  c.18.28.  Gal.9.1.  lTheM.1.5,6, 

«  or,  whotn,  said  he,  I  preach. 


siah.  The  word  used  here  (^u^jj-eto, 
means  often  no  more  tharl  to  make  a  pub- 
lic address  or  discourse.  Note,  ch.  xxiv 
25.  IT  Out  of  the  Scriptures.  By  manj 
critics  this  is  connected  with  the  follow- 
ing verse,  'Opening  and  alleging  fi-om 
the  Scriptures,  that  Christ  must  needs 
have  sutiered,'  &c.  The  sense  is  not  va^ 
ried  materially  by  the  change. 

3.  Opening.  C^ixvaiyj^v.  See  Luke 
xxiv.  82.  The  word  means,  to  explain,  oi 
to  unfold.  It  is  usually  applied  to  that 
which  is  shut,  as  to  the  eyes,  &c.  Then 
it  means  to  explain  that  which  is  con- 
cealed or  obscure.  It  means  here,  thai 
he  explained  the  Scriptures  in  their  true 
sense.  ^^  And  alleging,  nx^xzibimvoi 
Laying  down  the  proposition;  that  is, 
maintaining  that  it  must  be  so.  IT  That 
Christ  must  needs  have  suffered.  That 
there  was  a  fitness  and  necessity  in  his 
dying,  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  had  done. 
The  sense  of  this  will  be  better  seen  by 
retaining  the  word  Messiah.  '  That  there 
was  a  fitness  or  necessity  that  the  Messiah 
expected  by  the  Jews  and  predicted  in 
their  Scriptures,  should  suffer.'  Thia 
point  the  Jews  were  unwilling  to  admit; 
but  it  was  essential  to  his  argument  in 
proving  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  to 
show  that  it  was  foretold  that  he  should 
die  for  the  sins  of  men.  On  the  necessity 
of  this,  see  Note,  Luke  xxiv.  2(),  27 
^  Have  suffered.  That  he  should  die- 
11  And  that  this  Jesus.  And  that  this  Jes" 
of  Nazareth,  who  has  thus  suffered  and 
risen,  whom,  said  he,  I  preach  to  you,  j- 
the  Messiah. 

The  arguments  by  which  Paul  probabiy 
proved  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  were, 
(1.)  That  he  corresponded  with  the  prophe- 
cies respecting  him,  in  the  following  par 
ticulars.  (u)  lie  was  born  at  Bethlehem 
Micah  V.  2.  {h)  lie  was  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah.  Gen.  xlix.  ]0.  (r)  He  was  de 
scended  from  Jesse,  and  of  the  royal  line 
of  David.  Isa.  xi.  1.  10.  (rf)  lie  came  sf 
the  time  predicted.  Dan.  ix.  24 — 27.  (e 
His  appearance,  character,  work  &c.  coi 
resjKtnded  with  the  predictions.  Isa.  liii 
(2.)  His  mirnclcB  proved  I  hat  lie  was  th« 
Messiah,  for  he  pro/essea  to  be.  and  God 


\.  D.  54. 


CHAPTER  XV n. 


25t) 


unto  you,  is  Christ 

4  i^nd  some  "  of  them  believed, 
and  ''  consorted  with  Paul  and  Si- 
las ;  and  of  the  devout  Greeks  a 
great  multitude,  and  of  the  chief 
women  not  a  fev^^ 

5  But  the  Jews  which  believed  not, 
moved  with  envy,  took  unto  them 
certain  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser 

Mk  sort,  and  orathered  a  company,  and  set 
all  tlie  city  on  an  uproar,  and  assault- 
ed the  house  of  Jason,  '^  and  sought 

oc.28.24.  i2Cor.8.5.        cRoni.16.21. 


would  not  work  a  miracle  to  confirm  the 
claims  of  an  impostor.  (3.)  For  the  same 
reason,  his  resurrection  from  the  dead 
proved  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 

4.  And  consorted.  Literally,  had  their 
lot  with  Paul  and  Silas;  that  is,  they 
united  themselves  to  them,  and  became 
their  disciples.  The  word  is  commonly 
applied  to  those  who  are  partakers  of  an 
inheritance.  ^And  of  the  devout  Greeks. 
Religious  Greeks  ;  or,  of  those  who  wor- 
shipped God.  Those  are  denoted  who 
had  renounced  the  worship  of  idols,  and 
who  attended  on  the  worship  of  the  sy- 
nagogue, but  who  were  not  fully  admit- 
ted to  the  privileges  of  Jewish  proselytes. 
They  were  called,  by  the  Jevvp,  proselytes 
of  the  gate.  IT  And  of  the  chief  women. 
Note.  ch.  xiii.  50. 

5.  Moved  with  envy.  That  they  made 
so  many  converts  and  met  with  such 
success.  IT  Certain  lewd  fellows  of  the 
baser  sort.  This  is  an  unhappy  transla- 
tion. The  word  lewd  is  not  in  the  original. 
The  Greek  is,  'And  having  taken  certain 
wicked  men  of  those  who  were  about  the 
forum,'  or  market-place.  The  forum,  or 
market-place,  was  the  place  where  the 
idle  assembled,  and  where  those  were 
gathered  together  that  wished  to  be  em- 
ployed. Matt.  XX.  3.  Many  of  these  would 
be  of  abandoned  character, — the  idle,  the 
dissipated,  and  the  worthless  ,•  and,  there- 
fore, just  the  materials  for  a  mob.  It  does 
not  appear  that  they  felt  any  particular 
interest  in  the  subject;  but  they  were, 
like  other  mobs,  easily  excited,  und  urged 
n  tr  any  acts  of  violence.  The  pretence 
)n  which  the  mob  was  excited  was,  that 
they  had  every  where  produced  disturb- 
ance, and  that  they  violated  the  laws  of 
the  Roman  emperor,  ver.  6,  7.  It  may  be 
observed,  however,  that  a  mob  usually 
regards  very  little  the  cause  in  which 
thev  are  enp:aged      They  may  be  ^oused 


to  bring  them  out  to  the  people. 

6  And  when  they  found  them 
not,  they  drew  Jason  and  certain 
brethren  unto  the  rulers  of  the  city, 
crying-.  These  ''  that  have  turned 
the  world  upside  down,  are  come 
hither  also ; 

7  Whom  Jason  hath  received : 
and  these  all  do  contrary  '  to  the 
decrees  of  Cesar,  saying-  that  there 
is  another  king-,  one  Jesus. 

8  And  they  troubled-^  the  people, 


d  Luke  23.5.  c.l6.2( 
/iMatt.2.3.  Jao.11.48. 


e  Luke  23.2.  Jdo.19.1i;. 


either  for  or  against  religion,  and  become 
as  full  of  zesl  for  the  insvUed  honour  of 
religion  as  against  it.  The  profane,  the 
worthless,  and  the  abandoned  thus  often 
become  violently  enraged  for  the  honour 
of  religion,  and  full  of  indignation  ani 
tumult  against  those  who  are  accused  of 
violating  public  peace  and  order.  H  The 
house  of  Jason.  Where  Paul  and  Silas 
were.  ver.  7.  Jason  appears  to  have  been 
a  relative  of  Paul,  and  for  this  reason  it 
was  probably  that  he  lodged  with  him. 
Rom.  xvi.  21. 

6.  These  that  have  turned  the  world  up 
side  down.  That  have  excited  commo- 
tion and  disturbance  in  other  places. 
The  charge  has  been  often  brougiit 
against  the  gospel,  that  it  has  been  the 
occasion  of  confusion  and  disorder. 

7.  Wltom  Jason  hath  received.  Has  re- 
ceived into  his  house,  and  entertained 
kindly.  IT  These  all  do  contrary  to  the  de- 
crees of  Cesar.  The  charge  against  them 
was  that  of  sedition  and  rebellion  against 
the  Roman  emperor.  Grotius  on  this 
verse  remarks,  that  the  Roman  people, 
and  after  them  the  emperors,  would  not 
permit  the  name  of  king  to  be  mentioned 
in  any  of  the  vanquished  provinces,  ex- 
cept by  their  permission.  IT  Saying  that 
there  is  another  king.  This  was  probably 
a  charge  of  mere  malignity.  They  pro- 
bably understood,  that  when  the  apostles 
spoke  of  Jesus  as  a  king,  they  did  not  do 
it  as  of  a  temporal  prince.  But  it  was 
easy  to  pervert  their  words,  and  to  give 
plausibility  to  the  accusation.  The  same 
thing  had  occurred  in  regard  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  himself  Luke  xxiii.  2. 

8.  And  they  troubled  the  people.  They 
excited  the  people  to  commotion  and 
alarm.  The  rulers  feared  the  tumub 
that  was  exciteu^jand  the  people  feared 
the  Romans,  when  they  heard  the  charge 
that  there  were  rebels  ajrainst  the  go  rem 


240 


and  the  rulers  of  the  city,  when  they 
heard  these  things. 

9  And  when  tliey  had  taken  se- 
3urity  of  Jason,  and  of  the  other, 
they  let  them  go. 

10  And  the  brethren  immediately 
;ent  away  **  Paul  and  Silas  by  night 
into  Berea:    who  coming  thither^ 


TilE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  64 

went  int^^  the  synagogue  of  the 
Jews. 

1 1  These  were  more  *  noble  that 
those  in  Thessalonica,  in  that  thej 
received  the  word  with  all  readi- 
ness *=  of  mind,  and  searched  th« 
Scriptures  '^  daily,  whether  thost 
things  were  so. 

iPs.  11 9.99, 100.  c  Jam.1.21.  lPet.2.2.  cls». 

84.16.  Luke  16.29;  24.44.  Jno.5.39. 


ment  in  their  city.  It  does  not  appear 
that  there  was  a  disposition  in  the  rulers 
or  the  people  to  persecute  the  apostles; 
but  they  were  excited  and  alarmed  by 
tlie  representations  of  the  Jews,  and  by 
the  mob  that  they  had  collected. 

9.  And  when  they  had  taken  security  of 
fason.  This  is  an  expression  taken  from 
courts,  and  means  that  Jason  and  the  other 
gave  satisfaction  to  the  magistrates  for  the 
good  conduct  of  Paul  and  Silas,  or  became 
responsible  for  it.  Whether  it  was  by  de- 
positing a  sum  of  money,  and  by  thus  giv- 
ng  bail,  is  not  quite  clear.  The  sense  is, 
that  they  did  it  in  accordance  with  the 
Roman  usages,  and  gave  sufficient  secu- 
rity for  the  good  conduct  of  Paul  and  Si- 
las. Heuman  supposes  that  the  pledge 
given  was,  that  they  should  leave  the  city. 
Michaelis  thinks  that  they  gave  a  pledge 
that  they  would  no  more  harbour  them  ; 
but  that  if  they  returned  again  to  them, 
they  would  deliver  them  to  the  magis- 
trates. IT  And  of  the  other.  The  other 
Drethren  (ver.  6)  who  had  been  drawn  to 
the  rulers  of  the  city. 

10.  And  the  brethren  immediately  sent 
away  Paid  and  Silas.  Comp.  ch.  ix.  25. 
They  did  this  for  their  safety.  Yet  this 
was  not  done  until  the  gospel  had  taken 
deep  root  in  Thessalonica.  Having  preach- 
ed there,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
church ;  having  thus  accomplished  the 
purpose  for  which  they  went  there,  they 
were  prepared  to  leave  the  city.  To  the 
church  in  this  city  Paul  afterwards  ad- 
dressed two  epistles.  IT  Unto  Berea. 
This  was  a  city  of  Macedonia,  near 
Mount  Cithancs.  There  is  a  medal  of 
Berea  extant,  remarkable  for  being  in- 
scribed, "of  the  second  Macedonia." 

11.  These  were  more  noble.  Evyivia-Tt. 
««>.  This  literally  means  more  noble  by 
birth  ;  descended  from  more  illustrious 
ancestors.  But  here  the  word  is  used  to 
denote  a  quality  of  mind  and  heart;  they 
were  more  generous,  liberal,  and  noble 
m  their  feelings  ;  more  disposed  to  inquire 
candidly  into  the  truth  of  the  doctrines 
*dv»inred  i)v  Paul  and  Silas    It  is  always 


proof  of  a  noble,  liberal,  and  ingenuorj 
disposition,  to  be  willing  to  examine  into 
the  truth  of  any  doctrine  presented.  Th« 
writer  refers  here  particularly  to  the 
Jews.  IT  Li  that.  Because.  H  They  re- 
ceived the  word,  &c.  They  listened  atten- 
tively and  respectfully  to  the  gospel 
They  did  not  reject  and  spurn  it,  as  un 
worthyjof  examination.  This  is  the  first 
particular  In  which  they  were  more 
noble  than  those  in  Thessalonica.  IT  And 
searched  the  Scriptures.  That  is,  the  Old 
Testament.  Note,  John  v.  39.  The  apos 
ties  alwg,ys  affirmed  that  the  doctrines 
which  they  maintained  respecting  the 
Messiah  were  in  accordance  with  the 
Jewish  Scriptures.  The  Bereans  made 
diligent  and  earnest  inquiry  in  respect  to 
this,  and  were  willing  to  ascertain  tho 
truth.  IT  Daily.  Not  only  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  in  the  synagogue ;  but  they 
made  it  a  daily  employment.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  this,  that  they  had  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  and  this  is  one  proof  that  Jewish 
families  would,  if  possible,  obtain  the  ora- 
cles of  God.  IT  Whether  these  things  toere 
so.  Whether  the  doctrines  stated  by  Pau! 
and  Silas  were  in  accordance  with  the 
Scriptures.  The  Old  Testament  they  re- 
ceived as  the  standard  of  truth,  and  what- 
ever could  be  shown  to  be  in  accordance 
with  that  they  received.  On  this  verse 
we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  it  is  proof  of 
true  nobleness  and  liberality  of  mind  to 
be  willing  to  examine  the  proofs  of  the 
truth  of  religion.  What  the  friends  of 
Christianity  have  had  most  cause  to  la 
ment  and  regret  is,  that  so  many  are  un- 
willing to  examine  its  claims  ;  that  they 
spurn  it  as  unworthy  of  serious  thought, 
and  condemn  it  without  hearing.  (2.)  The 
Scriptures  should  be  examined  daily.  If 
we  wish  to  arrive  at  the  truth,  they  should 
be  the  olyect  of  constant  study.  That 
man  has  very  little  reason  to  expect  that 
he  will  grow  in  knowledge  and  grace 
who  does  not  peruse,  with  candour  and 
with  prayer,  a  pxirtion  of  the  Bible  every 
day.  (3.)  The  constant  searching  of  the 
Scriptures  is  the  best  way  to  keep  the 


^   J>   54. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


•241 


12  Therefore  many  of  them  be- 
lieved ;  also  of  honourable  women 
which,  were  Greeks,  and  of  men, 
not  a  few. 

13  But  when  the  Jews  of  Thes- 
salonica  had  knowledge  that  the 
word  of  God  was  preached  of  Paul 


* 


mind  from  error.  He  who  does  not  do  it 
dal.y  may  expect  to  "  be  carried  about 
vvith  every  wind  of  doctrine,"  and  to  have 
DO  settled  opinions.  (4.)  The  preaching 
of  ministers  should  be  examined  by  the 
Scriptures.  Their  doctrines  are  of  no 
value  unless  they  accord  with  the  Bible. 
Ever>'  preacher  should  expect  his  doc- 
trines to  be  examined  in  this  way,  and  to 
be  rejected  if  they  are  not  in  accordance 
with  the  word  of  God.  The  church,  in 
proportion  to  its  increase  in  purity  and 
knowledge,  will  feel  this  more  and  more  ; 
and  it  is  an  indication  of  advance  in  piety 
when  men  are  increasingly  disposed  to 
examine  every  thing  by  the  Bible.  How 
immensely  important  then  is  it,  that  the 
young  should  be  trained  up  to  diligent 
nabits  of  searching  the  word  of  God. 
And  how  momentous  is  the  duty  of  pa- 
rents, and  of  Sabbath-school  teachers,  to 
inculcate  just  views  of  the  interpretation 
of  the  Bible,  and  to  form  the  habits  of 
the  rising  generation  so  that  they  shall 
be  disposed  and  enabled  to  examine  every 
doctrine  by  the  sacred  oracles.  Tlie  pu- 
rity of  the  church  depends  on  the  exten- 
sion of  the  spirit  of  the  noble-minded  Be- 
reans;  and  that  spirit  is  to  be  extended 
mainly  by  the  instrumentality  of  Sabbath- 
schools. 

12.  Therefore.  As  the  result  of  their 
examination.  They  found  that  the  doc- 
trines of  Paul  and  Silas  accorded  with 
the  Old  Testament.  This  result  will 
commonly  follow  when  people  search 
the  Scriptures.  Much  is  gained  when 
men  can  be  induced  to  examine  the  Bi- 
ble. We  may  commonly  take  it  for 
granted  that  such  an  examination  will  re- 
sult in  their  conviction  of  the  truth. 
The  most  pfominent  and  invariable  cause 
of  infidelity  is  found  in  the  fact  that  men 
will  not  investigate  the  Scriptures.  Many 
infidels  have  confessed  that  they  had 
never  carefu-ly  read  the  New  Testament. 
Thomas  Paine  confessed  that  he  wrote 
the  first  part  of  the  "  Age  of  Reason" 
without  having  a  Bible  at  hand ;  and 
without  its  being  possible  to  procure  one 
where  lie  then  was  (in  Paris).  "  I  had," 
«ays  he,  "  neither  Bible  nor  Testament  to 
X 


at  Berea,  they  came,  thither  also, 
and  stirred  up  "  the  people.  • 

14  And  then  immediately  the 
brethren  sent  away  ^  Paul,  to  go  as 
it  were  to  the  sea:  but  Silas  and 
Timotlieus  abode  there  still. 

15  And  they  that  conducted  Paul 

a  Luke  12.51.        i  Matt.10.23 

refer  to,  though  I  was  writing  against 
both;  nor  could  I  procure  any."  Age  of 
Reason,  p.  65.  Ed.  1831.  Also  p.  33. 
None  have  ever  read  the  Scriptures  with 
candour,  and  with  the  true  spirit  of  prayer, 
who  have  not  been  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity,  and  been  brought 
to  submit  their  souls  to  its  influence  and 
its  consolations.  The  great  thing  which 
Christians  desire  their  fellow  men  to  do 
is,  candidly  to  search  the  Bible;  and  when 
this  is  done,  they  confidently  expect  that 
they  will  be  truly  converted  to  Gori. 
IT  Of  honourable  women.  Note,  ch.  xiii.  5C 

13.  Stirred  up  the  people.  The  word 
used  here  {(rxKiCsiv)  denotes  properly  to 
agitate,  or  excite,  as  the  waves  of  the  sea 
are  agitated  by  the  wind.  It  is  with  grea( 
beauty  used  to  denote  the  agitation  and 
excitement  of  a  popular  tumult,  from  its 
resemblance  to  the  troubled  waves  of  the 
ocean.  The  figure  is  often  employed  by 
the  classic  writers,  and  also  occurs  in  the 
Scriptures.  See  Ps.  Ixv.  7.  Isa.  xvii.  12, 
13.    Jer.  xivi.  7,  8. 

14.  The  brethren.  Those  who  were 
Christians.  IT  Sent  away  Paul.  In  order 
to  secure  his  safety.  A  similar  thing  had 
been  done  in  Thessalonica.  ver.  10.  The 
tumult  was  great;  and  there  was  no 
doubt,  such  was  the  hostility  of  the  Jews, 
that  the  life  of  Paul  would  be  endan- 
gered,  and  they  therefore  resolved  to  se« 
cure  his  safety.  ^  As  it  were.  Rather, 
'even  to  the  sea,'  for  that  is  its  significa- 
tion. It  does  not  imply  that  there  was 
any  feint  or  sleight  in  the  case,  as  if  they 
intended  to  deceive  their  pursuers.  They 
took  him  to  the  sea-coast,  not  far  from 
Berea,  and  from  that  place  he  probably 
went  by  sea  to  Athens. 

15.  Unto  Athens.  This  was  the  first 
visit  of  Paul  to  this  celebrated  city ;  and 
perhaps  the  first  visit  of  a  Christian 
minister.  His  success  in  this  city,  for 
some  cause,  was  not  great.  But  his 
preaching  was  attended  with  the  con* 
version  of  som.e  individuals.  See  ver.  34. 
Athens  was  the  most  celebrated  city 
of  Greece,  and  was  distinguished  for  the 
military  talents,  learning,  eloquence,  and 
politeness    of  its    inhabitants.      It    waa 


U2 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  54 


brought  him  unto  Athens  :  and  re- 
ceiving a  commandment  unto  Silas 
and  Timotheus  *  for  to  come  to  him 
with  all  speed,  they  departed. 

ac.18.5. 

•ounded  by  Cecrops  and  an  Egyptian 
ci)lony,  about  155G  years  before  the 
Christian  era.  It  was  called  Athens  in 
honour  of  Minerva,  who  was  cniefly 
v.orshipped  there,  and  to  whom  the  city 
v\  as  dedicated.  The  city,  at  first,  was  buiit 
on  a  rock  in  the  midst  of  a  spacious  plain ; 
but  in  process  of  time  the  whole  plain 
was  covered  with  buildings,  which  were 
called  the  lower  city.  No  city  of  Greece, 
or  of  the  ancient  world,  was  so  much  dis- 
tinguished for  pliilosophy,  learning,  and 
the  arts.  The  most  celebrated  warriors, 
poets,  statesmen,  and  philosophers  were 
either  born  or  flourished  there.  The 
most  celebrated  models  of  architecture 
and  statuary  were  there  ;  and  for  ages  it 
held  its  pre-emiEence  in  civilization,  arts, 
and  arms.  The  city  still  exists,  though  it 
has  been  often  subject  to  the  calamities 
of  wr.r,  to  a  change  of  masters,  and  to 
the  mouldering  nand  of  time.  It  was 
twice  burnt  by  the  Persians ;  destroyed 
by  Philip  II.  of  Macedon ;  again  by  Sylla ; 
was  plundered  by  Tiberius  ;  desolated  by 
the  Goths  in  the  reign  of  Claudius ;  and 
the  whole  territory  ravaged  and  ruined 
by  Alaric.  From  the  reign  of  Justinian 
to  the  thirteenth  century,  the  city  remain- 
ed in  obscurity,  though  it  continued  to  be 
a  town  at  the  head  of  a  small  slate.  It 
was  seized  by  Omar,  general  of  Mahomet 
the  Great,  in  1455;  was  sacked  by  the 
Venetians  in  14G4  ;  and  was  taken  by  the 
Turks  again  in  1G88.  In  1812,  the  popu- 
lation was  12,000 ;  but  it  has  since  been 
desolated  by  the  sanguinary  contests  be- 
tween the  Turks  and  the  Greeks,  and 
left  almost  a  mass  of  ruins.  It  is  now 
free;  and  efforts  are  making  by  Chris- 
tians to  restore  it  to  its  former  elevation 
in  learning  and  importance,  and  to  impart 
to  it  the  blessings  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion. Two  American  missionaries  are 
labouring  in  the  place  where  Paul  preach- 
ed almost  two  thousand  years  ago ;  and 
Kchools  under  tiieir  immediate  8U})erin- 
tendence  and  care,  are  established  by 
American  Christian  missionaries,  in  the 
place  that  was  once  regarded  as  "  the  eye 
of  Greece,"  and  the  light  of  (he  civihzed 
world.  In  tho  revohitions  of  ages  it  has 
been  ordered  tliat  men  should  i)ear  tho 
torch  of  learning  to  Atliena  from  a  land 
unknown  to  its  uncTent  philosophers,  and 
•tinvev  th«   bleKsiiifc:K  of   citilizalion  t^) 


16  Now  while  Paul  waited  foi 
them  at  Athens,  ^  his  spirit  was 
stirred  in  him,  when  he  saw  the 
city  1  wholl)  given  to  idolatry. 

b  Fa. 1 19.136.  2PiV,  2.8.        t  or,  full  of  idols. 


them  by  that  gospel  which  in  the  time 
of  Paul  they  rejected  and  despised. 
IT  And  receiving  a  commandment.  They 
who  accompanied  Paul  received  hii 
commands  to  Silas  and  Timothy.  IT  With 
all  speed.  As  soon  as  possible.  Perhaps 
Paul  expected  much  labour  and  succesa 
in  Athens,  and  was  therefore  desirous 
ol' securing  tiieir  aid  with  him  m  his  work. 
10.  Now  while  Paid  waited.  How  long 
he  was  there  is  not  intimated  ;  but  doubt- 
less some  time  would  elapse  before  they 
could  arrive.  In  the  mean  time,  Paul 
had  ample  opportunity  to  observe  the 
state  of  the  city.  IT  His  spirit  was  stirred 
within  him.  His  mind  was  gready  ex- 
cited. The  word  used  here  {-TT-^.q^lyviTo) 
denotes  any  excitement,  agitation,  or 
paroxysm  of  mind.  1  Cor.  xiii.  5.  It  here 
means  that  the  mind  of  Paul  was  greatly 
concerned,  or  agitated,  doubUess  with  pity 
and  distress,  at  their  folly  and  danger. 
IF  The  city  wholly  given  to  idolatry.  Gr. 
y(.uThS'u>\ov.  It  is  well  translated  in  the 
margin,  "or  full  of  idols."  The  word  is 
not  elsewhere  used  in  tne  New  Testa 
ment.  That  this  was  the  condition  of  the 
city  is  abundantly  testified  by  profane 
writers.  Thus  Pausanias  (in  AUic.  i.  24, 
says,  "the  Athenians  greatly  surpassed 
others  in  their  zeal  for  religion."  Lucian 
(T.  i.  Prometh.  p.  180)  says  of  the  city 
of  Athens,  "On  every  side  there  are 
altars,  victims,  temples,  and  festivals." 
Livy  (45.  27)  says,  that  Athens  "  was  full 
of  the  images  of  gods  and  men,  adorned 
with  every  variety  of  material,  and  with 
all  the  skill  of  art."  And  Petronius  (Sat. 
xvii.)  says  humorously  of  the  city,  that 
"  it  was  easier  to  find  a  god  than  a  linan 
there."  See  Kuinoel.  In  this  verse  we 
may  see  how  a  splendid,  idolatrous  city 
will  strike  a  pious  mind.  Athens  then 
had  more  that  was  splendid  in  architec 
ture,  more  that  was  briilifint  in  science, 
and  more  that  was  beautifiJl  in  the  arts, 
than  any  other  city  of  the  world  ;  perhapf 
more  than  all  the  rest  of  the  world  united 
Yet  there  is  no  account  that  t)ie  mind 
of  Paul  was  filled  with  admiration; 
there  is  no  record  that  he  spent  his  time 
in  examining  the  works  of  art;  there  i- 
no  evidence  that  he  forgot  his  high  pi"- 
|V).=;e  in  an  idle  and  useless  contcmplalii'i 
of  temples  and  statuary.  His  was  r 
Christian  mind  ;  aad  he  conlomplatod  aP 


A    D.54.] 


CHAPTER  XVr. 


213 


17  Theretore  diapiited  he  in  the 
y-ynagogue  with  the  Jews,  and  with 
the  devout  "  persons,  and  in  the 
market  daily  with  them  that  met 
with  him. 


►nis  with  a  Christian  heart.  That  heart 
was  deeply  affected  in  view  of  the  amaz- 
ing guih  of  a  people  that  were  ignorant 
of  the  true  God,  and  that  had  filled  their 
city  with  idols  reared  to  the  honour 
of  imaginary  divinities  ;  and  who,  in  the 
midst  of  all  this  splendour  and  luxury, 
were  going  down  to  the  gates  of  death. 
So  should  every  pious  man  feel  who 
treads  the  streets  of  a  splendid  and  guilty 
city  The  Christian  v.'ill  not  despise  the 
productions  of  ant;  but  he  will  feel,  deeply 
leel,  for  the  unhappy  condition  of  those 
who,  amidst  wealth  and  splendour  and 
adorning,  are  withholding  their  affections 
from  the  living  God,  bestowing  them  on 
the  works  of  their  own  hands,  or  on  ob- 
jects degraded  and  polluting ;  and  who 
are  going  xmredeemed  to  eternal  wo. 
Happy  would  it  be  if  every  Christian 
traveller  who  visits  cities  of  wealth  and 
splendour, would,  like  Paul,  be  affected  in 
view  of  their  crimes  and  dangers,  and 
happy  if,  like  him,  men  could  cease  their 
unbounded  admiration  of  magnificence 
and  splendour  in  temples  and  palaces 
and  statuary,  to  regard  the  condition 
of  mind,  not  perishable  like  marble ;  and 
of  the  soul,  more  magnificent  even  in  its 
ruins  than  all  the  works  oi'  Phidias  or 
Praxiteles. 

17.  Therefore  disputed  he.  Or  reasoned. 
Fie  engaged  in  an  argument  with  them. 
^  With  the  devout  persons.  Those  wor- 
shipping God  after  the  manner  of  the 
Jews.  They  were  Jewish  proselytes, 
who  had  renounced  idolatry,  but  who 
had  not  been  fully  admitted  to  the  privi- 
leges of  the  Jews.  See  Note,  ch.  x.  2. 
IT  And  in  the  market.  In  the  forum.  It 
was  not  only  the  place  where  provisions 
were  sold,  but  was  also  a  place  of  great 
public  concourse.  In  this  place  the  phi- 
losophers were  not  unfrequently  found 
engaged  in  public  discussion. 

18.  Then  certain  philosophers.  Athens 
was  distinguished,  among  all  the  cities 
of  Greece  and  the  world,  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  a  subtle  and  refined  philosophy. 
This  was  their  boast,  and  the  object 
of  their  constant  search  and  study-  1  Cor. 
i.  22.  If  Of  the  Epicureans.  This  sect 
of  philosophers  was  so  named  from  Epi- 
eurus,  who  lived  about  300  years  before 
♦ht»  Cluristlan  erti-     They  denied  that  the 


18  I'hen  certain  philosophers  ' 
of  the  Epicuieans,  .  and  of  the 
Stoics,  encountered  him.  And  some 
said,  What  will  this  '  babbler  say  1 
Other  some,  He  seemeth  to  be  a 

6C0I.2.8.       1  or,  fcose/eZtottf. 


world  was  created  ty  God,  and  that  the 
gods  exercised  any  care  or  providen 
over  human  affairs,  and  also  the  imm( 
tality  of  the  soul.  Against  these  positioj 
of  the  sect,  Paul  directed  his  main  argu 
ment,  in  proving  that  the  world  was  ere 
ated  and  governed  by  God.  One  of  the 
distinguishing  doctrines  of  Epicurus  was, 
that  pleasure  was  the  summum  honum,  or 
chief  good,  and  that  virtue  was  to  be 
practised  only  as  it  contributed  to  plea- 
sure. By  pleasure,  however,  Epicurua 
did  not  mean  s-ensi;al  and  grovelling  ap- 
petites, and  degraded  vices,  but  rational 
pleasure,  properly  regulated  and  govern- 
ed. See  Good's  Book  of  Nature.  But 
whatever  hia  views  were,  it  is  certain 
that  his  follov/ers  had  embraced  the  doc- 
trine that  voluptuousness  and  the  plea- 
sures of  sense  were  to  be  practised  with- 
out restraint.  Both  in  principle  and  prac- 
tice, therefore,  they  devoted  themselves 
to  a  life  of  gayety  and  sensuality,  and 
sought  happiness  only  in  indolence,  effe- 
minacy, and  voluptuousness.  Confident 
in  the  belief  that  the  world  was  not  un- 
der the  administration  of  a  God  of  justice, 
they  gave  themselves  up  to  the  indul- 
gence of  every  passion  ;  the  infidels  of 
their  time,  and  the  exact  example  of  the 
gay  and  fashionable  multitudes  of  all 
times,  that  live  without  God,  and  thai 
seek  pleasure  as  their  chief  good.  IF  And 
of  the  Stoics.  These  were  a  sect  of  phi- 
losophers, so  named  from  the  Greek  o-to», 
Stoa,  a  porch,  or  portico,  because  Zeno, 
the  founder  of  the  sect,  held  his  school 
and  taught  in  a  porch,  in  the  city  of 
Athens.  Zeno  was  bom  in  the  island 
of  Cyprus,  but  the  greater  part  cf  his 
life  was  spent  at  Athens  in  teaching  phi- 
losophy. After  having  taught  publicly  48 
years,  he  died  at  the  age  of  96,  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  years  before  Christ 
The  doctrines  of  the  sect,  were,  that  the 
universe  was  created  by  God ;  thai  ^11 
things  were  fixed  by  fate  ;  that  even  G-jd 
was  under  the  dominion  of  fatal  neces- 
sity ;  that  the  fates  were  to  be  submitted 
to  ;  that  the  passions  and  affections  were 
to  be  suppressed  and  restrained;  that 
happiness  consisted  in  the  insensibility 
of  the  soul  to  pa.n  ;  and  that  a  man  shoulG 
-^ain  an  absolute  mastery  over  all  the 
pa.-5sions  and   affectioiis   of   hi^    nature 


» 


^44 


setter  forth  of  strange  gods :  be- 
cause he  preached  unto  them  Jesus, 
and  tlie  resurrection. 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  54. 

19  And  ^hey  took  him,  and 
brought  him  unto  '  Areopagus, 
saying,  May  we  know  v/hat  this 

1  or,  Afarj'  hill.     It  was  the  highest  court  in  Athena. 


pos 


riiey  were  stern  in  thsir  views  of  virtue, 
and,  like  the  Plmrisees,  prided  themselves 
on  their  own  righteousness.  They  sup- 
posed that  matter  was  eternal,  and  that 
~od  was  either  the  animating  principle 
il  of  the  world,  or  that  all  things 
re  a  part  of  God.  They  fluctuated 
much  in  their  views  of  a  future  state; 
some  of  them  holding  that  the  soul  would 
exist  only  until  the  destruction  of  the 
universe,  and  others  that  it  would  finally 
be  absorbed  into  the  divine  essence,  and 
become  a  part  of  God.  It  will  be  readily 
seen,  therefore,  with  what  pertinency 
and  address  Paul  discoursed  to  ihem. 
The  leading  doctrines  of  both  sects  were 
met  by  him.  IT  Encountered  him.  Con- 
tended with  him;  opposed  themselves  to 
him.  IF  And  some  said.  This  was  said 
in  scorn  and  contempt.  He  had  excited 
attention  ;  but  they  scorned  the  doctrines 
that  should  be  delivered  by  an  unknown 
foreigner  from  Judea.  IT  SVhat  will  this 
babbler  say  ?  Margin,  base  fellow.  Greek, 
r7rie/^o?.oy-oc.  The  word  occurs  nowhere 
else  in  the  New  Testament.  It  properly 
means  one  who  collects  seeds,  an4  was  ap- 
plied by  the  Greeks  to  the  poor  persons 
who  collected  the  scattered  grain  in  the 
fields  after  harvest,  or  to  gleaners  ;  and 
also  to  the  poor,  who  obtained  a  preca- 
rious subsistence  around  the  markets  and 
in  the  streets.  It  was  also  applied  to 
birds  that  picked  up  the  scattered  seeds  of 
grain  in  the  field,  or  in  the  markets.  The 
word  came  hence  to  have  a  two-fold  sig- 
nification. (1.)  It  denoted  the  poor,  needy, 
and  vile  ;  the  refuse  and  off-scouring  of 
society;  and,  (2.)  From  the  birds  which 
W'ere  thus  employed,  and  which  were 
troublesome  by  their  continual  unmusical 
sounds,  it  came  to  denote  tliose  who  were 
talkative,  garrulous,  and  opinionated  ; 
those  who  collected  the  opinions  of  others, 
or  scraps  of  knowledge,  and  retailed  them 
fluently,  without  order  or  method.  It 
was  a  word,  thereft)ro,  expressive  of  their 
coTilempt  for  an  unkno\Tn  foreigner  who 
should  pretend  to  instruct  the  learned  men 
and  fihiiosophers  of  Greece.  Doddridge 
renders  if,  "  retailer  of  scraps."  Syriac, 
"collector  of  words."  IT  Other  some. 
Others.  If  He  seemelh  to  be  a  setter  forth. 
He  announces  or  declares  the  existence 
of  strange  gods.  The  reason  why  they 
stipposed  this,  was,  that  he  made  the  rapi- 
l>al  fioinl.s  of  his  preac'tjing  to  bo  Jesus 
'.nl  iho  renurreclion,  wlii(>h  thev  mistook 


for  the  names  of  divinities.  IT  0/  strange 
gods.  Of  foreign  gods,  or  demons.  They 
worshipped  many  gods  themselves,  and 
as  they  believed  that  every  country  had 
its  own  peculiar  divinities,  they  supposed 
that  Paul  had  come  to  announce  the  ex- 
istence of  some  such  foreign,  and  to  them 
unknown  divinities.  The  word  translated 
gods  (^xi/xov:u,v)denotes  properly  the  genii, 
or  spirits  who  were  superior  to  men,  but 
inferior  to  the  gods.  It  is,  however,  oflen 
employed  to  denote  the  gods  themselves ; 
and  is  evidently  so  used  here.  The  gods 
among  the  Greeks  were  such  as  were 
supposed  te  have  that  rank  by  nature. 
The  demons  were  such  as  had  been  ex- 
alted to  divinity  from  being  heroes  and 
distinguished  men.  IT  He  preached  unto 
ihem  Jesus.  He  proclaimed  him  as  the 
Messiah.  Tne  mistake  which  they  made, 
by  supposing  that  he  was  a  foreign  divi- 
nity, was  one  which  was  perfectly  na'^-<j- 
ral  for  minds  degraded  like  theirs  by 
idolatry  They  had  no  idea  of  a  pure 
God  ;  they  knew  nothing  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Messiah  ;  and  they  naturally  sup- 
po.«ed,  therefore,  that  he  of  whom  Paul 
spoke  so  much  must  be  a  god  of  some 
other  nation,  of  a  rank  similar  to  their 
own  divinities.  IT  A7id  the  resurrection. 
The  resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  through 
him  the  resnrrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
evident,  I  thmk,  that  by  the  resurrection 
(W;uivio-Tx<rii)  they  understood  him  to 
refer  to  the  name  of  some  goddess.  Such 
was  the  interpretation  of  Chrysostom. 
The  Greeks  had  erected  altars  to  Shame, 
and  Famine,  and  Desire  (Pans.  i.  17),  and 
it  is  probable  that  ihey  supposed  '  the 
resurrection,'  or  the  Anastasis.  to  be  the 
name  also  of  some  unknown  goddess  who 
presided  over  the  resurrection.  Thus 
they  regarded  him  as  a  setter  forth  of  fieo 
foreign  or  strange  gods — Jesus,  and  the 
Anastasis,  or  resurrection. 

19.  And  brought  him  unto  Areopagus. 
Margin,  or  Mars'  hill.  This  was  tho 
place  or  court  in  which  the  Areopngitee, 
the  celebrated  supreme  judges  of  Athens, 
a.s.seml)led.  It  was  on  a  hill  almost  in 
the  middle  of  the  city;  l)tit  nothing  now 
remains  by  which  we  ran  dptermiuo  the 
form  or  construction  of  the  tribunal  The 
hill  is  almost  entirely  n  mass  of  stone, 
and  19  not  easily  accessil)lo.  its  sides  being 
steep  and  abrupt.  On  many  nccountt. 
tlui;  was  the  most  celebrated  tribunal  in 
the    world.     Itt»    derisions    won'    dislip 


A.  D.  54.J 


CHAPTER  XVll. 


2U 


new  *  doctrine,  whereo*'  *Kri  speak- 
est,  is? 

•20  For  thou  bringest  «Ktain  * 
strange  things  to  our  e?^n :  we 
would  know  therefore  what  -Aiese 
things  mean. 

A  Jno.I3.W.  lJno.2.7,8.        i  Hos.S.K*- 


guished  for  justice  and  correctness ,  nor 
was  tiiere  any  court  in  Greece  in  w  hich 
so  much  confidence  was  placed.  Th:s 
court  took  cognizance  of  murders,  impie- 
ties, and  immoralities ;  they  punished 
vices  of  all  kinds,  including  idleness ; 
ttiey  rewarded  the  virtuous ;  they  were  pe- ' 
culiarly  attentive  to  blasphemies  against 
the  gods,  and  to  the  performance  of  the 
sacred  mysteries  of  religion.  It  was, 
therefore,  with  the  greatest  propriety  that 
Paul  was  questioned  before  this  tribunal, 
as  being  regarded  as  a  setter  forth  of 
strange  gods,  and  as  being  supposed  to 
wish  to  introduce  a  new  mode  of  wor- 
ship. See  Potter's  Antiquities  of  Greece, 
b.  i.  ch.  19  ;  and  Travels  of  Anacharsis, 
vol.  i.  136.  185 ;  ii.  292—295.  IT  May 
we  know.  We  would  know.  This  seems 
to  have  been  a  respectful  inquiry ;  and 
it  does  not  appear  that  Paul  was  brought 
there  for  the  sake  of  triuL  There  are  no 
accusations  ;  no  witnesses  ;  none  of  the 
forms  of  trial.  They  seem  to  have  re- 
sorted thither  because  it  was  the  place 
where  the  subject  of  religion  was  usually 
discussed,  and  because  it  was  a  place 
of  confluence  for  the  citizens  and  judges 
and  wise  men  of  Athens,  and  of  foreign- 
ers. The  design  seems  to  have  been,  not 
to  try  him,  but  fairly  to  canvass  the 
claims  of  his  doctrines.  See  ver.  21.  It 
was  just  an  instance  of  the  inquisitive 
spirit  of  the  people  of  Athens,  willing  to 
near  before  they  condemned,  and  to  ex- 
amine before  they  approved. 

20.  Certain  strange  things.  Literally, 
something  pertaining  to  a  foreign  coun- 
try, or  people.  Here  it  means  something 
unusual,  remac^ble,  to  which  we  are 
not  accustome<JF  It  was  something  dif- 
ferent from  what  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  hear  from  their  philosophers 
and  religious  teachers.  tT  What  these 
things  mean.  We  would  understand 
more  clearly  what  is  affirmed  respecting 
Jesus  and  the  resurrection. 

21.  For  all  the  Athenians  This  was 
their  general  character.  ^  And  stran- 
gers ivMri  were  there.  Athens  v.^as  greatly 
3is;ingnishcd  for  the  celebrity  of  its 
schools  of  philosophy.  It  was  at  that 
time  at  the  head  of  the  literary  world. 

s2 


21  (For  all  the  Athenians,  and 
strangers  which  were  there,  spent 
their  time  in  nothing  else,  but  eithei 
to  tell  or  to  hear  some  new  thing.) 

22  Then  Paul  stood  in  the  mids 
of  Mars'  '  Hill,  and  said,   Ye  meD 

I  or,  tfie  court  of  the  Areopagites. 

Its  arts  and  its  learning  were  celebrated 
in  all  landa.  It  is  known,  therefore,  thai 
it  was  the  favourite  resort  of  men  of  other 
nations,  who  came  there  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  its  institutions,  and  to  listen 
to  its  sages.  IT  Spent  their  time  in  nothing 
else.  The  learned  and  subtle  Athenians 
gave  themselves  much  to  speculation, 
and  employed  themselves  in  examining 
tho  various  new  systems  of  philosophy 
th^i  were  proposed.  Strangers  and  fo- 
reigners who  were  there,  having  much 
leisure,  would  also  give  themselves  to 
the  same  inquiries.  II  But  either  to  tell 
or  to  hear  some  new  tiling.  Greek,  some- 
thing  m^er.  k-^^votsp-.v.  The  latest  news ; 
or  the  latest  subject  of  inquiry  proposed. 
This  is  well  known  to  have  been  the 
character  of  the. people  of  Athens  at  all 
times.  "  Many  of  the  ancient  writers  bear 
witness  to  the  garrulity,  and  curiosity, 
and  intemperate  desire  of  novelty,  among 
the  Athenians,  by  which  they  inquired 
respecting  all  things,  even  those  in  which 
they  had  no  i:iterest,  whether  of  a  public 
or  private  nature."  {Kuinoel.)  Thus  Thu- 
cyd.  (3.  38)  says  of  them,  "  you  excel  in 
suffering  yourselves  to  be  deceived  with 
novelty  of  speech-"  On  which  the  old 
Scholiast  makes  this  remark,  almost  in  the 
words  of  Luke  :  "  He  (Thucydides)  here 
blames  the  Atheniar?s,  who  care  for  no- 
thiflg  else  but  to  tell  or  to  hear  something 
new."  Thus  ^lian  (5.  13)  says  of  tb^ 
Athenians,  that  they  ere  versatile  in  no- 
velties. Thus  Demosthenes  represents 
the  Athenians  "  as  inquiring  in  the  place 
of  public  resort  if  there  wsre  any  news  ?" 
T£i;6ts^ov.  Meursius  has  shown,  also, 
that  there  were  more  than  uhree  hundred 
public  places  in  Athens  of  public  resort, 
where  the  principal  youth  and  reputable 
citizens  were  accustomed  to  rji<?et  for  the 
purpose  of  conversation  and  inquiry. 

22.  Then  Paul.  This  commences  Pauf-s 
explanation  of  the  doctrines  which  he  had 
stated.  It  is  evident  that  Luke  has  re 
corded  but  a  mere  summary  or  outline 
of  the  discourse  ;  but  it  is  such  as  to  ena- 
ble us  to  see  clearly  his  course  of  thotif^ht, 
and  the  manner  in  which  he  met  the  >  wo 
principal  sects  of  their  philosophers,  t  ^h 
themiditcf  Mars' hill.  Greek,  AreoT»a| 


246 


all 


of  Athens,  I  perceive  that  in 
things  ye  are  too  superstitious.  " 
'23  For  as  1  passed  by,  and  be^ 


THE  ACTS.  [A.  D.  54 

held  your  devotions,  '  I  found  an  al 
tar  with  this  inscription,  TO  THE 
UNKNOWN  GOD.  Whom  there- 

1  or,  gods  that  ye  loorskip.  G»1.4.8. 


This  should  hive  been  retained  in  the 
translation.  ^  Ye  men  of  Athens.  This 
language  was  perfectly  respectful,  not- 
withstanding his  heart  had  been  deeply 
affected  by  their  idolatry.  Every  thing 
about  this  discourse  is  calm,  grave,  cool, 
and  argumentative.  Paul  understood  the 
character  of  his  auditors,  and  did  not 
commence  his  discourse  by  denouncing 
them,  or  suppose  that  they  would  be  con- 
evinced  by  mere  dogmatical  assertion. 
No  happier  instance  can  be  found,  of  cool, 
collected  argumentation,  than  is  furnished 
in  this  discourse.  IT  /  perceive.  He  per- 
ceived this  by  his  observations  of  their 
forms  of  worship,  in  passing  through  their 
city.  ver.  23.  IT  In  all  things.  In  respect 
to  all  events.  IT  Ye  are  too  superstitious. 
^ii(riSxiy.0M£(rTi(i:-jg.  This  is  a  most  Un- 
happy translation.  We  use  the  word  su- 
perstitious always  in  a  bad  sense,  to  de- 
note being  over-scrupulous  and  rigid  in 
religious  observances,  particularly  in 
smaller  matters  ;  or  to  a  zealous  devotion 
to  rites  and  observances  which  are  not 
commanded.  But  the  word  here  is  de- 
signed to  convey  no  such  idea.  It  pro- 
perly means  reverence  for  the  gods  or  de- 
mons. It  is  used  in  the  classic  writers 
in  a  good,  sense,  to  denote  piety  towards 
the  gods,  or  suitable  fear  and  reverence 
for  them  ;  and  also  in  a  bad  sense,  to  de- 
note improper  fear  or  excessive  dread  of 
their  anger;  and  in  this  sense  it  accords 
with  our  word  superstitious.  But  it  is  al- 
together improbable  that  Paul  should 
have  used  it  in  a  bad  sense.  For,  (1.)  ^t 
was  not  his  custom  needlessly  to  blame 
or  offend  his  auditors.  (2.)  It  is  not  pro- 
bable that  he  would  commence  his  dis- 
course in  a  manner  that  would  only  ex- 
cite their  prejudice  and  opposition.  (3.) 
In  the  thing  which  he  specifies  (ver.  23) 
as  proof  on  the  subject,  he  does  not  intro- 
duce it  as  a  matter  of  blame,  but  rather 
aH  a  proof  of  their  devotedness  to  the 
cause  of  religion,  and  of  their  regard  for 
(}<)(].  (1.)  The  whole  speech  is  calm,  dig- 
nified, and  argumentative — such  as  be- 
Ctime  surh  a  place,  such  a  speaker,  and 
guch  an  audience.  The  meaning  of  the 
expression  is,  therefore,  'I  perceive  that 
yon  are  grcatlv  devoted  to  reverence  for 
religion  ;  tliat  it  is  a  characteristic  of  the 
people  to  hoiiMiir  the  gods,  to  rear  altars 
to  them,  and  to  rocoL'tuse  the  divine 
agency  in  times  yf  trial.'     The  proof  oi' 


this  was  the  altar  reared  to  the  unknown 
God  ;  its  bearing  on  his  purpose  was,  thai 
such  a  state  of  public  sentiment  must  be 
favourable  to  an  inqjiiry  into  the  truth 
of  what  he  was  about  to  state. 

23.  For  as  I  passed  by.  Greek,  'For 
I,  coming  through,  and  seeing,'  &:c.  1  And 
beheld.  Diligently  contemplated  ;  atten 
tively  considered  {y-vu^iM^iiv).  The  wor 
ship  of  an  idolatrous  people  will  be  an 
object  of  intense  and  painful  interest  to  a 
Christian.  If  Your  devotions.  Ta  c-s&^-xa-.uaru.. 
Our  word  devotions  refers  to  the  act  of 
worship — to  prayers,  praises,  &:c.  The 
Greek  word  here  used  means  properly 
any  sacred  thnig ;  any  object  w  hich  ia 
worshipped,  or  v.hich  is  connected  with 
the  place  or  rites  of  worship.  Thus  it  is 
applied  either  to  the  gods  themselves,  or 
to  the  temples,  altars,  shrines,  sacrifices, 
statues,  &c.,  connected  with  the  worship 
of  the  gods.  This  is  its  meaning  here 
It  does  not  denote  that  Paul  saw  them 
engaged  in  the  act  of  worship,  but  that 
he  was  struck  with  the  numerous  tem- 
ples, altars,  statues,  &c.,  which  were 
reared  to  the  gods,  and  which  indicated 
the  state  of  the  people.  Syriac,  "The 
temple  of  your  gods."  Vulgate,  "  your 
images."  Margin,  "  gous  that  ye  wor- 
ship." IT  /  found  an  aUar.  An  altar 
usually  denotes  a  place  for  sacrifice 
Here,  however,  it  does  not  appear  that 
any  sacrifice  was  offered ;  but  it  was 
probably  a  monument  of  stone,  reared  to 
commemorate  a  certain  event,  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  unknown  God.  IT  To  the 
unknown  God.  'Ayvu-a-Tw  fc)sa.  Where 
this  altar  was  reared,  or  on  what  occa- 
sion, has  been  a  subject  of  much  debate 
with  expositors.  That  there  was  such  an 
altar  in  Athens,  though  it  may  not  have 
been  specifically  mentioned  by  the  Greek 
writers,  is  rendered  proh|ble  by  the  fol- 
lowing circumstances,  ^w)  It  was  cus- 
tomary to  rear  such  altars.  Minutius 
Felix  says  of  the  Romans,  "  they  build 
altars  to  unknown  divinities."  (2.)  The 
term  unknown  God  was  used  in  relation 
to  tlie  worship  of  the  Athenians.  Luciari, 
in  his  Philopatris,  uses  this  form  of  an 
oath :  "  I  swear  by  the  unknown  God  at 
Athens,"  the  very  expression  used  by  the 
apostle.  And  again  he  says  (ch.  xxix. 
IHO),  •'  We  have  found  out  the  unknou.n 
God  at  Athens,  and  worsliippcd  him  with 
our  liands  stretched  up  to  hs-avcn,"  &o. 


A.  I).  51   I 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


247 


fore  ye  ignorant/y  worship,  him  de- 
eJare  I  unto  you. 

24  God  **  that  made  the  world, 
and  all  things  therein,  seeing  that 


(3.)  There  were  ahars  at  Athens  inscribea 
to  the  unknown  gods.  Philostratus  «ays 
(in  Vita.  Apollo,  vi.  3),  "And  this  at 
Athens,  where  there  are  even  altars  to 
the  Unknown  gods."  Thus  Pausanius 
(in  Attic,  ch.  1)  says,  that  "  at  Athens 
Siere  are  altars  of  gods  which  are  called 
the  UNKNOWN  ones."  Jerome,  in  hia 
commentary  (Epistle  to  Titus  i.  12),  says 
that  th^whole  inscription  was,  "  to  the 
gods  of  Asia,  Europe,  and  Africa ;  to  the 
unknown  and  strange  gods."  (4.)  There 
was  a  remarkable  altar  reared  in  Athens 
in  a  time  of  pestilence,  in  honour  of  the 
unknown  god  which  had  granted  them 
deliverance.  Diogenes  Laertius  says  that 
Epimenides  restrained  the  pestilence  in 
the  following  manner  :  "  Taking  white 
and  black  sheep,  he  led  them  to  the  Areo- 
pagus, and  there  permitted  them  to  go 
where  they  Vv'ould,  commanding  those 
who  followed  them  to  sacrifice  (Ti  Treoa-n- 
KovTi  d-soj)  to  the  god  to  whom  these  things 
pertained  [or  who  had  the  power  of 
averting  the  plague,,  whoever  he  might 
be,  without  adding  the  name],  and  thus 
to  allay  the  pestilence.  From  which  it 
has  arisen,  that  at  this  day,  through  the 
villages  of  the  Athenians,  altars  are  found 
without  any  name."  Dioge.  Laer.  b.  i. 
$  10.  This  took  place  about  600  years 
before  Christ,  and  it  is  not  improbable 
that  one  or  more  of  those  altars  remained 
until  the  time  of  Paul.  It  should  be 
added  that  the  natural  inscription  on 
those  altars  would  be,  "  to  the  unknown 
god."  None  of  the  gods  to  whom  they 
usually  sacrificed  could  deliver  them 
from  the  pestilence.  They  therefore 
reared  them  to  some  unknown  Being 
who  had  the  power  to  free  them  from  the 
plague.  IT  Whom  therefore.  The  true 
God,  who  had  really  delivered  them 
from  the  plague.  IF  Ye  ignoranliy  wor- 
ship. Or  worship  without  knowing  his 
name.  You  have  expressed  your  homage 
for  him  by  rearing  to  him  an  altar.  IT  Hiin 
eclare  I  unto  you.  I  make  known  to  you 
nis  name,  attributes,  &c.  There  is  re- 
markable address  and  tact  in  Paul's  seiz- 
tig  on  this  circumstance  ;  and  yet  it  was 
perfectly  fair  and  honest.  God  only 
;^ould  deliver  in  the  time  of  the  pesti- 
enco  This  altar  had,  therefore,  been 
teaily  reared  to  him,  though  his  name 
wag  unknown.    The  san'e  Being  who 


he  ij  '  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
d  welleth  •=  not  in  temples  made  with 
hands ; 

25  Neither  is  worshipped  with 


had  interposed  at  that  time,  and  whose 
interposition  was  recorded  by  the  build- 
ing of  this  altar,  was  He  wtc  had  made 
the  heavens  ;  who  ruled  over  ail ;  and 
whom  Paul  was  now  about  to  make 
known  to  them.  There  is  another  fea- 
ture of  skill  in  the  allusion  to  this  altar. 
In  other  circumstances  it  might  seem  to 
be  presumptuous  for  an  unknown  Jew  to- 
attempt  to  instruct  the  sages  of  Athens. 
But  here  they  had  confessed  and  pro- 
claimed their  ignorance.  •  By  rearing  this 
altar  they  acknowledged  their  need  of 
instruction.  The  way  was,  therefore, 
fairly  open  for  Paul  to  address  even  these 
philosophers,  and  to  discourse  to  them  on 
a  point  on  which  they  acknowledged 
their  ignorance. 

24.  God  that  made  the  world.  The 
main  object  of  this  discourse  of  Paul  is, 
to  convince  them  of  the  folly  of  idolatry 
(ver.  29),  and  thus  to  lead  them  to  repent- 
ance. For  this  purpose  he  commences 
with  a  statement  of  the  true  doctrine  re- 
specting God  as  the  Creator  of  all  things. 
We  may  observe  here,  (1.)  That  he  speaks 
here  of  God  as  the  Creator  of  the  world — 
thus  opposing  indirectly  their  opinions 
that  there  were  many  gods,  (2.)  He 
speaks  of  him  as  the  Creator  of  the 
world,  and  thus  opposes  the  opinion  that 
matter  was  eternal ;  that  all  things  were 
controlled  by  fate ;  and  that  he  could  be 
confined  to  temples.  The  Epicureans 
held  that  matter  was  eternal,  and  that  the 
world  was  formed  by  a  fortuitous  con 
course  of  atoms.  To  this  opinion  Paul 
opposed  the  doctrine  that  all  things  were 
made  by  one  God.  Comp.  ch.  xiv.  15 
IT  Seeing  that,  &c.  Gr.  "  He  heing  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth."  IT  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth.  Proprietor  and  Ruler  of 
heaven  and  earth.  It  is  highly  absurd, 
therefore,  to  suppose  that  he  who  is 
present  in  heaven  and  in  earth  at  the 
same  time,  and  who  rules  over  all,  should 
be  confined  to  a  temple  of  an  earthly 
structure,  or  dependent  on  man  for  any 
thing.  IT  Dwelkth  not,  &c.  See  Note,  ch. 
vii.  48. 

25.  Neither  is  worshipped  with  men^i 
hands.  The  word  here  rendered  wor- 
shipped (d-sexTrivsTXi)  denotes  to  server 
to  wait  upon ,  and  then,  to  render  reli- 
gious service  or  homage.  There  is  refer- 
ence here,  undoubtedly,  to  a  not-'on  pre 


24b 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  L.  a 


.Tien's  hands,  as  though  he  "  needed 
any  ihing- ;  seeing  he  *  giveth  to 
all,  life,  and  breath,  and  "  all 
thincfs ; 


c  Rom.  11. 36.    i 


valent  among  the  heathen,  that  the  gods 
were  fed  or  nourished  by  the  offerings 
made  to  them.  The  idea  is  prevalent 
among  the  Hindoos,  that  the  sacrifices 
which  are  made,  and  which  arc  offered 
in  the  temples,  are  consumed  by  the  gods 
themselves.  Perhaps,  also,  Paul  had  re- 
ference to  the  fact  that  so  many  persons 
were  employed  in  their  temples  in  serv- 
mg  them  v>ith  their  hands ;  that  is,  in  pre- 
paring sacrifices  and  feasts  in  their 
honour.  Paul  affirms  that  the  great 
Creator  of  all  things  cannot  be  thus  de- 
pendent on  his  creatures  for  happiness ; 
and  consequently  that  that  mode  of  w-or- 
(ship  must  be  highly  absurd.  The  same 
idea  occurs  in  Ps.  1.  10,  11,  12  : 

For  every  beast  of  the  fore.st  is  mine ; 
And  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills. 
I  knowal!  the  fowls  of  the  mountain  ; 
.\nd  tlie  wild  beasts  of  the  field  are  mine. 
If  I  were  hungry,  I  would  not  toll  thee  ; 
For  t  iie  world  is  mine,  and  th  e  fuhiess  thereof 

T  Seeing  hegiveth.  Gr.  He  having  given 
to  all,  Ac.  ir  Jjfe.  He  is  the  source  of 
life  ;  and  therefore  he  cannot  be  depend- 
ent on  that  life  which  he  has  himself  im- 
parted. ^  And  breath.  The  power  of 
t)reathing,  by  which  life  is  sustained.  He 
not  only  originally  gave  life,  but  he  gives 
it  at  each  moment ;  he  gives  the  power 
of  drawing  each  breath  by  which  life  is 
supported.  It  is  possible  that  the  phrase 
"  life  and  breath"  may  be  the  figure  ?ien- 
dyadcs,  by  which  one  thing  is  expressed 
by  two  words.  And  it  is  highly  probable 
that  Paul  here  had  reference  to  Gen.  ii.  7 : 
"  And  the  Lord  God  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life."  The  same 
idea  occurs  in  Job  xii.  10  : 

In  whose  hand  is  the  life  (jnargin)  of  every 

livjnjjthinij:; 
And  the  breath  of  all  mankind. 
TT  And  all  thir.gx.  All  things  necessary 
(o  sustain  life.  We  may  see  here  how 
dependent  man  is  on  God.  There  can 
ho  no  more  absolute  dependence  than 
that  for  every  breath.  How  easy  it  would 
be  fi)r  Ciod  to  suspend  our  breathing! 
How  incessant  the  care,  how  unreasing 
the  Providence  by  which,  whether  we 
sleep  or  wake — whether  we  remember 
)r  forget  him,  he  heaves  our  cheet;  fills 
Dur  lungs;  restores  the  vitality  of  our 
hi  jod  ;  find  infuses  vigr)ur  into  our  frame  • 
(Jorap.  Note,  Rom.  xi.  3G 


2G  And  liath  made  of  one  ''  blood 
all  nations  of  men,  for  to  dwell  on 
all  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  and  hath 
determined  the  times  '  before  ap- 

dMa!.2.10.        e  Ps-aMi. 

26.  And  hath  made  of  one  blood .  All 
the  families  of  men  are  descended  from 
one  origin,  or  stock.  However  different 
their  complexion,  features  language,  &c., 
yet  they  are  derived  from  a  common  pa- 
rent. The  word  blood  is  often  used  to 
denote  race,  stock,  kindred.  This  passage 
completely  proves  that  all  the  human 
family  are  descended  from  the  same  an- 
cestor ;  and  that,  consequently,  all  the 
variety  of  complexion,  &c.,  is  to  be 
traced  to  .some  other  cause  than  that 
there  were  originally  different  races 
created.  See  Gen.  i.  Comp.  Mai.  ii.  10. 
The  design  of  the  apostle  in  this  affirma- 
tion was,  probably,  to  convince  the 
Greeks  that  he  regarded  them  all  as 
brethren;  and  that,  although  he  was  a 
Jew,  yet  he  was  not  enslaved  to  any 
narrow  notions  or  prejudices  in  reference 
to  other  men.  It  follows  also  from  this, 
that  no  one  nation,  and  no  individual, 
can  claim  any  pre-eminence  over  others 
in  virtue  of  "birth  or  blood.  All  are  in 
this  respect  equal,  and  the  whole  human 
family,  however  they  may  differ  in  com- 
plexion, customs,  and  laws,  are  to  be  re- 
garded and  treated  as  brethren.  It  fol- 
lows, also,  that  no  one  part  of  the  race 
has  a  right  to  enslave  or  oppress  any 
other  part,  on  account  of  difference  of 
complexion.  JVor  has  man  a  right  because 

lie  finds  his  follow  <juilty  of  a  skin 

Not  coloiiriHi  like  his  own  ;  and  having  power 

T'  enforcethe  wrong,  for  sue  ha  worthy  cause 

to 
Doom  and  devote  him  as  his  lawful  prey. 

IF  For  to  dwell,  &c.  To  cultivate  and  til 
the  earth.  This  was  the  original  corn 
mand  (Gen.  i.  28) ;  and  God,  by  his  provi- 
dence, has  so  ordered  it  that  the  descend 
ants  of  one  family  have  found  their  way 
to  all  lands,  and  nave  become  adapted  to 
the  climate  where  he  has  placed  them- 
^  And  halh  determined.  Gr.  c^.Va,-.  Hav 
ing  fixed,  or  marked  out  a  l)oundary. 
Note,  lioin  i.  1.  The  word  is  usually 
applied  to  a.  field,  which  is  designated  by 
a  boundary.  It  means  here  that  God  hatb 
marked  out,  or  ilesignated  in  his  puriiose 
their  future  abodes.  IT  The  times  before 
appointed.  This  evidently  refers  lo  the 
dispersion  and  migration  of  nation.s.  Ana 
it  means  ihiit  CJod  had,  in  his  plan,  fixer, 
the  limes  when  each  couutr-  should  b" 


A.  D.  64.] 


pointed,  and  the  bounds 
liabitation : 

'27    That  they  should  seek  the 
f40Td,  if  haply  they  might  feel  after 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

*  of  their 


249 


■ettled ;  the  time  of  the  location,  the 
rise,  the  prosperity,  and  the  fall  of  each 
nation.  It  implies,  (1.)  That  these  times 
had  been  before  appointed ;  and,  (2.) 
That  it  was  done  in  wisdom.  It  was 
his  plan;  and  the  different  continents 
and  islands  had  not,  therefore,  been  set- 
tled by,  chance,  but  by  a  wise  rule,  and 
in  accordance  with  his  arrangement  and 
design.  IT  And  the  bounds  of  their  habita- 
tion. Their  limits,  and  boundaries  as  a 
people.  He  has  designated  the  black  man 
to  Africa ;  the  white  man  to  northern  re- 
gions ,•  the  American  savage  he  fixed  in 
the  wilds  of  the  western  continent,  &c. 
By  customs,  laws,  inclinations,  and  habits, 
he  fixed  the  boundaries  of  their  habita- 
tions, and  disposed  them  to  dwell  there. 
We  may  learn,  (1.)  That  the  revolutions 
and  changes  of  nations  are  under  the  di- 
rection of  infinite  wisdom;  (2.)  That  men 
should  not  be  restless,  and  dissatisfied 
with  the  place  where  God  has  located 
them  ;  (3.)  That  God  has  given  sufficient 
limits  to  all,  so  that  it  is  not  needful  to  in- 
vade others  ;  and,  (4.)  That  wars  of  con- 
quest are  evil.  God  has  given  to  men 
their  places  of  abode,  and  we  have  no 
right  to  disturb  those  abodes,  or  to  attempt 
to  displace  them  in  a  violent  manner 
This  strain  of  remark  by  the  apostle  was 
also  opposed  to  all  trie  notions  of  the  Epi- 
curean philosophers,  and  yetkSO  obviously 
true  and  just,  that  they  could  not  gainsay 
or  resist  it. 

27.  That  they  should  seek  the  Lord.  Gr. 
To  seek  the  Lord.  The  design  of  thus 
placing  them  on  the  earth—of  giving  them 
their  habitation  among  his  works — was, 
that  they  should  contemplate  his  wisdom 
in  his  works,  and  thus  come  to  a  know- 
ledge of  his  existence  and  character.  All 
nations,  though  living  in  different  regions 
and  climates,  have  thus  the  opportunity 
of  becoming  acquainted  with  God.  Rom. 
1.  19,  20.  The  fact,  that  the  nations  did 
not  thus  learn  the  character  of  the  true 
God,  shows  their  great  stupidity  and 
wickedness^  The  design  of  Paul  in  this 
was,  doubtless,  to  reprove  the  idolatry  of 
Uie  Athenians.  The  argument  is  this: 
'  God  has  given  to  each  nation  its  proper 
opportunity  to  learn  his  character.  Idol- 
atry, therefore,  is  folly  and  wickedness; 
since  it  is  po.ssible  to  find  out  the  existence 
of  the  onefiod  from  his  works.'  IT  If  haply. 


him,  and  find  him,  thouf^h  *  he  be 
not  far  from  every  one  of  us  : 

28  For   in  '   him  we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being;  as  ''cer- 


d  a^ays  If  perhaps — implyuig  that  it  was 
possible  to  find  God,  though  it  might  be 
attended  with  some  difficulty.  God  has 
placed  us  here  that  we  may  make  the 
trial ;  and  has  made  it  possible  thus  to 
find  him.  IF  They  might  feel  after  him. 
The  word  used  here  (^vi^atfsiTs.xv)  means 
properly  to  touch,  to  handle  (Luke  xxiv. 
39.  Heb.  xii.  18),  and  then  to  asceriain 
the  qualities  of  an  object  by  the  sense  of 
touch.  And  as  the  sense  of  touch  is  re- 
garded as  a  certain  way  of  ascertaining 
the  existence  and  qualities  of  an  object, 
the  word  means  to  search  diligently,  that 
we  may  know  distinctly  and  certainly. 
The  word  has  this  sense  here.  It  means 
to  search  diligently  and  accurately  for 
God,  to  learn  his  existence  and  perfec- 
tions. The  Syriac  renders  it,  "  that  they 
may  seek  for  God,  and  find  him  from  his 
creatures."  T  And  find  him.  Find  the 
proofs  of  his  existence.  Become  ac- 
quainted with  his  perfections  and  laws. 
IT  Though  he  be  not  far,  &c.  This  seems 
to  be  slated  by  the  apostle  to  show  that 
it  was  possible  to  find  liim  ;  and  that  eve  n 
those  who  were  without  a  revelation, 
need  not  despair  of  becoming  acquainted 
with  his  existence  and  perfections.  He 
is  near  to  us,  (1.)  Because  the  proofs  of 
his  existence  and  power  are  round  about 
us  every  where.  Ps.  xix.  1 — 6.  (2.)  Be- 
cause he  fills  all  things  in  heaven  and 
earth  by  his  essential  presence.  Ps.  cxxxix. 
7—10.  Jer.  xxiii.  23.  24.  Amos  ix.  2—4. 
1  Kings  viii.  27.  We  should  learn  then, 
(1.)  To  be  afraid  to  sin.  God  is  present 
with  us,  and  sees  all.  (2.)  He  can  pro- 
tect the  righteous.  He  is  ever  with  them. 
(3.)  He  can  detect  and  punish  the  wick- 
ed. He  sees  all  their  plans  and  thoughts, 
and  records  all  their  doings.  (4.<  We 
should  seek  him  continually.  It  ij»  the 
design  for  which  he  has  made  us ;  and  he 
has  given  us  abundant  opportunities  to 
learn  his  existence  and  perfections. 

28.  For  in  him  we  live.  The  expression 
"  in  him"  evidently  means  by  him ;  by 
his  originally  forming  us,  and  continually 
sustaining  us.  No  words  can  better  ex- 
press  our  constant  dependence  on  him 
lie  is  the  original  fountain  of  life ;  and 
he  upholds  u?  each  moment.  A  similar 
sentiment  is  found  in  Plautus  (5.  4.  14) 
"  O  Jupiter,  who  dost  cherish  and  noi> 
rish  the  ra^^e  of  njan  ;  bv  whom  we  Hva 


S50 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  54, 


tain  also  cf  your  own  poets  have 

Baid,  For  wo  are  also  his  offspring'. 

29    Forasmuch  tlien  as  we  are 

the  offspring  of  God,  we  ought  not 


and  with  whom  is  the  hope  of  the  life  of 
all  men."  (Kuinoel.)  It  does  not  appear 
nowever  that  Paul  intended  this  as  a 
quotation ;  yet  he  doubtless  intended  to 
Btate  a  sentmient  with  which  they  were 
familiar,  and  with  which  they  would 
agree.  H  A7id  move.  Kti/oi/^s  j».  Dod- 
dridge translates  this,  "  And  are  moved." 
It  may  however  be  in  the  middle  voice, 
and  be  correctly  rendered  as  in  our  ver- 
sion. It  means  that  we  derive  strength 
to  move  from  him ;  an  expression  denot- 
ing constant  and  absolute  dependence. 
There  is  no  idea  of  dependence  more 
striking  than  that  we  owe  to  him  the 
ability  to  perform  the  slightest  motion. 
^  And  have  our  bein^.  Kxi  io-f^ev.  And 
are.  This  denotes  that  our  continued  ex- 
istence is  owing  to  him.  That  we  live  at 
all  is  his  gift;  that  we  have  power  to 
move  is  his  gift ;  and  our  contmued  and 
prolonged  existence  is  his  gift  also.  Thus 
raul  traces  our  dependence  on  Him  from 
the  lowest  pulsation  of  life  to  the  highest 
powers  of  action  and  of  continued  ex- 
istence. It  would  be  impossible  to  ex- 
press in  more  emphatic  language  our 
ontire  dependence  on  God.  H  As  certain 
zlso.  As  some.  The  sentiment  which 
he  quotes  was  found  substantially  m  se- 
veral Greek  }X)ets.  IT  Of  your  own  poets. 
He  does  not  refer  particularly  here  to 
poets  of  Athens,  but  to  Greek  poets — po- 
ets who  had  written  in  their  language. 
IT  For  we  are  also  his  offspring.  l*nis  pre- 
cise expression  is  found  in  Aratus  (Phae- 
nom.  V.  5),  and  in  Cleanthus  in  a  hymn 
to  Jupiter.  Substantially  the  same  senti- 
ment is  found  in  several  other  Greek 
poets.  Aratus  was  a  Greek  poet  of  Cili- 
cia,  the  native  place  of  Paul,  and  flou- 
rished about  277  years  before  ChrisU  As 
Paul  was  a  native  of  the  same  country,  it 
is  highly  probable  he  was  accjuainted  with 
his  writings.  Aratus  passed  much  of  his 
lime  at  the  court  of  Antigonus  Gonatas, 
king  of  Macedonia.  His  principal  work 
was  the  Phenomena,  which  is  here  q  noted , 
and  was  so  highly  esteemed  in  Greece 
that  many  learned  men  wrote  commen- 
taries on  it.  TFie  sentiment  here  quoted 
was  directly  at  variance  wilt  '''^  views 
of  the  Epicureans;  and  it  is  proof  of  Paul's 
address  and  skill,  as  well  as  his  acquaint- 
ance with  his  auditors,  and  with  the 
reek  poets,  that  ho  was  able  tJ  a'lduce 


"to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like 
unto  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  gra» 
ven  by  art  and  man's  device. 
30   And  the  times  of  this  igno- 

5  Isa.40.18,&c. 


a  sentiment  so  directly  in  point,  and  that 
had  the  concurrent  testimony  of  so  many 
of  the  Greeks  themselves.  It  is  one  in- 
stance among  thousands  where  an  ac- 
quaintance with  profane  learning  may  bl 
of  use  to  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

29.  Forasmuch  then.  Admitting  or  as- 
suming this  to  be  true.  The  argjament 
which  follows  is  drawn  from  the  conces- 
sions of  their  own  writers.  H  Wt  ought 
not  to  think.  It  is  absurd  to  suppose.  The 
argument  of  the  apostle  is  this :  '  Since 
we  are  formed  by  God  ;  since  we  are  hke 
him,  Uving  and  intelligent  beings ;  since 
we  are  more  excellent  in  our  nature  than 
the  most  precious  and  ingenious  works 
of  art;  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  the 
original  source  of  our  existence  can  be 
like  gold,  and  silver,  and  stone.  Man 
himself  is  far_  more  excellent  than  an 
image  of  wood  and  stone;  how  much 
more  excellent  still  must  be  the  great 
Fountain  and  Source  of  all  our  wisdom 
and  inteUigence.'  See  this  thought  pur- 
sued at  length  in  Isa.  xl.  18—23.  IF  The 
Godhead.  Th'e  divinity  ij°  ©siov),  the  di- 
vine nature,  or  essence.  The  word  used 
here  is  an  adjective  employed  as  a  noun, 
and  does  not  occur  elsewhere  in  the  New 
Testament.  ^  Is  like  mito  gold,  &^c.  All 
these  things  were  used  in  making  images, 
or  statues  of  the  gods.  It  is  absyrd  to 
think  that  the  source  of  all  life  and  intel- 
ligence resembles  a  lifeless  block  of  wood 
or  stone.  Even  degraded  heathen,  one 
would  think,  might  see  the  force  of  an 
argument  tike  this.  IT  Graven.  Sculp- 
tured ;  wrought  into  an  image. 

30.  And  the  times  of  this  ignorance. 
The  long  period  when  men  were  igno- 
rant of  the  true  God,  and  when  they 
worshipped  stocks  and  stones.  Paul  here 
refers  to  the  times  preceding  the  gospel. 
H  God  winked  at.  'T^rs^ .Jcuv.  Overlooked, 
connived  at;  did  not  come  forth  to  pun- 
ish. In  ch.  xiv.  16,  ii  is  expressed  thus, 
"  Who  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations 
to  walk  in  their  own  ways."  The  sense 
is,  he  passed  over  those  times  without 
punishing  them,  as  if  he  did  not  see  them. 
For  wise  purposes  he  suffered  them  to- 
walk  in  ignorance,  and  to  make  the  fail 
experiment  to  show  what  men  would  do; 
and  how  much  necessity  there  was  for  a 
revelation  to  instruct  them  m  ihe  true 
knowledge  of  God.    Wo  are  not  to  suf 


A.  D.  53.] 


CHAPTER  XVll. 


251 


raiice  God  winked  *  at,  but  now 
»  commandeth  all  ra  en  every  where 
to  repent : 
31  Because  he  hath  appointed 
a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judg-e 
the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that 
man  whom  he  hath  ordained  ;  where- 
of he  hath  given  assurance  '  unto 

aRoi».3.23.  6  Luke  24.47.    Tit.2.11,12. 

Rom.2.I6.  I  or,  offered  faith. 


pose  that  God  regarded  idolatry  as  inno- 
cent, or  the  crimes  and  vices  to  which 
idolatry  led  as  of  no  importance ;  but 
their  ignorance  was  a  mitigating  circum- 
stance, and  he  suffered  the  nations  to  live 
without  coming  forth  in  , direct  judgmeiKt 
against  them.  Comp.  Notes  on  ch.  iii.  IT, 
xiv.  16.  ^  But  noiv  commandeth.  By  the 
gospel.  Luke  xxiv.  47.  %lMl  men.  Not 
Jews  only,  who  had  been  favoured  with 
peculiar  privileges,  but  all  nations.  The 
barrier  was  broken  down,  and  the  call  to 
repentance  was  sent  abroad  into  all  the 
earth.  IF  To  repent.  To  exercise  sorrow 
for  their  sins,  and  to  forsake  them.  If 
God  commands  all  men  to  repent,  we  may 
observe,  (1.)  That  it  is  their  duty  to  do 
it.  There  is  no  higher  obligation  than  to 
obey  the  command  of  God.  (2.)  It  can 
be  done.  God  would  not  command  an 
impossibilit)^  (3.)  It  is  binding  on  all. 
The  rich,  the  learned,  the  great,  the  gay, 
are  as  much  bound  as  the  beggar  and 
the  slave.  There  is  no  distinction  made. 
It  pertains  to  all  people,  in  all  lands.  (4.) 
It  must  be  done,  or  the  soul  lost.  It  is 
not  wise,  and  it  is  not  safe,  to  neglect  a 
plain  law  of  God.  It  will  not  be  well  to 
die  reflecting  that  we  have  all  our  life 
neglected  and  despised  his  plain  com- 
mands. (5.)  We  should  send  the  gospel 
to  the  heathen.  God  calls  on  the  na- 
tions to  repent,  and  to  be  saved.  It  is 
the  duty  of  Christians  to  make  known  to 
ihem  the  command,  and  to  invite  them  to 
Ihe  blessings  of  pardon  and  heaven. 

31.  Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day. 
This  is  given  as  a  reason  why  God  com- 
mands men  to  repent.  They  must  be 
judged  ;  and  if  they  are  not  penitent  and 
pardoned,  they  must  be  condemned.  See 
Note,  Rom.  iL  18.  '^  Judge  the  world.  The 
whole  world — Jews  and  Gentiles.  IT  In 
righteousness.  According  to  the  princi- 
ples of  strict  j  istice.  See  Matt.  xxv. 
'^  Whom  he  hath  ordained.  Or  whom  he 
r.as  constituted  or  appointed  as  judge. 
See  Note,  ch.  x.  42.  John  v.  25.  IT  Hath 
^iven  assurance.  Has  afforded  evidence 
^f  this.    That  evidence  consists,  (1)  In 


all  jnen,  in  that  he  l.ath  raised  hiia 
from  the  dead. 

32  And  when  they  heard  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  '^  some 
mocked :  and  others  said.  We  wiL 
hear  thee  again  *  of  this  maiter. 

33  So  Paul  departed  from  amor-g 
them. 

d  c.26.8.  e  Luke  14.18.  e  24.25. 


the  fact  that  Jesus  declared  that  he  would 
judge  the  nations  (John  v.  25,  26.  Matt, 
xxv.) ;  and,  (2.)  God  confirmed  the  truth 
of  his  declarations  by  raising  him  from 
the  dead,  or  gave  his  sanction  to  what 
the  Lord  Jesus  had  said,  for  God  would 
not  work  a  miracle  in  favour  ot  an  im- 
postor. 

32.  Some  mocked.  Some  of  the  philo- 
sophers derided  him.  It  was  believed  by 
none  of  the  Greeks ;  it  seemed  incredi- 
ble ;  and  they  regarded  it  as  so  absurd  as 
not  to  admit  of  an  argument.  It  has  not 
been  uncommon  for  even  professed  phi- 
losophers to  mock  at  the  doctrines  of  reli- 
gion, and  to  meet  the  arguments  of  Chris- 
tianity with  a  sneer.  The  Epicureans! 
particularly  would  be  likely  to  deride 
this,  as  they  denied  altogether  any  future 
state.  It  is  not  improbable  that  this  deri- 
sion by  the  Epicureans  produced  such  a 
disturbance  as  to  break  off  Paul's  dis- 
course, as  that  of  Stephen  had  been  by 
the  clamour  of  the  Jews.  ch.  vii.  54. 
IT  And  others  said.  Probably  some  of  the 
Stoics.  The  doctrine  of  a  future  state 
was  not  denied  by  them ;  and  the  fact, 
affirmed  by  Paul,  that  one  had  been  rais- 
ed up  from  the  dead,  would  appear  more 
plausible  to  them,  and  it  might  be  a  mat- 
ter worth  inquiry  to  ascertain  w^hether 
the  alleged  fact  did  not  furnish  a  new 
argument  for  their  views.  They,  there- 
fore, proposed  to  examine  this  further  at 
some  future  time.  That  the  inquiry  waa 
prosecuted  any  further  does  not  appear 
probable,  for,  (1.)  No  church  was  or 
ganized  at  Athens.  (2.)  There  is  no  ac 
count  of  any  future  interview  with  Paul. 
(3.)  He  departed  almost  immediately  from 
them.  ch.  xviii.  1.  Men  who  defer  in- 
quiry on  the  subject  of  religion,  seldom 
find  the  favourable  period  arrive.  Those 
who  propose  to  examine  its  doctrines  at 
a  future  time,  often  do  it  to  avoid  the 
inconvenience  of  becoming  Christiana 
now;  and  as  a  plausible  and  easy  way^^ 
of  rejecting  the  gospel  altogether,  with-'iiL 
out  appearing  to  be  rude,  or  to  give  cf 
fence 


'<i6-J 


34  Hotvbeit  certain  men  clave 
»into  him,  and  believed :  among 
f.he  which  was  Dionysius  the  Areo- 
paaite,  and  a  woman  named  Da- 
mans, and  others  with  them. 


THE  AOT!S.  [A.  D.  53. 

CHAPTER  XVni. 
A  FTER  these    things,  Paul  de- 
■^-^  parted  from  Athens,  and  came 
to  Corinth: 

2  And  found  a  certain  Jew  named 


33.  So  Paul  departed.  Seeing  there 
was  little  hope  of  saving  them,  ft  was 
not  his  custom  to  labour  long  in  a  barren 
field,  or  to  preach  where  there  was  no 
prospect  of  success 

34.  Clave  unto  Jam.  Adhered  to  him 
fir.'^ly ;  embraced  the  Christian  religion. 
^  Dionysius.  Nothing  more  is  certainly 
known  of  this  man  than  is  here  stated. 
IT  The  Areopagite.  Connected  with  the 
court  of  Areopagus,  but  in  what  way  is 
not  known.  It  is  probable  that  he  was 
cnc  of  the  judges.  The  conversion  of 
oite  man  was  worth  the  labour  of  Paul. 
And  the  secret  influence  of  that  conver- 
Kion  might  have  had  an  extensive  influ- 
ence on  others. 

In  regard  to  this  interesting  account  of 
the  visit  of  Paul  to  Athens — probably  the 
only  one  which  he  made  to  that  splendid 
capital — we  may  remark,  (1.)  That  he 
was  indefatigable  and  constant  in  his 
great  work.  (2.)  Christians,  amidst  the 
splendour  and  gayeties  of  such  cities, 
should  have  their  hearts  deeply  affected 
in  view  of  the  moral  desolations  of  the 
people.  (3.)  They  should  be  willing  to  do 
their  duty,  and  to  bear  witness  to  the 
[lure  and  simple  gospel  in  the  prpjence 
of  the  great  and  the  noble.  (4.)  They 
should  not  consider  it  their  main  business 
to  admire  splendid  temples,  and  statues, 
and  paintings — the  works  of  art ;  but  their 
main  business  should  be,  to  do  good  as 
they  may  have  opportunity.  (5.)  A  dis- 
course, even  in  the  midst  of  much  wick- 
edness, and  idolatry,  may  be  calm  and 
dignified ;  not  an  appeal  merely  to  the 
passions,  but  to  the  understanding.  Paul 
reasoTKd  with  the  philosophers  of  Athens ; 
he  did  not  denounce  them;  he  endea- 
voured calrnly  to  convince  them,  not 
harshly  to  censure  them.  (G.)  The  ex- 
ample of  Paul  is  a  good  one  for  all  Chris- 
tians. In  all  places — cities,  town.s,  or 
country;  amidst  all  people — philo.sophers, 
and  the  rich,  and  the  poor;  among  friends 
•jnd  countrymen,  or  among  strangers  and 
fIjrrMgners,  the  great  ol)jf'ct  should  l>e  to 
ilo  good,  U>  instruct  mankind,  and  to  seek 
(o  elevate  the  human  character,  and  j)ro- 
te  human  •ha[)pinf'S8,  by  dilfusing  the 

iM  n».d  [lure  jirccepLe  of  the  gos[K;l 
ri»t. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

I  A/ier  these  things.  After  what  oc- 
curred at  Athens,  as  recorded  in  the  pre- 
vious chapter.  ^  Came  to  Corinth.  Co- 
rinth was  the  capital  of  Achaia,  called 
anciently  Ephyra,  and  was  seated  on  the 
isthmus  which  divides  the  Peloponnesua 
from  Attica.  The  city  itself  stood  on  a 
little  island ;  it  had  two  ports,  Lechseum 
on  the  west,  and  Cenchrea  on  the  east, 
^was  one  of  the  most  populous  and 
wealthy  cities  of  Greece ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  one  of  the  most  luxurious, 
effeminate,  pitud,  ostentatious,  and  disso- 
lute. Lasciviousness  here  was  not  only 
practised  and  allowed,  but  was  conse 
crated  by  the  worship  of  \'enus;  and  no. 
small  part  of  the  wealth  and  splendour 
of  the  city  arose  from  the  offerings  made 
by  licentious  passion  in  the  very  temples 
of  this  goddess.  IS'o  city  of  ancient  times 
was  more  profligate.  It  was  the  Paris  ol 
antiquity;  the  seat  of  splendour,and  show 
and  corruption.  Yet  even  here,  notwith- 
standing all  the  disadvantages  of  splen- 
dour, gayety,  and  dissoluteness,  Paul  en- 
tered on  the  work  of  rearing  a  church , 
and  here  he  was  eminently  successful. 
The  two  epistles  which  he  afterwards 
wrote  to  this  church  show  the  extent  of 
his  success  ;  and  the  well-known  charac- 
ter and  propensities  of  the  people  will 
account  for  the  general  drift  of  the  admo- 
nitions and  arguments  in  those  epistles. 
Corinth  was  destroyed  by  the  Romans  146 
years  before  Christ;  and  during  the  con- 
flagration, several  metals  in  a  fused  state 
running  together,  produced  the  compoei- 
tion  known  as  Corinthian  brass.  It  was 
afterwards  restored  by  Julitis  Cffisar,  who 
planted  in  it  a  Roman  colony.  It  soon 
regained  its  ancient  splendour,  and  soon 
relapsed  into  its  former  dissipation  and 
licentiousness,  Paul  arrived  there  A.  D 
52  or  53. 

2.  And  found  a  certain  Jew.  Aquilais 
elsewhere  mentioned  as  the  friend  of 
Paul.  Rom.  xvi.3.  2  Tim.  iv.  19.  1  Cor 
xvi.  19.  Though  a  Jew  by  birth,  yet  it 
is  evident  tiial  he  became  a  convert  to 
the  Christian  faith.  H  Horn  in  Pontns. 
Note,  cii.  ii.  9.  11  lyifeli/come  from  Italy 
Tiiough  the  command  of  Claudius  ex. 
tended  only  to  Rome  yet  it  was  probabh 


A..  D.  54. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


•25? 


"'  Aquila,  born  in  Pontua,  lately- 
come  from  Italy,  with  his  wife 
Priscilla;  "(because  that  Claudius 
had  commanded  all  Jews  to  depart 
from  Rome  ;)  and  came  unto  them. 
3  And  because  he  was  of  the 
8amo  craft,  he   abode  with   them, 

a  Rom.  16.3. 


Jeemed  not  safe  to  remain,  or  it  might 
43ve  been  difficult  to  procure  occupation 
in  any  part  of  Italy.  IT  Beeause  that 
Claudius.  Claudius  was  the  Roman  em- 
peror. He  commenced  his  reign  A.  D. 
41,  and  was  poisoned  A.  D.  54.  At  what 
time  in  his  reign  this  command  was  is- 
sued is  not  certainly  known.  H  Had  com- 
manded, &c.  This  command  is  not  men- 
tioned by  Josephus  ;  but  it  is  recorded  by 
Suetonius,  a  Roman  historian  (Life  of 
Claudius,  eh.  25),  who  says,  that  "  he  ex- 
pelled the  Jews  from  Rome,  who  were 
constantly  exciting  tumults  under  their 
leader,  Chrestus."  Wlio  tl.is  Chrestus 
>vas,  is  not  known.  It  might  have  been  a 
foreign  Jew,  who  raised  tumults  on  some 
occasion  of  which  we  have  no  know- 
ledge ;  as  the  Jews  in  all  heathen  cities 
were  greatly  prone  to  excitements  and 
insurrections.  Or  it  7nay  be  that  Sueto- 
tiius.^itlle  acquainted  with  Jewish  atfairs, 
mistook  this  for  the  name  Christ,  and 
supposed  that  he  was  the  leader  of  the 
Jews.  This  explanation  has  much  plau- 
sibility ;  for,  (1.)  Suetonius  could  scarcely 
be  supposed  to  be  intimately  acquainted 
with  the  affairs  of  the  Jews.  (2.)  There 
IS  every  reason  to  believe,  that  before 
this,  the  Christian  religion  was  preached 
at  Rome  (3.)  It  would  produce  there, 
as  every  where  else,  great  tumult  and 
contention  among  the  Jews.  (4.)  Clau- 
dius, the  emperor,  might  suppose  that 
such  tumults  endangered  the  peace  of 
the  city,  and  resolve  to  remove  the  cause 
at  once  by  the  dispersion  of  all  the  Jews. 
(5.)  A  Roman  historian  might  easily  mis- 
take the  true  state  of  the  case  ;  and  while 
tHae>  were  contending  about  Christ,  he 
might  suppose  that  it  was  under  him,  as 
a  leader,  that  these  tumults  were  excited. 
Ail  that  IS  material,  however,  here,  is 
Ihe  fact,  in  which  Luke  and  Suetonius 
agree,  that  the  Jews  were  expelled  from 
Rome  during  his  reign. 

3.  The  same  croft.  Of  the  same  trade, 
or  occupation.  *\  And  wrought.  And 
worked  at  that  occupation,  ^\hy  he  did 
It,  the  historian  d(^s  not  affirm  ;  but  it 
seems  pretty  evident  that  it  was  because 
he  had  no  other  means  of  maintenance. 


and  ^  wrought :    for  by  tneir  oco 
pation  they  were  tent-makers. 

4  And  he  reasoned  in  tho'  syna- 
g-og-ue  every  sabbath,  and  persuaded 
the  Jews  and  the  Greeks. 

5  And  when  '^  Silas  and  Timo 
theus  were  come  from  Macedonia 

ic.20.34.        ic.n.2.        dc.17.14,16. 


He  also  laboured  for  his  own  support  in 
Ephesus  (Acts  xx.  34),  and  also  at  Thes- 
salonica.  2  Thess.  iii  9, 10.  The  apostle 
was  not  ashamed  of  honest  industry  for 
a  livelihood  ;  nor  did  he  deem  it  any  dis- 
paragement that  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
should  labour  with  his  own  hands. 
II  For  hy  their  occupation.  By  their 
trade  ;  that  is,  they  had  been  brought  up 
to  this  business.  Paul  had  been  de- 
signed originally  for  a  lawyer,  and  had 
been  brought  up  at  the.  feet  of  Gamaliel. 
But  it  was  a  regular  custom  among  the 
Jews  to  train  up  their  sons  to  some  use- 
ful employment,  that  they  might  have 
the  means  of  an  honest  livelihood. 
Even  though  they  were  trained  up  to 
the  liberal  sciences,  yet  they  deemed  a 
handicraft  trade,  or  some  honourable  oc- 
cupation, an  indispensable  part  of  educa- 
tion. Thus  Maimonides  (in  the  Tract 
Talmud.  Tora,  c.  i.  §  9)  says,  that  "  the 
wise  generally  practise  some  of  the  arts, 
lest  they  should  be  dependent  on  the 
charity  of  others."  See  Grotius.  The 
w  isdom  of  this  is  obvious ;  and  it  xa 
equally  plain  that  a  custom  of  this  kind 
now  might  preserve  the  health  and  lives 
of  many  professional  men,  and  save  from 
ignoble  dependence  or  vice,  in  future 
years,  many  who  are  trained  up  in  the 
lap  of  indulgence  and  wealth.  IT  They 
were  tent-makers.  Xy.y,va7rclo!.  There 
have  been  various  opinions  about  the 
meaning  of  this  word.  Many  have  sup* 
posed  that  it  denotes  a  weaver  of  tapestry, 
Luther  thus  translated  it.  But  it  is  proba 
ble  that  it  denotes,  as  in  our  translation,  a 
manufacture!  of  tents,  made  of  skin,  or 
cloth.  In  eastern  countries,  where  there 
was  much  travel ;  where  there  were  no 
inns ;  and  w  here  many  were  shepherds, 
such  a  business  might  be  useful,  and  a 
profitable  source  of  living.  It  was  so 
honourable  occupation^  and  Paul  was 
nDt  ashamed  to  be  employed  in  it. 

4.  And  he  reasoned,  &/c.  Note,  cb 
xvii.  2. 

5.  And  when  Silas  and  Tiinotheus,  &jt> 
They  came  to  Paul  according  to  his  re 
quest,  which  he  had  sent  by  the  brelhroB 
who  accompanied   him    from  Theswalo 


254 


THE  ACTS. 


i  A.  1)    5'^. 


i^..  >  as  pressed  in  spirit,  ano  tes- 
tified 0  the  Jews  that  Jesus  *  was 
Christ, 

6  And  when  they  opposed  "  them- 
selves, and  blasphemed,  he  shook'' 
his  raiment,  and  said  unto  them, 
Your  *=  blood  be  upon  your  own 
heads :  I  am  clean :  from  hence- 
forth 1  will  go  unto  the  Gentiles. 

7  And  he  departed  thence,  and 
entered  into  a  certain  maw's  house, 
named  Justus,  o?ie  that  worshipped 

I  or,  is  the  Christ.  a  2Tim.2.25.  fc  Neh.5.13. 

c  Ezek.33.4. 

nica.  ch.  xvii.  15.  IT  Paul  wan  pressed. 
Was  urgfid  ;  was  borne  away  by  an  un- 
usual impulse.  It  was  deeply  impressed 
on  him  as  his  duty.  IT  In  spirit.  In  his 
min'd,  in  his  feelings.  His  love  to  Christ 
was  so  great,  and  his  conviction  of  the 
truth  so  strong,  that  he  laboured  to  make 
known  to  them  the  truth  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah  IF  That  Jesus  was  Christ. 
'i'!.  ii  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  Messiah. 
Coir  p.  ch.  xvii.  16.  Ihe  presence  of  Si- 
las and  Timothy  animated  him  ;  and  the 
certainty  of  aid  in  his  work  urged  him  to 
zeal  in  making  known  the  Saviour. 

G.  And  v)he7i  thejj  opposed  themselves. 
To  him  and  his  message.  IT  A7)d  blas- 
phemed. Note,  ch.  xiii.  45.  H  He  shook 
his  raiment.  As  an  expre.?sive  act  of 
shaking  off"  the  guilt  of  their  condemna- 
tion. Comp.  ch.  xiii.  45.  He  shook  his 
raiment  to  show  that  he  was  resolved 
Henceforward  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
them ;  perhaps,  also,  to  express  the  fact 
that  God  would  soon  shake  them  off",  or 
reject  them.  {Doddridge.)  1i  Yotir  blood, 
&.C.  The  guilt  of  your  destruction  is 
your  own.  You  on-ly  are  the  cause  of 
the  destruction  that  is  coming  upon  you. 
See  Note  on  Matt,  xxvii.  25.  IT  /  am 
dean.  I  am  not  to  blame  for  your  de- 
struction. I  have  done  my  duty-  The 
gospel  had  been  fairly  offered,  iind  deli- 
berately rejected  ;  and  Paul  was  not  to 
blame  for  their  ruin,  which  he  saw  was 
coming  upon  them.  H  I  will  go,  &c.  See 
ch.  xiii.  40. 

7.  A  certain  man's  house.  Probably 
ae  had  become  a  convert  to  the  Christian 
faith.  IT  Joined  hard.  Was  near  to  the 
synagogue 

8.  And  Crispns.  He  is  mentioned  in 
1  Ojr.  i.  14,  as  having  been  one  of  the 
few  whom  Paul  baptized  with  hi.s  own 
nanils  'i'ho  (inversion  of  such  a  man 
must  iinve  trnde.!   creatly  to  exasperate 


God,  whose  house  joined  hard  ti 
the  synagogue. 

8  And  ''  Crispus,  the  chief  rulei 
of  the  synagogue,  believed  on  the 
Lord,  with  all  his  house  :  and  m-awy 
of  the  Corinthians  hearing,  believed, 
and  were  baptized. 

9  Then  spake  the  Lord  to  Paul 
in  the  night  by  a  vision.  Be  not 
afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy 
peace : 

10  For  1  *  am  with  thee,  and  no 

d  lCor.1.14.         e  Matt.2S.20. 


the  other  Jews,  and  to  further  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Christian  faith  among  the 
Corinthians.  ^  With  all  his  house.  With 
all  his  family,  ch.  x.  2.  IF  And  many 
of  the  Corinthians.  Many  even  in  this 
voluptuous  and  wicked  city.  Perhaja 
the  power  of  the  gospel  was  never  more 
signal  than  in  converting  sinners  in  Co- 
rinth, and  rearing  a  Christian  church  in 
a  place  so  dissolute  and  abandoned.  If 
it  was  adapted  to  such  a  place  as  Co- 
rinth;  if  a  church,  under  the  power  of 
Christian  truth,  could  be  organized  there ; 
it  is  adapted  to  any  city;  and  there  is 
none  so  corrupt  that  the  gospel  c^not 
change  and  purify  it. 

9.  By  a  vision.  Comp.  Note,ch.ix.  10' 
xvi.  9.^  Be  not  a/raid.  Perhaps,  Pau 
might  have  been  intimidated  by  the 
learning,  refinement,  and  splendour  of 
Corinth  ;  perhaps,  embarras.«;ed  in  view 
of  hio  duty  of  addres.sing  the  rich,  the 
polite,  and  the  great.  To  this  he  may  al- 
lude in  1  Cor.  ii.  3:  "And  I  was  with 
you  in  weakness,  and  in  fear,  and  in 
much  trembling."  In  such  circumstances 
it  pleased  God  to  meet  him,  and  disarm 
his  fears.  This  he  did  by  assuring  him 
of  success.  The  fact  that  God  had  much 
people  in  that  city  (ver.  10),  was  employ- 
ed to  remove  his  apprehensions.  The 
prospect  of  success  in  the  mmistry,  and 
the  certainty  of  the  prcpence  of  God,  will 
take  away  the  fear  of  the  rich,  the  learn 
ed,  and  the  great. 

10.  For  lam  with  thee.  I  will  attend, 
ble-ss,  and  protect  you  See  Note,  Mall 
xxviii.  20.  IT  No  man  shall  set  on  thee. 
No  one  who  shall  rise  up  aeainKt  thee 
Bhall  be  ai)lo  to  hurt  ihce  Hia  life  was 
in  God's  hands,  and  he  would  preservo 
him,  in  order  that  his  people  mipht  be 
collertod  into  the  church.  If  For  i  have. 
Gr.  There  is  to  me ;  i  e.  I  |K)sse88,  oi 
there    belongs    to   me.    1l   Much  peoph 


A..  I).  5G.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


25f 


man  shall  set  on  thee  t-  Inirt  thee  : 
for  I  liavo  much  people  in  this  city. 

11  And  he  '  continued  there  a 
year  and  six  months,  teaching  the 
word  of  God  among-  them. 

12  And  when  Gallio  was  the  de- 
nuty  of  Achaia,  the  Jews  made  in- 


Many  who  should  be  regarded  as  his 
true  friends,  and  who  should  be  saved. 
V.  hi  this  lity.  In  that  very  city  that  was 
so  voluptuous  ;  so  rich  ;  so  effeminate  ; 
and  where  there  had  been  already  so  de- 
cided opposition  shown  to  the  gospel. 
This  passage  evidently  means  that  God 
had  a  design  or  purpose  to  save  many  of 
that  people.  For  it  was  given  to  Paul  as 
an  encouragement  to  him  to  labour  there, 
evidently  meaning  that  God  would  grant 
him  success  in  his  work.  It  cannot  mean 
that  the  Lord  meant  to  say  that  the  great 
mass  of  the  people,  or  that  the  moral  and 
virtuous  part,  if  there  were  any  such, 
was  then  regarded  as  his  people ;  but  that 
he  intended  to  convert  many  of  those 
guilty  and  profligate  Corinthians  to  him- 
self, and  to  gather  a  people  for  his  own 
service  there.  We  may  learn  from  this, 
(I.)  That  God  has  a  purpose  in  regard  to 
the  salvation  of  sinners.  (2.)  That  that 
purpose  is  so  fixed  in  the  mind  of  God 
that  he  can  say  that  those  in  relation  to 
whom  it  is  formed  are  his.  There  is  no 
chffnce ;  no  hap-hazard  ;  no  doubt  in  re- 
gal J  to  his  gathering  them  to  himself 
(3.)  This  is  the  ground  of  encouragement 
to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Had  God 
no  parpose  to  save  sinners,  they  could 
have  no  hope  in  their  work.  (4.)  This 
plan  may  have  reference  to  the  most  gay, 
and  guilty,  and  abandoned  population ; 
and  ministers  should  not  be  deterred  by 
the  amount  or  the  degree  of  wickedness 
from  attempting  to  save  them.  (5.)  There 
may  be  more  hope  of  success  among  a 
dissolute  and  profligate  population,  than 
among  proud,  and  cold,  and  skeptical 
philosophers.  Paul  had  little  success  in 
philosophic  Athens  ;  he  had  great  success 
in  dissolute  Corinth.  There  is  often 
more  hope  of  converting  a  man  operdj^ 
dissolute  and  abandoned,  than  one  who 
prides  himself  on  his  philosophy,  and  is 
confident  in  his  own  wisdom. 

11.  And  he  continued,  &c.  Paul  was 
Mot  accustomed  to  remain  long  in  a  place. 
At  Ephesus,  indeed,  he  remained  three 
jrears  (Acts  xx.  31) ;  and  his  slay  at  Co- 
hnth  was  caused  by  his  success,  and  by 
«he  necessity  of  placing  a  church,  collect-  j 


surrection  with  one  accord  against 
Paul,  and  brought  him  to  the  judo-- 
ment-seat,  " 

13  Saying,  This  fellow  persuad- 
eth  men  to  worship  God  contrary 
to  the  law. 

14  And  when   Paul   was   now 


ed  out  of  such  corrupt,  and  dissolute  ma 
terials,  on  a  firm  foundation. 

12.  And  Gallio.  After  the  Romans  had 
conquered  Greece,  they  reduced  it  to. 
two  provinces,  Macedonia  and  Achaia, 
which  were  each  governed  by  a  procon- 
sul. Gallio  was  the  brother  of  the  cele- 
brated philosopher  Seneca,  and  was  made 
proconsul  of  Achaia  A.  D.  53.  His  proper 
name  was  Marcus  Annsus  Novatus,  but 
having  been  adopted  into  the  family  of 
Gallio,  a  rhetorician,  he  took  his  name. 
He  is  described  by  ancient  writers  as 
having  been  of  a  remarkably  mild  and 
amiable  disposition.  His  brother  Seneca 
(Prasf  Quest.  Natu.  4)  describes  himliis 
being  of  the  most  lovely  temper :  "  No 
mortal,"  says  he,  "  v.'as  ever  so  mild  to 
any  one,  as  he  was  to  all ;  and  in  him 
there  was  such  a  natural  power  of  good- 
ness, that  there  was  no  semblance  of  art 
or  dissimulation."  ^  Was  deputy.  See 
this  word  explained  in  Acts  xiii.  7.  It 
means  here  proconsul.  %  Of  Achaia 
This  word,  in  its  largest  sense,  compre 
bended  the  whole  of  Greece  Achaia 
proper,  however,  was  a  province  of  which 
Corinth  was  the  capital.  It  embraced 
that  part  of  Greece  lying  between  Thes- 
saly  and  the  southern  part  of  the  Pelo- 
ponnesus. IT  The  Jews  made  hisurreclion. 
Excited  a  tumult,  as  they  had  in  Philippi, 
Antioch,  &c.  IT  Ajid  brought  him  to  the 
judgment-seat.  The  tribunal  of  Gallio ; 
probably  intending  to  arraign  him  as  a 
disturber  of  the  peace. 

13.  Contrary  to  the  law.  Evidently  in- 
tending contrary  to  all  law — the  laws  of 
the  Romans  and  of  the  Jews.  It  was 
permitted  to  the  Jews  to  worship  God  ac- 
cording to  their  own  views  in  Greece  ; 
but  they  could  easily  pretend  that  Paul 
had  departed  from  that  mode  of  worship- 
ping God.  It  was  easy  for  them  to  main- 
tain that  he  taught  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
the  Romans,  and  their  acknowledged  re- 
ligion ;  and  their  design  seems  to  have 
been  to  accuse  him  of  teaching  men  to 
worship  God  in  an  unlawful  and  irregular 
way,  a  way  unknown  to  any  of  the  laws 
of  the  empire. 

14.  About  to  open  his  mouth.     In  self 


2.3b 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  5b 


about  to  open  his  mouth,  Galiio  said 
unto  the  Jews,  If  it  were  a  matter 
of  wrong,  or  wicked  lewdness,  O  ye 
Jews,  «  reason  would  that  I  should 
bear  with  yo  j : 

15    But  jf  it  be  a  question   of 

a  Rom. 13.0. 

defence,  ever  ready  to  vindicate  his  con- 
act.  IF  A  matter  af  wrong.  Injustice,  or 
»yime,  such  as  couid  be  properly  brought 
before  a  court  of  justice.  IT  Or  wicked 
/euxiness.  Any  flagrant  and  gross  offence. 
The  word  used  here  occurs  nowhere  else 
in  the  New  Testament.  It  denotes  pro- 
perly an  act  committed  by  him  who  is 
Bkilled,  facile,  or  an  adept  in  iniquity — 
an  act  of  a  veteran  offender.  Such  crimes 
Galiio  was  willing  to  take  cognizance  of 
IF  Reason  would,  &c.  Greek,  '  I  would 
bear  with  you  according  to  reason.' 
There  would  be  propriety  or  fitness  in  my 
hearing  and  trying  the  case.  That  is,  it 
would  fall  within  the  sphere  of  my  duty, 
as^ppoiiited  to  guard  the  peace,  and  to 
[yunish  crimes. 

15.  Ofvwrds.  A  dispute  about  t»or<?s, 
for  such  he  would  regard  all  their  con- 
troversies about  religion  to  be.  IF  And 
names.  Probably  he  had  heard  something 
of  the  nature  of^  the  controversy,  and  un- 
derstood it  to  be  a  dispute  about  names, 
I.  e.  whether  Jesus  was  to  be  called  the 
Messiah  or  not.  To  him  this  would  ap- 
pear as  a  matter  pertaining  to  the  Jews 
alone,  and  to  be  ranked  with  their  other 
disputes  arising  from  the  diflerence  of  sect 
and  name.  1l  Of  your  law.  A  question 
resjiecting  the  proper  interpretation  of  the 
law,  or  the  rites  and  ceremonies  which  it 
commanded.  The  Jews  had  many  such 
disputes,  and  Galiio  did  not  regard  them 
as  coming  under  his  cognizance  as  a  ma- 
gistrate. IF  Look  ye  to  it.  Judge  this 
among  yourselves,-  settle  the  difliculty  as 
yon  can.  Comp.  John  xviii.  ol.  IF  For  I 
will  he  710  judge  <tc  I  do  not  regard  such 
questions  as  pertaining  to  my  office,  or 
deem  myself  called  on  to  settle  them. 

IG.  And  he  drave  them,  &c.  He  refused 
to  hear  and  decide  the  controversy.  He 
commandAl  them  to  depart  from  the 
court.  The  word  used  here  docs  not  de- 
note that  there  was  any  violence  used  by 
(iallio,  but  merely  that  he  dismissed  them 
in  an  aulhorilalive  manner. 

17.  Then  all  the  (i reeks.  The  Greeks 
who  had  witnessed  the  persecution  of 
Paul  by  the  Jews,  and  who  had  seen  the 
tumult  which  tlioy  hnd  excited.  H  Taok 
^ns/Jienex,  &.c.    An  he  was  the  ciiief  ruler 


w^ords  and  names,  and  of  your  law 
*  look  ye  to  it ;  for  I  will  be  na 
judge  of  such  mutters. 

IG  And  he  drave  them  from  thfl 
judgment-seat. 

17    Then   all   the    Greeks   toot 

I  Jdo.  18.31.  c.23.29;  25.11,19. 


of  the  synagogue,  he  had  probably  beer 
a  leader  in  the  opposition  to  Paul,  and  ir^ 
the  prosecution.  Indignant  at  the  Jews 
at  their  bringing  such  questions  beforf 
the  tribunal ;  at  then  bigotry,  and  rage 
and  conlentious  spirit,  they  probably  ieW 
upon  him  in  a  tumultuous  and  disorderly 
manner  as  he  was  leaving  the  tribunal 
The  Greeks  would  feel  no  small  measure 
of  indignation  at  these  disturbers  of  the 
public  peace,  and  they  took  this  opportu- 
nity to  express  their  rage.  IF  And  beal 
him.  tTU5TTov.  This  word  is  not  thai 
which  is  commonly  used  to  denote  a  ju 
dicial  act  of  scourging.  It  probably  meanf 
that  they  fell  upon  him,  and  beat  Kim  witb 
their  fists,  or  with  whatever  was  at  hand 
IF  Before  the  judgment- seat.  Probablj 
while  leaving  the  tribunal.  Instead  ol 
"Greeks"  in  this  verse,  some  MSS.  read 
"  Jews,"  but  the  former  is  probably  the 
true  reading.  The  Syriac,  Arabic,  and 
Coptic  read  it  "  the  Gentiles."  It  is  pro- 
bable that  this  Sosthenes  afterwards  be^ 
came  a  convert  to  the  Christian  faith,  ana 
a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  See  1  Cor.  i. 
1,  2,  "  Paul,  and  ISosthenes  our  brother 
unto  the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Co- 
rinth." IF  And  Galiio  cared,  &c.  This 
has  been  usually  charged  on  Galiio  as  a 
matter  of  reproach,  as  if  he  w  ere  wholly 
indifferent  to  religion.  But  the  charge  in 
unjustly  made  ;  and  his  name  is  often  most 
improperly  used  to  represent  the  indifle- 
rent,  the  wor'dly,  the  careless,  and  the 
skeptical.  Bui  "by  the  testimony  of  an 
cient  writers,  he  was  a  most  mild  and 
amiable  man;  and  an  upright  and  just 
judge.  Ps'or  is  there  the  least  evidence 
that  he  was  indifferent  to  the  religion  of 
his  country,  or  that  he  was  of  a  thought- 
less and  skeptical  turn  of  mind.  All  that 
this  passage  inr,)lics  is,  (1.)  That  he  did 
not  deem  it  to  be  his  duty,  or  a  part  of  bin 
offlce,  to  settle  questions  of  a  theological 
nature  that  were  «tarlcd  among  the  Jews. 
(2.)  That  he  was  unwilling  to  make  this 
Buijject  a  matter  of  legal  discussion  and 
investigation.  (:i)  That  he  would  not  in- 
terfere, either  on  one  side  or  the  other,  in 
the  (piostion  about  making  proselytei 
eilh'?r  to  or  from  Judaism.  So  far  certain- 
ly his  cundiict  was  exemplary  aad  pro|ier 


A.  D.  56.] 


CHAPTER  XVIil. 


2b'' 


Sosthenes,  the  chief  ruler  of  the 
synaj^ogue,  and  beat  hi?7i  before  the 
judgment-seat.  And  Gallic  cared 
for  none  of  those  things. 


f4 )  That  he  did  not  choose  to  interpose, 
and  rescue  Sosthenes  from  the  hands  of 
the  znob.  From  some  cause  he  was  will- 
ing that  he  should  feel  the  effecta  of  the 
public  indignation.  Perhaps  it  was  not 
easy  to  quell  the  riot;  perhaps,  he  was 
not  unwilling  that  he  who  had  jomed  in 
a  furious  and  unprovoked  persecution, 
should  feel  the  effect  of  it  in  the  excited 
passions  of  the  people.  At  all  events,  he 
was  but  following  the  common  practice 
among  the  Romans,  which  was  to  regard 
the  Jews  with  contempt,  and  to  care  little 
how  much  they  were  exposed  to  popular 
fury  and  rage.  In  this  he  was  wrong ; 
and  it  is  certain  also  that  he  was  indiffer- 
ent to  the  disputes  between  Jews  and 
Christians;  but  there  is  no  propriety  m 
defaming  his  name,  and  makmg  him  the 
type  and  representative  of  all  the  thought- 
less and  indifferent  men  on  the  subject 
of  religion  in  subsequent  times.  Nor  is 
there  propriety  in  using  this  passage  as  a 
text  as  applicable  to  this  class  of  men. 

18.  And  sailed  thence  into  Syria.  Or 
set  sail  for  Syria.  His  design  was  to  go 
to  Jerusalem  to  the  festival  which  was 
soon  to  occur,  ver.  21.  H  Having  shorn 
his  head.  Many  interpreters  ha\e  sup- 
posed that  this  refers  to  Aquila,  and  not  to 
Paul.  But  the  connexion  evidently  re- 
quires us  to  understand  it  of  Paul,  though 
the  Greek  construction  does  not  with  cer- 
tainty determine  to  which  it  refers.  The 
Vulgate  refers  it  to  Aquila,  the  Syriac  to 
Paul.  IT  In  Cenchrea.  Cenchrea  was  the 
eastern  port  of  C'jrinth.  A  church  was 
formed  in  that  place.  Rom.  xvi.  1.  IT  For 
he  had  a  vow.  A  vow  is  a  solemn  promise 
made  to  God  respecting  any  thing.  The 
use  of  vows  is  observable  throughout 
the  Scripture.  Jacob  going  into  Mesopo- 
tamia, vowed  the  tenth  of  his  estate,  and 
prorh:sed  to  offer  it  at  Bethel  to  the  honour 
of  God.  Gen.  xxviii.  22.  Mos^s  made 
many  regulations  in  regard  to  vows.  A 
man  might  devote  himself  or  his  children 
to  the  Lord.  He  might  devote  any  part  of 
feis  time  or  property  to  his  service.  The 
vow  they  were  required  sacredly  to  ob- 
serve (Dent,  xxiii.  21,  22),  except  in  cer- 
tain specified  cases  they  were  permitted 
to  redeem  that  which  had  been  thus  de- 
voted. The  most  remarkable  vov-  among 
the  Jews  was  that  of  the  Nazar  te ;  by 
Y  3 


18  And  Paul  after  this  tarried 
there  yet  a  good  while,  and  thci? 
took  his  leave  of  tlie  brethren,  ano 
sailed  thence  into  Syria,  and  with 


which  a  man  made  a  solemn  promJse  to 
God  to  abstain  from  wine,  and  all  intoxicat- 
ing liquors,  to  let  the  hair  grow,  and  not 
to  enter  any  house  polluted  by  having  a 
dead  body  in  it,  or  to  attend  any  funeral. 
This  vow  generally  lasted  eight  days, 
sometimes  a  month,  sometimes  during  a 
definite  period  fixed  by  themselves,  and 
sometimes  during  their  whole  lives. 
When  the  vow  expired,  the  priest  made 
an  offering  of  a  he-lamb  for  a  burnt-offer- 
ing, a  she-lamb  for  an  expiatory  sacrifice, 
and  a  ram  for  a  peace-offering.  The 
priest  then,  or  some  other  person,  shaved 
the  head  of  the  Nazarite  at  the  door  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  burnt  the  hair  on  the 
fire  of  the  altar.  Those  who  made  the 
vow  out  of  Palestine,  and  who  could  not 
come  to  the  temple  when  the  vow  was 
expired,  contented  them.selves  with  ob- 
serving the  abstinence  required  by  the 
law,  and  cutting  off  the  hai4-  where  they 
were.  This  I  suppose  to  have  been  the 
case  with  Paul.  His  hair  he  cut  off  at  the 
expiration  of  the  vow  at  Cenchrea,  though 
he  delayed  to  perfect  the  vow  by  the  pro- 
per ceremonies  until  he  reached  Jerusa- 
lem. Acts  xxi.  23.  24.  Why  Paul  made 
this  vow,  or  on  what  occasion,  the  sacred 
historian  has  not  informed  us,  and  con 
jecture  perhaps  is  useless.  We  may  ob 
serve,  however,  (1.)  That  it  was  common 
for  the  Jews  to  m^e  such  vows  to  God, 
as  an  expression  W  gratitude  or  of  devo- 
tedness  to  his  service,  when  they  had  been 
raised  up  from  sickness,  or  delivered  from 
danger  or  calamity.  See  Josephus  b. 
2.  15.  Vows  of  this  nature  were  also 
made  by  the  Gentiles  on  occasions  of  de- 
liverance from  any  signal  calamity.  Ju- 
venal Sat.  12.  81.  It  is  possible  that  Paul 
may  have  made  such  a  vow  in  conse- 
quence of  signal  deliverance  from  s.ome 
of  the  numerous  perils  to  which  he  was 
exposed.  But,  (2.)  There  is  reason  t« 
think  that  it  was  mainly  with  a  design  to 
convin:.e  the  Jews,  that  he  did  not  de- 
spise tb.eir  law,  and  was  not  its  enemy 
See  ch.  xxi.  22,  23,  24.  In  accordance 
with  the  custom  of  the  nation,  and  in 
compliance  with  a  law  which  was  nol 
wrong  in  itself,  he  might  have  made  this 
vow,  not  for  a  time-serving  purpose,  bul 
in  order  to  conciliate  thern,  and  to  mitigat* 
their  anger  against  the  gospel    But  when 


258 


THE  ACTS. 


FA.  I).  5G. 


him  Prisciila  and  Aquila;  having 
shorn  "  his  head  in  Cenchrea  :  *  for 
he  had  a  vow. 

19  And  he  came  to  Ephesus,  and 
eft  them  there  :  but  he  himself  en- 
'tered  into  the  synagogue,  and  rea- 
soned <=  with  the  Jews. 

•20  When  they  desired  him  to 
tarry  longer  time  with  them,  he 
consented  not; 

21  But  bade  them  farewell,  say- 
ing, I  must  by  all  means  keep  this 
feast  that  cometh  in  Jerusalem : 
^  but  I  will  return  again  unto  you, 
if  *  God  will.  And  he  sailed  from 
Ephesus. 

aNum.6.I8.  c.21.24.  i  Rom.  16.1,  c  c.17.2. 

<ec.l9.21:2C.16.  e  lCor.4.19.  Jam.4.15. 


nothLig  is  reconled,  conjecture  is  useless. 
Those  who  Wi.sh  to  see  the  subject  dis- 
cussed, may  consult  Grotius  and  Kuinoel 
:n  loco,  and  Spencer  de  Legibus  Hebras. 
p.  862,  and  Calmet's  Die.  art.  Nazarite. 

19.  And  he  came  to  Ephesus.  This  was 
a  celebrated  city  in  Ionia,  in  Asia  Minor, 
about  forty  miles  south  of  Smyrna.  It  was 
chiefly  famous  for  the  temple  of  Diana, 
usually  reckoned  one  of  the  seven  -won- 
ders of  the  world.  Pliny  styles  this  city 
the  ornament  of  Asia.  In  the  times  of  the 
Romans  it  was  the  metropolis  of  Asia. 
This  city  is  now  under  the  dominion  of 
the  Turks,  and  is  almost  in  a  state  of  ruin. 
Dr.  Chandler,  in  his  travels  in  Asia  Minor, 
eays — "  The  inhabitants  are  a  few  Greek 
peasants,  living  in  extreme  wretchedness, 
dependence,  and  insen^pity  ;  the  repre- 
uentatives  of  an  illustrious  people,  and  in- 
habiting the  wreck  of  their  greatness ; 
some  ill  the  substructions  of  the  glorious 
edifices  which  they  raised  ;  some  beneath 
the  vaults  of  the  stadium,  once  the  crowd- 
ed scene  of  their  diversions  ;  and  some  in 
the  sepulchres  which  received  their 
ashes."  Travels,  p.  131,  Oxford,  1775. 
The  Jews,  according  to  Josephus,  were 
very  numerous  in  Ephesus,  and  had  ob- 
tained the  privilege  of  citizenship.  ^  J^ft 
them  there.  That  is,  Aquila  and  Priscilla. 
ver.  24 — 20.  IT  Reasoned  with  the  Jews. 
Note,  eh.  xvii.  2. 

21  Keep  this  feast  Probably  the  Pass- 
over in  liero  referred  to.  Why  he  was 
■o  finxious  to  celebrate  that  feast  at  Jeru- 
bbI  jin,  the  historian  has  not  informed  us. 
It  is  probable,  however, that  he  wished  to 
meet  as  many  of  his  countrymen  as  pos- 
lible,  and  to  remove,  if  practicable,  the 


22  And  when  he  had  landed  a» 
Cesarea,  and  gone  up,  and  saluted 
the  church,  he  went  down  to  An- 
tioch. 

23  And  after  he  had  spent  some 
time  there,  he  departed,  and  went 
over  all  the  country  of  Galatia  f  and 
Phrygia  in  order,  strengthening 
=  all  the  disciples. 

24  And  a  certain  Jew  named 
''  Apollos,  born  at  Alexandria,  an 
eloquent  man,  a7id  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures,  came  to  Ephesus. 

25  This  man  was  instructed  in 
the  way  of  the  Lord;  and  being 
fervent » in  the  spirit,  he  spake  and 

/  Gal.1.2.  e  c.14.22;  15.32,41.  h  lCor.l.l2| 

3.5,S.  Tit.3.I3.  tRom.12.11,    Jain.5.l6. 


prejudices  which  had  every  where  been 
raised  against  him.  ch.  xxi.  20,  21.  Per- 
has,  also,  he  supposed  that  there  would  be 
many  Christian  converts  present,  whom 
he  might  meet  also.  IT  But  I  will  return, 
&c.  This  he  did  (ch.  xix.  1),  and  remained 
there  three  years,  ch.  xx.  31. 

22.  At  Cesarea.  Note,  ch.  viii.  40 
IF  Ajid  gone  vp.  From  the  ship.  IT  And 
saluted  the  church.  Having  expressed  for 
them  his  tender  regard  and  affection 
IT  To  Antioch.    In  Syria.     Note,  ch.  xi.  19- 

23.  The  country  of  Galatia  and  Phry- 
gia. He  had  been  over  these  regions  be- 
fore, preaching  the  gospel,  ch.  xvi.  6. 
IT  Strengthening.  Establishing  them  by 
exhortation  and  counsel.  Note,  ch. 
xiv.  22. 

24.  And  a  certain  Jew  named  Apollos. 
Apollos  afterwards  became  a  distinguish- 
ed and  successful  preacher  of  the  gospel. 
1  Cor.  i.  12 ;  iii.  5,  6  ;  iv.  6.  Titus  iii.  13. 
Nothing  more  is  known  of  him  than  is 
stated  in  these  passages.  IT  Born  at  Alex- 
andri^.  Alexandria  was  a  celebrated  city 
in  Egypt,  foynded  by  Alexander  the 
Great.  There  were  large  numbers  of 
Jews  resident  there.  Note,  ch.  vi.  9. 
IT  An  eloquent  man.  Alexandria  was  fa 
mous  for  its  schools,  and  it  is  probable  that 
Apollos,  in  addition  to  his  natural  endow- 
ments, had  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  these 
schools.  IT  Mighty  in  the  Scriptures. 
Well  instructed,  or  able  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  foundation  was  thus  laid  for 
future  usefulness  in  the  Christian  church 
Nole,  Luke  xxiv.  19. 

25.  'J'his  man  vxts  instructed.  Greek 
was  catechised.  He  was  instructed,  m 
some  degree  into  the  knowledge  cf  the 


i.D.5G.] 


CHAPTER  XVIIl. 


25S 


taught  diligently  the  things  of  the 
Lord,  knowing  "  only  the  baptism 
of  John. 

2G  And  he  began  to  speak  boldly 
in  the  synagogue :  whom  when 
Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  heard, 
they  took  him  unto  them^  and  ex- 
pounded unto  him  the  way  of  God 


Christian  religion.  By  wliom  this  was 
done,  we  have  no  information.  See  Note, 
ch.  ii.  9 — 11.  ^  In  the  right  way  of  the 
Lord.  The  word  way  often  refers  to  doc- 
trine. Matt.  xxi.  32.  It  means  here  that 
he  had  been  correcdy  taught  in  regard  to 
the  Messiah  j  yet  his  knowledge  was  im- 
perfect, ver.  26.  The  amount  of  his 
knowledge  seems  to  have  been, — (1.) 
He  had  correct  views  of  the  Messiah  to 
come — views  which  he  had  derived  from 
the  study  of  the  Old  Testament.  He  was 
expecting  a  Saviour  that  should  be  hum- 
ble, obscure,  and  a  sacrifice,  in  opjxjsition 
to  the  prevailing  notions  of  the  Jews.  (2.) 
He  had  heard  of  John  ;  had  embraced  his 
doctrine  ;  and  probably  had  been  baptized 
with  reference  to  him  that  was  to  come. 
Comp.  Matt.  iii.  2.  Acts  xix.  4.  But  it  is 
clear  that  he  had  not  heard  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah.  With  his  correct  views  m 
regard  to  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  he 
was  endeavouring  to  instruct  and  reform 
his  countrymen.  He  was  just  in  the  state 
of  mind  to  welcome  the  announcement 
that  the  Messiah  had  come,  and  to  em- 
brace Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  hope  of  the 
nation.  ^  Being  fervent  in  the  spirit. 
Being  zealous  and  ardent.  See  Note, 
Rom.  xii.  11.  IT  Taught  diligently.  De- 
fended with  zeal  and  earnestness  his 
views  of  the  Messiah.  IF  The  things  of 
the  Lord.  The  doctrines  pertaining  to  the 
Messiah  as  far  as  he  understood  them. 
T  Knowing  only  the  baptism  of  John. 
Whether  he  had  heard  John,  and  been 
baptized  by  him,  has  been  made  a  ques- 
tion, and  cannot  now  be  decided.  It  is 
not  necessary,  however,  to  suppose  this, 
as  it  seems  that  the  knowledge  of  John's 
preaching  and  baptism  had  been  propa- 
gated extensively  into  other  nations  be- 
sides Judea.  ch.  xix.  1 — £  The  Messiah 
was  expected  about  that  time.  The  fo- 
reign Jews  would  be  w^aiting  for  him  ; 
and  the  news  of  John's  ministry,  doctrine, 
and  success  would  be  rapidly  propagated 
from  synagogue  to  synagogue  into  the  sur- 
rounding nations.  John  preached  repent- 
ance, and  baptized  with  reference  to  him 
•feat  was  to  com )  after  him.   (oh  xiy  4), 


more  ^  perfectly. 

27  And  when  he  was  disposed 
to  pass  into  Achaia,  the  brethren 
wrote,  exhorting  the  disciples  to 
receive  him :  who,  when  he  was 
come,  helped  *=  them  much  which 
had  believed  ^  through  grace  : 

28  For  he   mightily   convinced 

i  Heb.6.1.2Pet.3.18.        e  lCor.3.6.        d  Eph.2.8. 

and  this  doctrine  Apollos  seems  tc  have 
embraced. 

26.  And  expounded.  Explained.  IT  The. 
way  of  God.  Gave  him  full  and  ample 
instructions  respecting  the  Messiah  aa 
having  already  come,  and  respecting  the 
nature  of  his  work. 

27.  Into  Achaia.  Note,  ch.  xviii.  12. 
IT  The  brethren  wrote.  The  brethren  at 
Ephesus.  Why  he  went,  the  historian 
does  not  inform  us.  But  he  had  heard 
of  the  success  of  Paul  there;  of  the 
church  which  he  had  established ;  of  the 
opposition  of  the  Jews ;  and  it  was  doubt- 
less with  a  desire  to  establish  that  church, 
and  with  a  wish  to  convince  his  unbe- 
lieving countrymen  that  their  views  of  th  j 
Messiah  were  erroneous,  and  that  Jesuis 
of  Nazareth  corresponded  with  the  pre- 
dictions of  the  prophets.  Many  of  tlw 
Greeks  at  Corinth  were  greatly  captivat 
ed  with  his  winning  eloquence  (1  Cor.  i 
12  ;  iii.  4,  5),  and  his  going  there  was  the 
occasion  of  some  unhappy  divisions  tha« 
sprung  up  in  the  church.  But  in  all  this, 
he  retained  the  confidence  and  love  of 
Paul.  1  Cor.  i.  iii.  It  was  thus  shown  tha* 
Paul  was  superior  to  envy,  and  that  great 
success  by  one  minister  need  not  excit« 
the  envy,  or  alienate  the  confidence  and 
good  will  of  another.  Ii  Helped  them 
much.  Strengthened  them,  and  aided 
them  in  their  controversies  w'ith  the  un- 
believing Jews.  IT  Which  nad  believed 
through  grace.  The  words  "  througi- 
grace"  may  either  refer  to  Apollos,  or  to 
the  Christians  who  had  believed,  if  to 
hi7n,  it  means  that  he  was  enabled  by 
grace  to  strengthen  the  brethren  there , 
if  to  them,  it  means  that  they  had  been 
led  to  believe  by  the  grace  or  favour  cf 
God.  Either  interpretati(^*fcakes  good 
sense.  Our  translation  has^Wopted  that 
which  is  most  natural  and  obvious. 

28.  For  he  mightily  convinced  the  Jews 
He  did  it  by  strong  arguments ;  he  bore 
down  all  opposition,  and  effectually  si- 
lenced them.  H  And  that  publicly.  In 
his  public  preaching  in  the  synagogue  and 
elsGwhere.  IT  Showing  by  the  Scriptures 
Proving  from  the  Old  TestamenL    Sbs?F 


!«60 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  56 


the  Jews,  and  thai  publicly,  show- 
ing by  »  the  Scrii)tures  that  Jesus 
'  was  Christ. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
A  ND  it  came  to  pass,  that  while 
-^^  Apollos  ^  was  at  Corinth,  Paul 
having  passed  through  the  upper 
coasts,  came  to  P^phesus;  and  find- 
ing certain  disciples, 

:2  He  said  unto   them,  have  ye 

a  Jiio.e.M.         1  or,  w  llie.  Chritt,  ver.5.         b  ICor. 


<ng  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  corresponded 
with  the  account  of  the  Messiah  given  by 
the  prophets.  See  Note,  John  v.  39. 
f  That  Jesus  was  Christ.  See  the  mar- 
gin. That  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the 
Messiah. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

1.  ^Vhile  Apollos  was  at  Corinth.  It  is 
probable  that  he  remained  there  a  con- 
siderable time.  IT  Paul  having  passed 
through  the  upper  coasts.  The  upper,  or 
more  elevated  regions  of  Asia  Minor. 
The  writer  refers  here  particularly  to  the 
provinces  of  Fhrygia  and  Galatia.  ch. 
xviii.  23.  These  regions  were  called 
upper,  because  they  were  situated  on  the 
high  table-land  in  the  interior  of  Asia 
Minor,  while  Ephesus  was  in  the  low 
maritime  regions,  and  called  the /ouj coun- 
try. %  Came  to  Ephesus.  Agreeably  to 
his  promise,  ch.  xviii.  21.  ^  Ajidfniding 
certain  disciples.  Certain  persons  who 
had  been  baptized  into  John's  baptism, 
and  who  had  embraced  John's  doctrine, 
that  tiie  Messiah  was  soon  to  appear,  vcr. 
3,  4.  It  is  very  clear  that  they  had  not  yet 
heard  that  he  had  corpe,  or  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  given.  They  were  evidently 
in  the  same  situation  as  Apollos.  Notes, 
ch.  xviii.  25. 

2.  Have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost? 
Have  ye  received  the  extraordinary  effn- 
Hiona  and  miraculous  influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost?  Paul  would  not  doubt 
that,  if  they  had  "  believed,"  they  had 
received  the  ordinary  converting  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit — lor  it  was  one 
of  his  favourite  doctrines,  that  the  Holy 
S[)irit  rene\v^|[^e  heart.  But,  besides  this, 
the  miraculotIB  inlluences  of  the  Spirit 
were  conferred  on  most  societies  of  be- 
hevers.  The  power  of  «fpeakirig  with 
torignes,  or  of  working  miracles,  was  im- 
parled as  an  cvideiire  of  the  presence  of 
Go<i,  and  of  their  acceptance  with  liini. 
ch.  X  4"),  40.  1  Cor.  xiv.  It  was  natural 
P)r  Paul  to  ask  whether  this  evidence 
of  the  divine  favour  had  been  granted  to 


received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye 
believed  1  A'nd  they  said  unto  him, 
We  have  not  '^  so  much  as  heard 
whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost. 

3  And  he  said  unto  them,  Unto 
what  then  were  ye  baptized  *?  And 
they  said.  Unto  "^  John's  baptism. 

4  Then  said  Paul,  John  ^  verily 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  re- 
pentance, ^  saying  unto  the  people, 

cc.8.16.  lSiin.3.7.  d  c.18.25.  eMatt.S.ll 

/Jno.l. 15,27  30. 


them.  IT  Since  ye  believed.  Since  you 
embraced  the  doctrine  of  John,  that  the 
Messiah  was  soon  to  come.  II  We  have 
7iot  so  much  as  heard,  &c.  This  seems  to 
be  a  very  remarkable  and  strange  an- 
swer. Yet  we  are  to  remember,  (1.)  That 
these  were  mere  disciples  of  Jah7i's  doc- 
trine, and  that  his  preaching  related  par- 
ticularly to  the  Messiah,  and  not  to  the 
Holy  Ghost.  (2.)  It  does  not  even  appear 
that  they  had  heard  that  the  Messiah  had 
come,  or  had  heard  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
ver.  4,  5.  (3.)  It  is  not  remarkable,  there 
fore,  that  they  had  no  clear  conceptions 
of  the  character  and  operations  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Yet,  (4.)  They  were  just  in 
that  state  of  mind,  that  they  were  willing 
to  embrace  the  doctrine  when  it  was 
proclaimed  to  them ;  thus  showing  that 
they  were  really  under  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  God  may  often  produce 
imjKjrtant  changes  in  the  hearts  and  lives 
of  sinners,  even  where  they  have  no  clear 
and  systematic  views  of  religious  doc- 
trines. In  all  such  cases,  however,  as  in 
this,  there  will  be  a  readiness  of  heart  to 
embrace  the  truth  where  it  is  made 
known. 

3.  Unto  what.  Unto  what  faith,  or  doc 
trine.  What  did  you  profess  to  believe 
when  you  were  baptized.  IT  Unto  John's 
baptism.    Note,  ch.  xviii.  25. 

4.  Johii  verily  baptized.  Jolin  did  in- 
deed baptize.  "11  With  the  baptism  of  re- 
pentance. Having  special  relation  to  re- 
pentance, or  as  a  profbs.^ion  that  they  did 
repent  of^  their  sins.  Note.  Matt.  lii.  6 
H  Saying  tnito  the  people.  The  design  of 
his  coming  was,  to  turn  the  people  from 
their  sins,  and  to  prepare  them  for  the 
eoming  of  the  Messiah.  He  therefore  di- 
rected their  attention  principally  to  him 
that  was  to  come.  John  i.  15.  22 — 27. 
IT  Tint  is  on  Christ  Jesus.  These  are  the 
words  of  i'aul,  explaining  what  John 
taught.  He  taught  ti\cm  to  believe  in  the 
Messiah,  and  that  the  Messiah  was  Jesui 
of  Nazareth.    The  argument  of  Paul  ih 


\.  D.  56.] 


CHAPTER  XIX 


26i 


that  the}  snould  believe  on  him 
which  should  come  after  him,  that 
^s,  on  Christ  Jesus. 

5  When  they  heard  this,  they 
were  baptized  in  the  name  **  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

6  And  when  Paul  had  laid  '  his 
hands  upon  them,  the  Holy  Ghost 
came  on  them  ;  "  and  they  spake 
with  tongues,  '^  and  prophesied. 


a  C.8.1C.  lCor.1.13. 
(ilCor.l4.l,&c. 


cc.2.4;  10.46. 


that  it  was  highly  proper  for  them  now  to 
profess  publicly  that  Saviour  to  whom 
John  had  borne  such  explicit  testimony. 
'  Jesus  is  the  Messiah  for  whom  John 
came  to  prepare  the  way ;  and  as  you  have 
embraced  John's  doctrine,  you  ought  now 
puWicly  to  acknowledge  that  Redeemer 
by  baptism  in  his  name.' 

5.  When  they  heard  this.  When  they 
heard  what  Paul  had  said  respecting  the 
nature  of  John's  baptism.  H  They  were 
baptized,  &c.  As  there  is  no  other  in- 
stance in  the  New  Testament  of  any 
persons  having  been  rebaptized,  it  has 
been  made  a  question  by  some  critics, 
whether  it  was  done  here  ;  and  they  have 
supposed  that  all  this  is  the  narrative  of 
Luke  respecting  what  took  place  under 
the  ministry'  of  John,  to  wit :  that  he  told 
them  to  beheve  on  Christ  Jesus,  and  then 
baptized  them  in  his  name.  But  this  is  a 
most  forced  construction  ,•  and  it  is  evi- 
dent that  these  persons  were  rebaptized 
by  the  direction  of  Paul.  For,  (1.)  This 
is  the  obvious  interpretation  of  the  pas- 
sage— that  which  would  strike  all  persons 
as  correct,  unless  there  were  some  pre- 
vious theory  to  support.  (2.)  It  was  not 
a  matter  of  fact  that  John  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Christ  Jesus.  His  was  the  bap- 
tism of  repentance  ;  and  there  is  not  the 
slightest  evidence  that  he  ever  used  the 
name  of  Jesus  in  the  form  of  baptism. 
(3.)  If  this  be  the  sense  of  the  passage, 
that  John  baptized  them  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  then  this  verse  is  a  mere  repetition 
of  ver.  4;  a  tautology  of  w'hich  the  sa- 
cred writers  would  not  be  guilty.  (4.)  It 
is  evident,  that  the  persons  on  whom  Paul 
laid  his  hands  (ver.  6),  and  those  who 
were  baptized,  were  the  same.  But  these 
were  the  persons  who  heard  (ver.  5)  what 
was  said.  The  narrative  is  continuous, 
all  barts  of  ii  cohering  together  as  relat- 
ing to  a  transaction  that  occurred  at  the 
same  time.  If  the  obvious  interpretation 
of  the  passage  be  the  true  one,  it  follows, 
that  the  baptism  of  John  waa  not  strictly 


7  And  all  the  men  were  abou' 
twelve. 

8  And  he  went  into  the  synagogue, 
and  spake  boldly  for  the  space  of 
three  months,  disputing,  ^  and  per- 
suading f  the  things  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

9  But  when  divers  were  harden- 
ed, ^  and  believed  not,  but  spake 
evil  ''  of  that  *  way  before  the  mul* 

ec.18.19.  /C.2S.23.  g  Roni.11.7.  Heb.S  13. 

h  2Tiin.l.l5.  2Pet.2.2.  Jude  10.  t  ver.23. 


Christian  baptism.  It  vvas  the  baptism 
of  repentance ;  a  baptism  designei^to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  introductioaPr 
the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  It  will  not 
follow,  however,  from  this  that  Christian 
baptism  is  now  ever  to  be  repeated.  For 
this,  there  is  no  warrant,  no  example  in 
the  New  Testament.  There  is  no  con* 
mand  to  repeat  it,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Lord's  supper;  ynd  the  nature  and  de- 
sign of  the  ordinance  evidently  supposes 
that  it  is  to  be  performed  but  once.  The 
disciples  of  John  were  rebaptized,  not  be- 
cause baptism  is  designed  to  be  repeated, 
but  because  they  never  had  been,  in  fact, 
baptized  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the 
Lord  Jesus.  IT  In  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.     Note,  ch.    ii.  38. 

6.  And  when  Paul  laid  his  hands,  &c. 
Note,  ch.  viii.  17.  IT  Ajid  they  spake  with 
tongues.  N(  tes,  ch.  ii.  4 ;  x.  46.  t"  And 
prophesied.     Notes,  ch.  ii.  17;  xi.  27. 

7.  And  all  the  men.  The  whole  num- 
ber. 

8.  Persuading  the  things.  Endeavour- 
ing to  persuade  them  of  the  truth  of 
what  was  affirmed  respecting  the  king- 
dom of  God 

9.  But  when  divers.  When  some  were 
hardened.  ^  Were  hardened.  When  their 
hearts  were  hardened,  and  they  became 
violently  opposed  to  the  gospel.  When 
the  truth  made  no  impression  on  them. 
The  word  harden,  as  applied  to  the  heart, 
is  often  used  to  denote  insensibility,  and 
opposition  to  the  gospel.  *II  But  spake  evil 
of  that  ivay.  Of  the  gospel — the  way, 
path,  or  manner  in  which  God  saves  men. 
See  Acts  xvi.  17 ;  xviii.  26.  Matt.  vii.  13, 
14.  H  Separated  the  disciples.  Removed 
them  from  the  influence  and  society  of 
those  who  were  seeking  to  draw  them 
away  from  the  faith.  This  is  often  the 
best  way  to  prevent  the  evil  influence  of 
others.  Christians,  if  they  wish  to  pre. 
serve  their  minds  calm  and  peaceful ;  if 
they  wish  to  avoid  the  agitations  of  con- 
flict, and  the  temptations  of  thos«  who 


wJti'J 


THE  ACTS. 


LA  D.5«L 


dtude,  lie  departed  <*  from  them, 
and  separated  the  disciples,  dis- 
puting daily  in  the  school  of  one 
Tyrannus. 

10  And  this  continued  by  the 
space  *  of  two  years ;  so  that  all 
they  which  dwelt  in  Asia  "  heard 
the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both 


would  lead  them  astray,  may  often  find  it 
necessary  to  withdraw  from  their  society, 
and  should  seek  the  fellowship  of  their 
Clirislian  brethren,  li^  Disputing  daily. 
'r|u  id  not  a  happy  translation.  The 
y^KL  used  here  [^i-j.Ktyz,uivai)  does  not 
of  necessity  den6te  disputation  or  conten- 
tion, but  is  often  used  in  a  good  sense  of 
reasoning  (Acts  xvii.  23  xviii.  4.  19;  xxiv. 
25),  or  of  pubUc  preaching.  Acts  xx.  7.  9. 
It  is  used  in  this  sense  here,  and  denotes 
that  Paul  taught  publicly,  or  reasoned  on 
the  subject  of  religion  in  this  place.  IT  In 
the  school  of  one  Tyrannus.  Who  this 
Tyrannus  was,  is  not  known.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  he  was  a  Jew,  who  was  engaged 
in  this  em{)loyment,  and  who  might  not 
be  unfavourable  to  Christians.  In  his 
Bchool,  or  in  the  room  which  he  occu- 
pied for  teaching,  Paul  instructed  the  peo- 
ple when  he  was  driven  from  the  syna- 
gogue. Christians  at  that  time  had  no 
churches,  and  they  w  ere  obliged  to  assem- 
ble in  any  place  w  here  it  might  be  con- 
venient to  conduct  public  worship. 

10.  This  contijuied.  This  public  instruc- 
tion. II  By  the  space,  &c.  For  two  whole 
years.  II  So  that  all.  That  is,  the  great 
ma.ss  of  the  people.  H  That  dwelt  in  Asia. 
In  that  province  of  Asia  Minor  of  which 
Ephesus  was  the  principal  city.  The 
name  Asia  was  used  sometimes  to  denote 
that  single  province.  See  Note,  Acts  ii. 
9.  Ephesus  was  the  capital ;  and  there 
was,  of  course,  a  constant  and  large  in- 
flux of  people  there  for  the  purposes  of 
commerce  and  worship.  H  Heard  the  word 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Heard  the  doctrine 
respecting  the  L<jrd  Jesus. 

1 1 .  Special  miracles.  Mirac  es  that  were 
remarkable ;  that  were  not  common,  or 
that  were  very  unusual  (du  tu;  Tv/^ovT^i). 
This)  expression  is  cla.ssic  Greek.  Thus 
Longinus  says  of  Moses,  that  he  was  no 
common  man.    'Ouz'  0  tux^v  ^v/.e. 

12.  So  that  from  his  body.  That  is, 
those  handkerchiefs  which  had  been  ajn 
plied  to  his  liody,  which  he  had  t.'Bcd,  or 
which  ho  had  touched.  An  instance 
somewhat  similar  to  this  occurs  in  the 
f^iae  of  the  wu<Aiiin  w';*.)  v\ii8  henled  by 


Jews  and  Greeks. 

11  And  God  wrought  special* 
miracles  by  the  hands  of  Paul : 

12  So  that  from  his  body  were 
brought  unto  the  sick  handkerchiefs 
*  or  aprons,  and  the  diseases  de- 
parted from  them,  and  the  evil  spi 
rits  went  out  of  them. 


touching  the  hem  of  the  Saviour's  gar 
ment.  Matt.  ix.  20—22.  H  Unto  the  sick. 
The  sick  who  were  at  a  distance,  and  who 
were  unable  to  go  where  he  was.  If  it 
be  asked  why  this  v^as  done,  it  may  be 
observed,  (1.)  That  the  working  of  mira- 
cles in  that  region  would  greatly  contri- 
bute to  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  (2.) 
We  are  not  to  suppose  that  there  was  any 
efficacy  in  the  aprons  thus  brought,  or  in 
the  mere  fact  that  they  had  touched  the 
body  of  Paul,  any  more  than  there  was 
in  the  hem  of  the  Saviour's  garment 
which  the  woman  touched,  or  in  the  clay 
which  he  made  use  of  to  open  the  eyes 
of  the  blind  man.  John  viii.  6.  (3.)  In 
this  instance,  the  fact,  that  the  miraclet 
w  ere  wrought  in  this  manner  by  garments 
which  had  touched  his  body,  was  a  mer$ 
sign,  or  a?i  evidence  to  the  persons  con 
cerned,  that  \i,  was  done  by  the  instrumen 
tality  of  Paul,  as  the  fact  that  the  Savioui 
put  his  fingers  into  the  ears  of  a  deaf  man, 
and  spit  and  touched  his  tongue  (Mark 
vii.  33),  was  an  evidence  to  those  who 
saw  it,  that  the  power  of  healing  came 
from  him.  The  bearing  of  these  aprons 
to  the  sick  was,  therefore,  a  mere  sign,  or 
evidence  to  all  concerned,  that  miraculou 
power  was  given  to  Faxd.  H  Handker 
chiefs.  The  word  used  here  (o-ouJi^.se) 
is  of  Latin  origin,  and  properly  denotes  a 
piece  of  linen  with  which  sweat  was  wiped 
from  the  face ;  and  then  any  piece  of 
linen  used  for  tying  up,  or  containing  any 
thing.  In  Luke  xix.  20,  it  denotes  tho 
"  napkin"  in  which  the  talent  of  the  un- 
profitable servant  was  concealed ;  in  Johr 
xi.  44;  XX.  7,  the  "napkin"  which  wan 
used  to  bind  up  the  fai  e  of  the  dead,  ap- 
plied to  La/arus  and  to  our  Saviour.  II  Or 
aprons,  ii'fx.nivbix.  'J'his  is  also  a  Latin 
word,  and  means  literally  a  Art//"-/7ir(//j — a 
piece  of  cloth  which  was  girded  round 
the  wai.st  to  i)rrserve  the  clothes  of  those 
who  were  engaged  in  any  kind  Qf  work. 
Tho  word  onrons  rxprcs.sos  the  idea 
H  And  the  diseases  depurtnl.  The  f'wh 
were  healed.  H  And  the  evil  spirits.  See 
Notes,  Matt.  iv.  24.  It  is  evid«'nt  thai 
thiri  po.\ef  of  vvork^.g  uiiraclei*  wouU 


ii.D.  58.] 


CHAPTER  XIX, 


26i 


13  Then  certain  of  the  vagabond 
Jews,  exorcists,  took  upon  them 
'  to  call  over  them  which  had  evil 
spirits  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
saying,  We  adjure  ^  you  by  Jesus, 
whom  Paul  preacheth. 

14  And  there  were  seven  sons  of 
one  Sceva,  a  Jew,  and  chief  of  the 
priests,  which  did  so. 

15  And  the  evil  spirit  answ^ered 

o  Mark  9.38.  Luke  9.49,  b  Josh.6.28. 


contribute  greatly  to  Paul's  success  among 
the  people. 

13.  The  vagabond  Jews.  Gr.  Jews  going 
about.  ni^n^xofiiVMv.  The  word  vaga- 
bond with  us  is  now  commonly  used  in  a 
bad  sense,  to  denote  a  vagrant;  a  man 
who  has  no  home  ;  an  idle,  worthless  fel- 
low. The  word,  however,  properly  means 
one  wandering  from  place  to  place,  with- 
out any  settled  habitation,  from  whatever 
cause  it  may  be.  Here  it  denotes  those 
Jews  W'ho  wandered  from  place  to  place, 
practising  exorcism.  IT  Exorcists.  E:.oe- 
KiTTwv.  This  word  properly  denotes  those 
who  went  about  pretending  to  be  able  to 
expel  evil  spirits,  or  to  cure  diseases  by 
charms,  incantations,  &c.  The  word  is  de- 
rived from  o€>'-oj,  orkos,  an  oath,  and  from 
of^'C'-",  to  bind  with  an  oath.  It  was  ap- 
plied in  this  sense,  because  those  who 
pretended  to  be  able  to  expel  demons 
used  the  formula  of  an  oath,  or  adjured 
them,  to  compel  them  to  leave  the  pos 


ssed  personSMiPomp.  Matt.  xii.  27.  They 
mmonly  useothe  name  of  God,  or  called 
on  the  demons  in  the  name  of  God  to 
leave  the  person.  Here  they  used  the 
name  Jesus  to  command  them  to  come 
out.  IF  To  call  over  them.  To  name,  or 
to  use  his  name  as  sufficient  to  expel  the 
evil  spirit.  IT  The  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
The  reasons  why  they  attempted  this 
were,  (1.)  That  Jesus  had  expelled  many 
evil  spirits ;  and,  (2.)  That  it  was  in  his 
name  that  Paul  had  wrought  his  mira- 
cles. Perhaps  they  supposed  there  was 
some  charm  in  this  name  to  expel  them. 
T  We  adjure  you.  We  bind  you  by  an 
oath  ;  Tie  command  you  as  under  the  so- 
iemnJ.ty  of  an  oath.  "  Mark  v.  7.  1  Thoss. 
V  27.  It  is  a  form  of  putting  one  under 
oath.  1  Kings  ii.  43.  Gen.  xxiv.  37.  2 
Kings  xi.  4.  Neh.  xiii.  25.  (Septuagint.) 
That  this  art  was  practised  then,  or  at- 
tempted, is  abundantly  proved  from  Irai- 
neus,  Origen,  and  Josephus.  (Ant.  b.  viii. 
ch.  2.  §  5.)  See  Doddridge.  The  common 
na.iie  which  was  used, Was  the  incom- 


and  said,  Jesus  1  kttow,  and  Paul  1 
know ;  tut  who  are  ye "l 

16  And  the  man  in  whom  the 
evil  spirit  was,  leapt  •=  on  them, 
and  overcame  them,  and  prevailed 
against  them,  so  that  they  fled  out 
of  that  house  naked  and  wounded. 

17  And  this  was  known  to  all 
the  Jews  and  G/eeks  also  dwelling 
at  Ephesus  ;  and  fear  ^  fell  on  them 

c  Luke  8.29.       d  Luke  1.65.  c.2.  43 :  5.5,1 1. 


municable  name  of  God,  Jehovah,  by 
pronouncing  which,  in  a  peculiar  vi'ay 
it  was  pretended  they  had  the  power  of 
expelling  demons. 

14.  One  Sceva.  Sceva  is  a  Greek  name, 
but  nothing  more  is  known  of  him. 
IT  Chief  of  tks  priests.  'A^x'^ef^-i.  This 
cannot  mean  that  he  was  high-priest 
among  the  Jews,  as  it  is  wholly  irapreba- 
ble  that  his  sons  would  be  wandering 
exorcists.  But  it  denotes  that  he  was  of 
the  sacerdotal  order.  He  was  a  Je  wish 
chief  priest ;  a  priest  of  distinction,  anxl 
that  had  held  the  office  of  a  ruler.  The 
word  chief  priest,  in  the  New  Testament, 
usually  refers  to  men  of  the  sacerdotal 
order  who  were  also  rulers  in  the  san- 
hedrim. 

15.  Jesus  I  know.  His  power  to  casi 
out  devils  I  know.  Corap.  Matt.  viii.  29 
IT  Paul  I  know.  Paul's  power  to  cast  oul 
devils,  ver.  12.  IT  But  who  are  ye? 
What  power  have  you  over  evil  spirits  ? 
By  what  right  do  you  attempt  to  expel 
them?  The  meaning  is,  'you  belong 
neither  to  Jesus  nor  Paul ;  you  are  not 
of  their  party ;  and  you  have  no  right  or 
authority  to  attempt  to  work  miracles  in 
the  name  of  either.' 

16.  Leapt  on  them.  Several  such  m 
stances  are  recorded  of  the  extraordinary 
power  and  rage  of  those  who  were  pos- 
sessed with  evil  spirits.  .  Mark  v.  3 ;  ix 
29.    Luke  ix.  42. 

17.  The  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  was 
magnified.  Acquired  increasing  honour. 
The  transaction  showed  that  the  mira- 
clee  performed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  by  Paul,  were  real,  and  were 
wrought  in  attestation  of  the  truth  of  the 
doctrine  whach  he  taught.  Impostors 
could  not  work  such  miracles  ;  and  they 
who  pretended  to  be  able  to  do  it  only 
exposed  themselves  to  the  rage  of  the 
evil  spirits.  It  wa.=  thus  shown  that 
there  was  a  real,  vJal  difference  be- 
tween Paul  an  I  these  impostors;  and 
their  failure  orJy  served  to  e.xtejnd  his 


8(J4 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  58 


all,  and  the  name  cf  the  I  ord  Jesus 
was  magnified. 
18  And  many  that  belicTed,  came, 


reputation  and  tlie  power  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

18  Their  deeds.  Their  actions  ;  their 
.  evil  course  of  life.  Their  deeds  of  ini- 
quity in  their  former  state.  The  direct 
reference  here  is  to  the  magical  arts 
which  had  been  used,  but  the  word  may 
also  be  designed  to  denote  iniquity  in 
general.  They  who  make  a  profession 
of  religion  will  be  willing  to  confess 
their  transgressions.  And  no  man  can 
have  evidence  that  he  is  truly  renewed 
who  is  not  willing  to  confess  as  well  as 
to  forsake  his  sins.  Rom.  x.  10.  Prov. 
xxviii.  13.  "  He  that  covereth  his 
sins  shall  not  prosper ;  but  whoso  con- 
fesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  find 
mercy." 

19."  Curious  arts.  Arts  or  practices 
requiring  skill,  address,  cunning.  The 
word  used  here  {m^lisyu)  denotes  pro- 
perly those  things  that  require  care,  or 
skill ;  and  was  thus  applied  to  the  arts 
of  magic,  and  jugglery,  and  sleight  of 
hand,  that  were  practised  so  extensively 
ui  eastern  countries.  That  such  arts 
were  practised  at  Ephesus  is  well  known. 
The  Ephesian  tellers,  by  which  incanta- 
tions and  charms  were  supposed  to  be 
produced,  were  much  celebrated.  They 
eeem  to  have  consisted  of  certain  combi- 
nations of  letters  or  words,  which,  by  be- 
ing pronounced  with  certam  intonations 
of  voice,  were  believed  to  be  effectual 
m  expelling  diseases,  or  evil  spirits;  or 
whicli,  by  being  written  on  parchment 
and  worn,  were  supposed  to  operate  as 
amuhls,  or  charms,  to  guard  from  evil 
spirits,  or  from  danger.  Thus  Plutarch 
iSympos.  7)  says,  "  the  magicians  compel 
those  w!io  are  possessed  with  a  demon  to 
recile  and  pronounce  the  Ephesian  letters, 
in  a  certain  order,  by  themselves."  Thus 
Clemens  Alex.  (Strwm.  ii.)  says,  "  Andro- 
cydes,  a  Pythagorean,  says  that  the  let- 
ters which  are  called  Ephesian,  and 
which  are  so  celebrated,  are  .symbols," 
Arc.  Erasmus  says  (Adagg.  Cent.  2),  that 
there  were  certain  marks  and  magical 
wortls  among  the  Ephesians,  by  using 
which  they  succeeded  in  every  under- 
taking. Eustha.  ad  Homer  Odys.  t  says, 
•*  that  those  letters  were  incantalions 
which  Cncflua  used  when  on  the  funeral 

1)ile,  and  which  greatly  befriended  him." 
le  adds,  that  in  the  war  between  the 
Miiesianp  and  Ephesians.  the  latter  were 


and  confessed,  *  and  shewed  thai: 
deeds. 

"9    Many  also   of   them   which 

o  Matt.3.6.  RomTlO.lO. 

thirteen  times  saved  irom  ruin  by  the 
use  of  these  letters.  See  Grolius  and 
Kuinoel  in  loco.  *>\  Brought  their  books. 
Books  which  explained  the  arts ;  oi 
which  contained  the  magical  forms  and 
incantations — perhaps  pieces  of  parch- 
ment, on  which  were  written  the  letters 
which  were  to  be  used  in  the  incanta- 
tions  and  charms.  H  And  burned  them 
before  nil  me-ji.  Publicly.  Their  arts 
and  offences  had  been  public,  and  they 
sought  now  to  undo  the  evil,  as  much  as 
lay  in  their  power,  as  extensively  as  they 
had  done  it.  IT  And,  they  counted  1'he 
price  was  estimated.  By  whom  this  wa* 
done  does  not  appear.  Probably  it  waa 
not  done  by  those  who  had  been  engaged 
in  this  business,  and  who  had  suffered 
the  loss,  but  by  the  people,  who  were 
amazed  at  the  sacrifice,  and  who  were 
astonished  at  their  folly  in  thus  destroy- 
ing their  own  property.  11  Fifty  ihou' 
sand  pieces  of  silver.  What  coin  the 
word  (a^yuf ioi)  here  translated  silver  de- 
notes, it  is  impossible  to  tell ;  and  conse- 
quently the  precise  value  of  this  sacrifice 
cannot  be  ascertained.  If  it  refers  to  the 
Jewish  shekel,  the  sum  would  be  $25,000, 
as  t'ne  shekel  was  worth  about  half  a 
dollar.  If  it  refers  to  Grecian  or  Roman 
coin — which  is  much  more  probable,  as 
this  was  a  heathen  country,  where  the 
Jewish  coin  would  not  pi^bably  be  much 
used — the  value  would  be  much  less. 
Probably,  however,  it  refers  to  the  Attic 
drachm,  which  was  a  silver  coin  worth 
about  9d.  sterling,  or  not  far  from  17 
cents ;  and  then  the  value  would  be  about 
SS-fJOO.  The  precise  value  is  not  mate* 
rial.  It  was  a  larj^e  sum ;  and  it  is  re- 
corded to  show  that  Christianity  had 
power  to  induce  men  to  forsake  arts  that 
were  most  lucrative,  and  to  destroy  the 
means  of  extending  and  perpetuating 
those  arts,  however  valuable  in  a  pecu- 
niary point  of  view  they  might  be.  We 
are  to  remember,  however,  that  this  was 
not  the  ijitrinsic  value  of  these  books, 
but  only  their  value  as  books  of  incanta- 
tion. In  themselves  they  might  have 
been  of  very  little  worth.  The  universal 
prevalevre  if  ChristiaTtity  vmdd  make 
much  that  is  now  esteemed  valuable  pro- 
vrrti/  utterly  vorthless — afv  e.  p.  all  that 
IS  uHod  in  gambling;  in  fraud  ;  in  coun 
terfeiting;  in  distilling  ardent  spirite  for 
drink  ;    m  the  slave-trade  ;     and   in  at 


l\.  D.  5'J.J 


CHAPTER  XIX, 


263 


dsed  curioi.s  arts,  brought  their 
books  tooe.her,  anc  burned  them 
before  all  men:  and  they  counted 
the  price  of  them,  and  found  it  fifty 
Choasand  pieces  o/  silver. 

•20  So  mightily  grew  *  the  word 
cf  God,  and  prevailed. 


erapts  to  impose  on  and  defraud  man- 
Und. 

20.  So  mi^hlily  So  powerfully.  It 
had  such  efficacy  and  power  in  this 
wicked  city.  The  power  must  have 
Deen  mighty  that  would  thus  make  them 
willing,  not  only  to  cetise  to  practise  im- 
position, but  to  give  up  all  hopes  of 
future  gains,  and  to  destroy  their  proper- 
ty. On  this  instructive  narrative,  we 
may  remark,  (1.)  That  religion  has  power 
to  break  the  hold  of  sinners  on  unjust 
and  dishonest  means  of  living.  (2.)  That 
those  who  have  been  engaged  in  an  un- 
christian and  dishonourable  practice,  will 
abandon  it  when  they  become  Chris- 
tians. (3.)  That  their  abhorrence  of 
their  former  course  will  be,  and  ought  to 
be,  expressed  as  publicly  as  was  the 
offence.  (4.)  That  the  evil  practice  will 
be  abandoned  at  any  sacrifice,  however 
great.  The  only  question  will  be,  what 
is  right ;  not,  what  will  it  cost.  Property, 
in  the  view  of  a  converted  man,  is  no- 
thing when  compared  with  a  good  con- 
science. (5.)  This  conduct  of  those  who 
had  used  curious  arts  shows  us  what 
ought  to  be  done  by  those  who  have 
been  engaged  in  any  evil  course  of  life, 
and  who  are  then  converted.  If  their 
conduct  was  right — and  who  can  doubt 
It? — it  settles  a  great  principle  on  which 
young  converts  should  act.  If  a  man  has 
been  engaged  in  the  slave-trade,  he  will 
abandon  it ;  and  his  duty  will  not  be  to 
sell  his  ship  to  one  who  he  knows  will 
continue  the  traffic.  His  property  should 
be  withdrawn  from  the  business  publicly, 
either  by  being  destroyed,  or  by  being 
converted  to  a  useful  purpose.  If  a  man 
has  been  a  distiller  of  ardent  spirits  as  a 
drink,  his  duty  will  be  to  forsake  his  evil 
course.  Nor  will  it  be  hi§  duty  to  sell 
his  distillery  to  one  who  will  continue 
the  business ;  but  to  withdraw  his  pro- 
^rty  frcim  it  publicly,  either  by  destroy- 
ing it,  or  converting  it  to  some  useful 
purpose.  If  a  man  has  been  engaged  in 
the  traffic  in  ardent  spirits,  his  duty  is  not 
to  sell  his  stock  to  those  who  will  con- 
tinue the  sale  of  the  poi«on,  but  to  wit'n- 
dravv  it  from  puMic  use  ;  converting  it  to 
y  Z 


21  After  '  these  thii^gs  were  etid- 
ed,  Paul  purposed  in  the  spirit, 
when  he  had  passed  through  Ma- 
cedonia and  Achaia,  to  go  to  Jeru- 
salem, saying.  After  I  have  been 
there,  I  must  also  see  Rome. ' 

22  So   he   sent  into   Macedonia 


c  Rom.l5.23-2S. 


some  useful  purpose,  if  he  can  ;  if  not,  by 
destroying  it.  All  that  has  ever  been 
said  by  money-loving  distillers,  or  vend- 
ers of  ardent  spirits,  about  the  loss  whii-h 
they  would  sustain  by  abandoning  the 
business,  might  have  been  said  by  these 
practitioners  of  curious  arts  in  Ephesus 
And  if  the  excuses  of  rum-selling  men 
are  valid,  their  conduct  was  folly  :  and 
they  should  either  have  continued  the 
business  of  practising  "  curious  arts"  after 
they  were  converted,  or  have  sold  their 
"  books"  to  those  who  would  have  cou 
tinned  it.  For  assuredly  it  was  not  worse 
to  practise  jugglery  and  fortune-telling 
than  it  is  to  destroy  the  bodies  and  souls 
of  men  by  the  traffic  in  ardent  spirits. 
And  yet,  how  few  men  there  are  in 
Christian  lands  who  practise  on  the  prin^ 
ciple  of  these  honest,  but  comparatively 
unenlightened  men  at  Ephesus  ! 

21.  After  these  things  were  ended.  Af- 
ter the  gospel  was  firmly  established  at 
Ephesus,  so  that  bis  presence  was  no 
longer  necessary.  IT  Purposed  in  the 
spirit.  Resolved  in  his  mind.  IT  When 
he  had  passed  through  Macedonia  ana 
Achaia.  In  these  places  he  had  founded 
flourishing  churches.  It  is  probable  that 
his  main  object  in  this  visit  was  to  take 
up  a  collection  for  the  poor  saints  at  Je- 
rusalem. See  Note,  Rom.  xv.  25,  26. 
IT  To  go  to  Jerusalem.  To  bear  the  con 
tribution  of  the  Gentile  churches  to  the 
poor  and  oppressed  Christians  in  Judea. 
IT  I  must  also  see  Rome.  See  Note,  Rom 
XV.  24.  He  did  go  to  Rome,  but  he  wen 
in  chains,  as  a  prisoner. 

22.  Timotheus.  Timothy.  He  was  a 
proper  person  to  send  there  to  visit  the 
churches,  as  he  had  been  there  before 
with  Paul,  when  they  were  established, 
ch.  xvi.  3  ,•  xvii.  14.  II  And  Erastus 
Erastus  was  chamberlain  of  Corinth 
(Rom.  xvi.  23),  or  more  properly  the  trea- 
surer of  the  city  (see  Note  on  that  place)  ; 
and  he  was,  therefore,  a  very  proper  per- 
son to  be  sent  with  Timothy,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  the  collection  for  the  poor 
at  Jerusalem.  Paul  kad  wisdom  enough 
to  employ  a  man  accustomed  to  moneyed 
transactions  in  making  a  collection     (la 


2m 


TIU']  ACTy.  [A.  D.  59 


uvo  ot  therii  that  ministered  unto 
hitn,  Timotheus  and  Erastus  ;  <*  but 
lie  himself  stayed  in  Asia  for  a 
season. 

23  And  the  same  time  there  arose 
no  small  stir  *  about  that  way. 

21  For  a  certain  man  named  De- 
metrius, a  silversmith,  which  made 

cRoTO.lG.23.  2Tim.4.20.  fc2Cor.l.8;  G.9 


this  collection  his  heart  was  intent,  and 
he  afterwards  went  up  with  it  to  Jerusa- 
l^m.  See  2  Cor.  viii.  ix.,  and  Notes,  Rom. 
xv.  25,  26.  IT  Sfai/ed  in  Asia.  At  Ephe- 
sjis.  IT  For  a  staso?}.  How  long  is  un- 
certain. He  waited  for  a  convenient  op- 
portunity to  follow  them ;  prohahly  in- 
tending to  do  it  as  soon  as  they  had  fully 
prepared  the  way  for  the  collection.  See 
Paley's  HorsB  Paulince,  p.  i.  ch.  ii. 

23.  No  small  stir.  Wo  little  excitement, 
disturbance,  or  tumult  (rif  k%o,).  Comp. 
ch.  xvii.  4,  5.  IT  About  that  way.  Re- 
spechng  the  doctrines  of  Christianity 
which  Paul  preached.  Note,  ch.  ix.  2; 
xviii.  2G ;  xix.  9 

24.  A  silversmith.  The  word  used  here 
denotes  one  who  works  in  silver  in  any 
way,  either  in  making  money,  in  stamping 
silver,  or  in  forming  utensils  of  it.  It  is 
probable  that  the  employment  of  this  man 
was  confined  to  the  business  here  speci- 
fied, that  of  making  shrines  ;  as  his  com- 
plaint (ver.  26, 27)  implied,  that  destroying 
diis  would  be  sufficient  to  throw  them 
all  out  of  employment.  IT  Silver  shrives, 
jix'.vi.  Temples.  The  word  shrine  pro- 
.*rly  means  a  case,  small  chest,  or  box  ; 
.«irticularly  applied  to  a  box  in  which  sa- 
.red  things  are  deposited.  Hence  we 
aear  of  the  shrines  for  relics.  ( Webster.) 
The  word  shrines  here  denotes  small 
portable  temples,  or  edifices,  made  of  sil- 
ver, so  as  to  resemble  the  temple  of  Dia- 
na, and  probably  containing  a  silver 
image  of  the  goddess.  Such  shrines 
would  be  purchased  by  devotees  and  by 
worshippers  of  the  goddess,  and  by  stran- 
gers, who  would  be  desirous  of  possessing 
m  representation  of  one  of  the  seven  won- 
ders of  the  world.     See  Note  on  ver.  27. 

The  great  number  of  persons  that  came 
lo  Ephesus  for  her  worship  would  con- 
.«titute  an  ample  sale  for  productions  of 
this  kind,  and  make  the  manufacture  a 
profitable  employment.  It  is  well  known 
that  pagans  every  where  are  accustomed 
to  carry  with  them  small  images,  or  re- 
presentations of  their  gods,  as  an  amulet, 
or  charm.  The  Romans  had  such  images 
in  nil  their  houf-ts,  called  relates,  or 
liuii-i-hnlil   roil..      A  ^i•]|lla'  lliiui/  is  iiicil- 


silver  shrines' for  Diana,  brought  nt 
small  '^  i;ain  unto  the  craftsmen  ; 

25  Whom  he  called  '^  togeihei 
with  the  workmen  of  like  occiipa 
tion,  and  said.  Sirs,  ye  know  that 
by  this  craft  we  have  o  ir  wealth. 

26  Moreover,  ye  see  and  hea?, 
that  not  alone  at  Ephesus,  but  al- 

cc.16.16.19.  dHev.18.11. 


tioned  as  early  as  the  time  of  Laban  (Gen. 
xxxi.  19),  whose  images  Rachel  had  stolef 
and  taken  with  her.  Comp.  Judg.  xvii. 
5.  "  The  man  Micah  had  an  house  of 
gods."  1  Sam.  xix.  13.  Hos.  iii.  4.  These 
images  were  usually  enclosed  in  a  box, 
case,  or  chest,  made  of  wood,  iron,  or  sil- 
ver ;  and  probably,  as  here,  usually  made 
to  resemble  the  temple  where  the  idol 
was  worshipped.  IT  Diana.  This  was  a 
cel.5brated  goddess  of  the  heathen,  and 
one  of  the  twelve  superior  deities.  In 
the  heavens  she  was  Luna,  or  Meni  (the 
moon) ;  on  earth  Diana  ;  and  in  hell  He 
cate.  She  was  sometimes  represented 
with  a  crescent  on  her  head,  a  bow  in 
her  hand,  and  dressed  m  a  hunting-habit, 
at  other  limes  with  a  triple  face,  and  witl, 
instruments  of  torture.  She  was  com- 
monly regarded  as  the  goddess  of  hunt 
ing.  She  was  also  worshipped  under  th# 
various  names  of  Lucina,  Proserpine, 
Trivia,  (fee.  She  was  also  represented 
with  a  great  number  of  breasts,  to  denote 
her  being  the  fountain  of  blessings,  or  as 
distributing  her  benefits  to  each  in  theii 
proper  station.  She  was  worshipped  in 
Egypt,  Athens,  Cilicia,  and  among  hea- 
then nations  generally ;  but  the  mos* 
celebrated  place  of  her  worship  wae 
Ephesus — a  city  peculiarly  dedicated  to 
her.  ^  To  the  croft smen.  To  the  labour- 
ers employed  under  Demetrius  in  the 
manufacture  of  shrines. 

25.  With  the  workmen  of  liJce  occtipatioi]. 
Those  who  were  in  his  employ,  and  all 
others  engaged  in  the  same  business.  As 
they  would  bo  all  affected  in  the  same 
way,  it  was  easy  to  produce  an  excite- 
ment among  them  all.  Ii  Sirs.  Gr.  Men. 
IT  By  this  craft.  By  this  business,  or  oc- 
cupation. This  is  our  trade.  H  Our 
wealth.  Gr.  Our  acquisition  ;  our  proper 
ty.  We  are  dependent  on  it  for  n  living 
It  does  not  mean  that  they  were  rich,  but 
that  they  relied  on  this  for  a  subsistence 
That  it  was  a  lucrative  business  is  appa 
rent;  but  it  Is  not  affirmed  that  they  wer? 
in  fact  rich. 

26.  Ye  see  ami  hear.  You  see  at  Epho 
siis ;  and  you  hear  the  same  of  olhoi 
l.laces.    V  l'hroif^/,(ul  all  Asi.f.    All  Asit 


.\.  D.  59.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


26; 


most  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul 
hath  persuaded  and  turned  away- 
much  people,  saying  that  "  they  be 
no  g-ods  which  are  made  with 
liands ; 

a  P8.115.4.  l8a.44.1(K20. 

Minor;  ot  perhaps  the  province  of  which 
Ephesus  was  the  capital.  Note,  ch.  ii.  9. 
^  This  Paid  hath  persuaded.  We  have 
here  the  noble  testimony  of  a  heathen  to 
the  zeal  and  success  of  the  ministry  of 
Paul.  It  is  an  acknowledgment  that  his 
labours  had  been  mosi  strikingly  success- 
ful in  turning  the  people  from  idolatry. 
IT  Saying  that  they  be  no  gods,  &c.  Note, 
ch.  xiv.  14,  15. 

27.  So  that  not  only,  &c.  The  grounds 
of  the  charge  which  Demetrius  made 
against  Paul  were  two ; — first,  that  the 
business  of  the  craftsmen  would  be  de- 
stroyed— usually  the  first  thing  that 
strikes  the  nlind  of  a  sinner  who  is  in- 
fluenced by  self-interest  alone;  and 
second,  that  the  worship  of  Diana  would 
cease  if  Paul  and  his  fellow-labourers 
were  suffered  to  continue  their  efforts, 
f  This  our  craft.  This  business  in  which 
we  are  engaged,  and  on  which  we  are 
dependent.  Gr.This  part  (to  i«£?3;)  which 
pertains  to  us.  IT  To  be  set  at  nought.  To 
be  brought  into  contempt.  It  wilf  become 
80  mucTi  an  object  of  ridicule  and  con- 
tempt that  we  shall  have  no  further  em- 
ployment. Gr.  '  Is  in  danger  of  coming 
into  refidationJ"  Et'i  isrsXsy^dv.  As  that 
which  is  refuted  by  argument  is  deemed 
useless,  so  the  word  comes  also  to  signify 
that  which  is  useless,  or  which  is  an  ob- 
ject of  contempt  or  ridicule.  We  may 
here  remark,  (1.)  That  the  extensive  pre- 
valence of  the  Christian  religion  would 
destroy  many  kinds  of  business  in  which 
men  now  engage.  It  would  put.  an  end 
to  all  that  now  ministers  to  the  pride,  va- 
nity, luxury,  vice,  and  ambition  of  men. 
Let  religion  prevail,  and  wars  would 
cease,  and  all  the  preparations  for  war 
which  now  employ  so  many  hearts  and 
hands  would  be  useless.  Let  religion 
prevail,  and  temperance  would  prevail 
also  ;  and  consequently  all  the  capital  and 
labour  now  employed  in  distilling  and 
vending  ardent  spirits  would  be  with- 
drawn, and  the  business  be  broken  up. 
Let  religion  prevail,  and  luxury  ceases, 
and  the  arts  which  minister  to  licentious- 
ness would  be  useless.  Let  Christianity 
nrevail,  and  all  that  goes  now  to  minister 
K)  idolatry,  and  the  corrupt  passions  of 
men,  would  be  destroyed.  No  small  part 
of  the  talent,  also,  that  is  now  vwrse  than 


27  So  that  not  only  this  our  craft 
is  in  danger  to  be  set  at  nought ; 
but  also  that  the  temple  of  the  great 
goddess  Diana  should  be  despised,  ^ 
and  her  magnificence  should  be  de- 


iZeph.;J.li 


wasted  in  corrupting  others  by  ballads 
and  songs,  by  fiction  and  licentious  tales, 
would  be  withdrawn.  A  vast  amount 
of  capital  and  talent  would  thus  be  at 
once  set  at  liberty,  to  be  employed  in  no- 
bler and  better  purposes.  (2.)  The  effect 
of  religion  is  often  to  bring  the  employ- 
ments of  men  into  shame  and  contempt 
A  revival  of  religion  often  make?  the 
business  of  distilling  an  object  of  j^bhor- 
rence.  It  pours  shame  on  those  who  are 
engaged  in  ministering  to  the  vices  and 
luxuries  of  the  world.  Rehgion  reveals 
the  evil  of  such  a  course  of  life,  and 
those  vices  are  banished  by  the  mere 
prevalence  of  better  principles.  Yet,  (3.) 
The  talent  and  capital  thus  disengaged  is 
not  rendered  useless.  It  may  be  directed 
to  other  channels  and  other  employments 
Religion  does  not  make  men  idle.  It  de- 
votes talents  to  useful  employments,  and 
opens  fields  in  which  all  may  toil  use- 
fully to  themselves  and  to  their  fellow- 
men.  If  all  the  capital,  and  genius,  and 
learning  which  are  now  wasted,  and 
worse  than  wasted,  were  to  be  at  once 
withdrawn  from  their  present  pursuits, 
they  might  be  profitably  employed.  There 
is  not  now  a  useless  man  who  might  not 
be  useful ;  there  is  not  a  cent  wasted 
which  might  not  be  employed  to  advan- 
tage in  the  great  work  of  making  the 
world  better  and  happier.  IT  But  also 
that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana 
shoidd  be  despised.  This  temple,  so  cele- 
brated", was  regarded  as  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world.  It  was  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years  in  building,  be- 
fore it  was  brought  to  perfection.  It  wap 
built  at  the  expense  of  all  Asia  Minor. 
The  original  object  of  worstiip  among  the 
Ephesians  was  a  small  statue  of  Diana, 
of  elm,  or  ebony,  made  by  one  Canitias, 
though  commonly  believed  in  those  days 
to  have  been  sent  down  from  heaven  by 
Jupiter.  It  was  merely  an  Egyptian  hie- 
roglyphic, with  many  breasts,  represent- 
ing the  goddess  of  Nature — under  which 
idea  Diana  was  probably  worshipped  at 
Ephesus.  As  the  original  figure  became 
decayed  by  age,  it  was  propped  up  by 
two  rods  of  iron  like  spits,  which  were 
carefully  copied  in  the  image  which  was 
afterwards  made  in  imitation  of  the  first 
A  temple,  most  magnificent  in  struclurs 


268 


THE  ACTS. 

an*'   ib.e 


[A.  D   5S. 


stroyed,   whom   all  Asia 
world  "  worshippeth. 

28  And  when  they  heard  these 
say  bigs,  they  were  full  of  wrath,  * 
and  cried  out,  saying,  Great  is  Dia-' 
na  of  the  Ephesians  ! 

29  And  the  whole  city  was  filled 
with  confusion ;  and  having  caught 

o  IJdo.5.19.  ReT.13.S.  b  Jer.50.38. 

was  built  to  contain  ihe  image  of  Diana, 
wlikh  appears  to  have  been  several  times 
built  and  rebuilt.  The  first  is  said  to 
have  been  completed  in  the  reign  of  Ser- 
vius  Tullius,  at  least  570  years  before 
Christ.  Another  temple  is  mentioned  as 
having  been  designed  by  Ctesiphon,  5-10 
years  before  the  Christian  era,  and 
nhich  was  completed  by  Daphnis  of  Mi- 
letus, and  a  citizen  of  Ephesus.  This 
temple  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire  on 
the  very  day  on  which  Socrates  was  poi- 
isoned,  400  years  B.  C,  and  again  356 
years  B.  C,  by  the  philosopher  Ilerostra- 
tus,  on  the  day  on  which  Alexander  the 
Great  was  born.  He  confessed,  on  be- 
ing put  to  the  torture,  that  the  only  mo- 
:ive  which  he  had  was  to  immortalize  his 
name.  The  four  walls,  and  a  few 
columns  only,  escaped  the  flames.  The 
temple  was  repaired,  and  restored  to  more 
than  its  former  magnificence,  in  which, 
says  Pliny  (Lib.  xxxvi.  c.  14),  220  years 
were  required  to  bring  it  to  completion. 
It  was  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet 
in  length,  two  hundred  and  twenty  in 
breadth,  and  was  supported  by  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  pillars  of  Parian 
marble,  each  of  which  was  sixty  feet 
high.  These  pillars  were  furnished  by 
as  many  princes,  and  thirty-six  of  them 
were  curiously  carved,  and  the  rest  were 
finely  {Kjlinhed.  Each  pillar,  it  is  sup- 
[josed,  with  its  ba.se,  contained  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons  of  rnarljle.  The  doors 
and  pannehng  were  made  of  cypress 
wood,  the  roof  of  cedar,  and  the  interior 
was  rendered  splendid  by  decorations  of 
gold,  and  by  the  finest  productions  of  an- 
cient artists.  This  celebrated  edifice, 
after  suffering  various  partial  demolitions, 
WQS  finally  burnt  by  the  Goths,  in  tlieir 
third  naval  invasion,  in  A.  D.  260.  Tra- 
vellers are  now  left  to  conjecture  wliere 
Its  site  was.  Amidst  the  confu.^ed  ruins 
of  ancient  Ephesus,  it  is  now  imjKWKible 
to  tell  wher(;  was  this  celebrated  temple, 
once  one  of  the  wonders  of  tlic  world. 
"So  passes  away  the  glory  oftliis  world." 
See  Edinburgh  Ency.  art.  EphesuH  ;  also 
-^nacharsih' Travels,  vol.  vi.  1H8.  Ancient 


Gaius  «  and  Aristarchus,  **  men  of 
Macedonia,  Paul's  companions  in 
travel,  they  rushed  with  one  accord 
into  the  theatre. 

30  And  when  Paul  would  have 
entered  in  unto  the  people,  the  dis- 
ciples suffered  him  not. 

31  And  certain  of  the  chief  of 

c  Rom.16.23.  lCor.1.14.         d  c.4.10. 


Universal  History,  vol.  vii.  416  ;  and  Po- 
cocke's  Travels.  IT  A7id  her  magnificence. 
Her  majesty  and  glory  ;  i.  e.  the  splendour 
of  her  temple  and  her  worship.  II  Whom 
all  Asia.  All  Asia  Minor.  IT  And  the 
icorld.  Other  parts  of  the  world.  The 
temple  had  been  built  by  contributions 
from  a  great  number  of  princes ;  and 
doubtless  multitudes  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth  came  to  Ephesus  to  pay  their 
homage  to  Diana. 

28.  Were  full  of  wrath.  Were  greatly 
enraged — probably  at  the  prospec*  of  los- 
ing their  gains.  IT  Great  is  Diana,  &a 
Tlie  term  great  was  often  applied  by  the 
Greeks  to  Diana.  Thus  in  Xenophon 
(Ephes.  i.)  he  says,  "  I  adjure  you  by  your 
own  goddess,  the  great  (t>;!i  ^«>  uxv;i')  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians.'  The  design  of  this 
clamour  was  doubtless  to  produce  a  per- 
secution against  Paul ;  and  thus  to  secure 
a  continuance  of  their  employment. 
Often,  when  men  have  no  arguments, 
they  raise  a  clamour ;  when  their  employ- 
ments are  in  danger  of  being  ruined,  they 
are  filled  with  rage.  We  may  learn, 
also,  that  when  men's  pecuniary  intereste 
are  aflected,  they  often  show  great  zeal 
for  religion,  ana  expect  by  clamour  in 
behalf  of  some  doctrine,  to  maintain  their 
own  interest,  and  to  secure  their  own 
gains. 

29.  Confusion.  Tumult;  disorder. 
IT  Gaius.  lie  had  lived  at  Corinth,  and 
had  kindly  entertained  Paul  at  his  house 
1  Cor.  i.  14.  Rom.  xvi.  23.  IT  Aristarchu.'i 
He  attended  Paul  to  Rome,  and  was  there 
a  prisoner  with  him.  Col.  iv.  10.  IT  With 
one  accord.  Tumultuously ;  or  with  one 
mind,  or  purpose.  IT  Into  the  theatre. 
The  theatres  of  the  Greeks  were  not  oidy 

t)laces  for  public  exhibitions,  but  also  for 
loldiiig  assemblies,  and  often  for  courts 
elections,  Arc.  The  }»oo])le,  therefore, 
naturally  rushed  there,  as  being  a  suita- 
ble place  to  decide  this  matter. 

30.  Would  have  entered  in  unto  the 
people  Probably  to  have  nidressed  them, 
aiHi  to  defend  his  own  cau»e. 

31.  Certain  of  the  chief  of  Asia 
r:.v  'ATi:'..xav.    OfiheAsiarchs.     These 


A..  D.  5i).] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


269 


Asia,  which  were  his  friends,  sent 
unto  him,  desiring  "  him  that  he 
would  not  adventure  himself  into 
the  theatre. 

32  Some  ^  therefore  cried  one 
thing-,  and  some  another;  for  the 
assembly  was  confused:  and  the 
more  part  knew  not  w^herefore  they 
were  come  together. 

33  And  they  drew  Alexander  out 

ac.21.12.  ic.21.34. 


were  persons  who  presided  over  sacred 
things,  and  over  the  public  games.  It 
was  their  business  to  see  that  the  proper 
services  of  religion  were  observed,  and 
that  proper  honour  was  rendered  to  the 
Roman  emperor  in  the  public  festivals,  at 
the  games,  &c.  TLey  were  annually 
elected,  and  their  election  was  confirmed 
at  Rome  before  it  was  valid.  They  held 
a  common  council  at  the  principal  city 
within  their  province,  as  at  Ephesus, 
Smyrna,  Sardis,  &c.,  to  consult  and  delibe- 
rate about  the  interests  committed  to  their 
charge  in  their  various  provinces.  (Kui- 
noel  and  Schleusno.r.)  Probably  they  were 
assembled  on  such  an  occasion  r.ow  ;  and 
during  their  remaining  there  they  had 
heard  Paul  preach,  and  were  friendly  to 
his  views  and  doctrines.  IF.  Which  were 
his  friends.  It  does  not  appear  from  this 
that  they  were  Christian  converts ;  but 
Ihey  probably  had  feelings  of  respect  to- 
wards him,  and  were  disposed  to  defend 
him  and  his  cause.  Perhaps,  also  there 
might  have  existed  a  present  acquaint- 
aHce  and  attachment.  ^  Would  not  ad- 
venture. Would  not  risk  his  life  in  the 
tumult,  and  under  the  excited  feelings  of 
the  multitude. 

32.  Some  therefore  cried  one  thing,  &c. 
This  is  an  adrai^fcle  description  of  a 
mob,  assembled  for  what  purpose  they 
knew  not;  but  agitated  by  passions,  and 
strifes,  and  tumults.  IF  And  the  most  part 
knew  not,  &c.  The  greater  part  did  not 
know.  They  had  been  drawn  together 
by  the  noise  and  excitement ;  but  a  small 
part  would  know  the  real  cause  of  the 
commotion.  This  is  usually  the  case  in 
tumultuous  meetings. 

33.  And  they  drew  Alexander.  Who 
Oiis  Alexander  was,  is  not  known.  Gro- 
ttus  supposes  that  it  was  "  Alexander  the 
c-oppersmith,"  who  had  in  some  way  done 
Paul  much  harm  (2  Tim.  iv.  14);  and 
whom,  v^ith  Philetus,  Paul  had  excommu- 
nicated. He  supposes  that  it  was  a  de- 
vice of  the  Jews  to  put  forward  one  w'ho 
had  been  of  the  Christian  party,  in  order 

«  a 


of  the  multitude,  the  Jews  putting 
him  forward.  And  Alexander ' 
beckoned  with  the  hand,  and 
would  have  made  his  defence  unto 
the  people. 

34  But  when  they  knew  that  he 
was  a  Jew,  all  with  one  voice, 
about  the  space  of  two  hours,  cried 
out,  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephe- 
sians  ! 

C  lTif.lJ20.  2Tit.4.14. 


to  accuse  Paul,  and  to  attempt  to  cast  th« 
odium  of  the  tumult  on  him.  But  it  is 
not  clear  that  the  Alexander  whom  Paul 
had  excommunicated  was  the  person  con 
cerned  in  this  transaction.  All  that  ap  ^ 
pears  in  this  narrative  is,  that  Alexandei 
was  one  who  was  known  to  be  a  Jew ; 
and  who  wished  to  defend  the  Jews  from 
being  regarded  as  the  authors  of  this  tu- 
mult. It  would  be  supposed  by  the  hea- 
then that  the  Christians  were  only  a  sect 
of  the  Jews,  and  the  Jews  wished  doubt- 
less to  show  that  they  had  not  been  con- 
cerned in  giving  occasion  to  this  tumult, 
but  that  it  was  to  be  traced  wholly  to 
Paul  and  his  friends.  IT  The  Jews  putting 
him  forward.  That  he  might  have  a  con- 
venient opportunity  to  speak  to  the  peo- 
ple. H  Would  have  made  his  defence 
Our  translation,  by  the  phrase  "his  de- 
fence," would  seem  to  imply  that  he  was 
personally  accused.  But  it  was  not  so. 
The  Greek  is  simply,  '  was  about  to  apo- 
logize to  the  people  ;'  that  is,  to  make  a 
defence,  not  of  himself  particularly,  but 
of  the  Jews  in  general.  The  translation 
should  have  been  '  a  defence.' 

34.  But  when  they  knew.  When  they 
perceived  or  ascertained.  IT  That  he  tvas 
a  Jew.  There  was  a  general  prejudice 
against  the  Jews.  They  were  disposed 
to  charge  the  whole  difficulty  on  Jews— • 
esteeming  Christians  to  be  but  a  sect  of 
the  Jews.  They  were,  therefore,  indig- 
nant and  excited,  and  indiscriminate  in 
their  wrath,  and  unwilling  to  listen  to  any 
defence.  IF  With  oiie  voice.  Unitedly 
in  one  continued  shout  and  clamour 
'^  About  the  space  of  two  hours.  The  day 
from  sunrise  to  sunset,  among  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  was  divided  into  twelve 
equal  parts.  John  xi.  9.  An  hour,  there- 
fore, did  not  differ  materially  from  an 
hour  with  us.  It  is  not  at  all  improbable 
that  the  tumult  would  continue  f)r  m 
long  a  time,  before  it  would  be  possible 
to  allay  the  excitement.  IT  Cried  out,  &c 
This  they  at  first  did  to  silence  Alexa» 
der.  The  excitement,  however-  was  oon 


270 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  59 


35  And  when  the  town-clerk  had 
appeased  the  people,  he  said,  Ye 
men  °  of  Ephesus,  what  man  is 
there  that  knoweth  not  how  that 
the   city   of    the   Ephesians    is   a 

a  Eph.2.12. 


Imued  in  order  to  evince  their  attach- 
ment to  Diana,  as  would  be  natural  in  an 
excited  ajid  tumultuous  mob  of  debased 
heathen  worshippers. 

35.  And  when  the  lown-clerk.  'O  y^x/a/^u- 
n-Ji.  The  scribe;  the  secretary.  The 
word  is  often  used  in  the  JNJew  Testa- 
iient,  and  is  commonly  translated  scribe, 
md  is  applied  to  public  notaries  in  the 
synagogues ;  to  clerl--.s,  and  to  those  who 
iranscnbed  books,  and  hence  to  men 
Akilled  in  the  law  or  in  any  kind  of  learn- 
ing. Comp.  2  Sam.  viii.  17.  2  Kings  xii. 
11.  Ezra  vii.  6.  11,  12.  Matt.  v.  20;  xii. 
38 ;  xiii.  52 ;  xv.  1 ;  xxiii.  34.  1  Cor.  i.  20. 
It  is,  however,  nowhere  else  applied  to  a 
heathen  magistrate.  It  probably  denoted 
a  recorder ;  or  a  transcriber  of  the  laws ; 
or  a  chancellor.  {Kuinoel,  Doddridge.) 
This  officer  had  a  seat  in  their  deliberative 
assemblies;  and  on  him  it  seems  to  have 
devolved  to  keep  the  peace.  The  Syriac, 
Prince  of  the  city.'  The  Vulgate  and 
Arabic,  '  Scribe.'  IT  Had  appeased  the 
people.  KxTx<rT'uka;.  Having  restrained, 
quieted,  tranquillized,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
address  them.  IF  What  man  is  there. 
Who  is  there  that  can  deny  this  ?  It  is 
universally  known  and  admitted.  This 
is  the  language  of  strong  confidence,  of 
reproof,  and  of  indignation.  It  implied, 
that  the  worship  of  Diana  was  so  well 
established,  that  there  was  no  danger  that 
t  could  be  destroyed  by  a  few  Jews ;  and 
he  therefore  reproved  them  for  what  he 
deemed  their  unreasonable  alarms.  But 
he  little  knew  the  jx)vver  of  that  religion 
which  had  been  the  innocent  cause  of 
all  this  t.imult;  nor  that,  at  no  very  dis- 
tant period,  this  then  despised  religion 
would  overturn,  not  only  the  worship  of 
Diana  at  E|)hesus,  but  the  splendid  idola- 
try of  the  mighty  Roman  empire.  IT  Is  a 
worshipper.  N-^xofOf.  Margin.  Temple- 
keeper  The  word  here  used  does  not 
occur  elsewhere  in  the  New  Testament. 
It  is  derived  from  iswj  for  v^di  a  temple, 
and  x5f  =  «,  to  sweej),  to  cleanse.  But 
am(»ng  the  ancients,  the  oiTice  of  keeping 
their  temples  was  by  no  means  as  humble 
as  that  of  sex  ion  is  w.th  ns.  It  was 
esteemed  to  be  an  Girice  of  honour  and 
dignity  to  have  charge  of  the  temples  of 
the  gods,  and  to  keep  iheui  in  order.  The 
bamo  was  a.Uo  given  \i  the  cities  that 


'  worshipper  ol  the  great  goddess 
Diana,  and  of  the  image  which  fell 
down  from  Jupiter  ? 

36  Seeing  then  that  these  things 
cannot  be  spoken  against,  ye  ought 

»   The  temple-huper. 


were  regarded  as  the  peculiar  patrons  or 
worshippers  of  certain  gods  and  goddess- 
es. They  esteemed  it  an  honour  to  be  re- 
garded as  the  peculiar  keepers  of  their 
temples  and  images  ;  and  as  having  adopt- 
ed them  as  their  tutelar  divinities.  Such 
was  Ephesus  in  regard  to  Diana.  It  was 
esteemed  a  high  honour  that  the  city  was 
known,  and  every  w  here  regarded  as  be- 
ing intrusted  with  the  worship  of  Diana, 
or  with  keeping  the  temple  regarded  by 
the  whole  world  as  peculiarly  her  own. 
See  Scldeusner  on  this  word.  IT  And  of 
the  image.  A  special  guardian  of  the 
image,  or  statue  of  Diana.  IT  Which  fell 
down,  &c.  Which  was  feigned  or  be- 
lieved to  have  been  sent  down  from 
heaven.  Of  what  this  image  was  made 
is  not  known.  Pliny  says  (Hist.  Nat.  xvi 
79)  that  it  was  made  of  a  vine.  Mucian 
(on  Pliny)  says,  that  the  image  was  never 
changed,  though  the  temple  had  been 
seven  times  rebuilt,  ii  is  probable  that 
the  image  was  so  ancient  that  the  maker 
of  it  was  unknown,  and  it  was  therefore 
feigned  to  have  fallen  from  heaven.  It 
was  for  the  interest  of  the  priests  to  keep 
up  this  impression.  Many  cities  pretend- 
ed to  have  been  favoured  in  a  simdar 
manner  with  images  or  statues  of  the 
gods,  sent  directly  from  heaven.  The 
safety  of  Troy  was  supposed  to  depend 
on  the  PaUadium,  or  image  of  Pallas  Mi- 
nerva, which  was  believed  to  have  fallen 
from  heaven.  INuma  pretended  that  the 
anciia,  or  sacred  shields,  had  descended 
from  heaven.  Thus*M-odian  expressly 
affirms,  that "  the  PhemSans  had  no  statue 
of  the  sun  polished  by  the  hand,  but  only 
a  certain  large  stone,  circular  below,  and 
terminated  acutely  above  in  the  figure  of 
a  cone,  of  a  black  colour,  and  that  they 
believe  it  to  have  fallen  from  heaven." 
It  has  been  supposed  that  this  image  at 
Ephesus  was  merely  a  conical  or  pyra- 
midal stone  which  fell  from  the  cloud.'; — 
a  meteorite — ami  that  it  was  regarded 
with  superstitious  reverence,  as  having 
been  sent  from  heaven.  See  the  Edin 
burgh  Ency.  art.  Meteorites.  If  From  Ju 
pitrr.     Sec  Note,  ch.  xiv.  12. 

30.  Seeing  then,  &c.  Since  this  is  es- 
tablished and  admitted.  Since  no  oiws 
can  call  in  question  the  zeal  of  the  Ephp- 
sians  on  this  subject,  or  doubt  the  sin 


/I.  D.  5i>.J 

o   be   quiet,  and   to  do  <*  nothing 
rashly. 

37  For  ye  have  brought  hither 
these  men,  which  are  neither  ^  rob- 
bers of  churches,  nor  yet  blasphe- 
»ners  of  your  goddess. 

38  Wherefore  if  Demetrius,  and 

a  Frov.14.29.  b  c.25.8. 

cerity  of  their  belief.  And  since  there 
can  be  no  dangff  that  this  well-established 
worship  is  to  be  destroyed  by  the  efforts 
of  a  few  evil-disposed  Jews,  there  is  no 
occasion  for  this  tumult.  IT  Be  quiet.  Be 
appeased.  The  same  Greek  word  which 
IS  used  in  ver.  35,  "  had  appeased  the  peo- 
ple." IT  To  do  nothing  rashly.  To  do  no- 
thing in  a  heated,  inconsiderate  manner. 
There  is  no  occasion  for  tumult  and  riot. 
The  whole  difficulty  can  be  settled  in 
perfect  consistency  with  the  maintenance 
of  order. 

37.  For  ye,  &c.  Demetrius  and  his 
friends.  The  blame  was  to  be  traced  to 
them.  IT  Which  are  neither  robbers  of 
churches.  The  word  churches  we  now 
apply  to  edifices  reared  for  purposes  of 
Christian  worship.  As  no  such  churches 
had  then  been  built,  this  translation  is 
unhappy,  and  is  not  at  all  demanded  by 
the  original.  The  Greek  word  (i'«f  oo-uxou?) 
is  applied  properly  to  those  who  commit 
sacrilege,  who  plunder  temples  of  their 
sacred  things.  The  meaning  here  is,  that 
Paul  and  his  companions  had  not  been 
guilty  of  robbing  the  temple  of  Diana, 
or  any  other  temple.  The  charge  of 
sacrilege  could  rot  be  brought  against 
them.  Though  they  liad  preached  against 
idok  and  idol  worship,  yet  they  had  of- 
fered no  violence  to  the  temples  of  idola- 
ters, nor  had  they  attempted  to  strip  them 
of  the  sacred  utensils  employed  in  their 
service.  What  they  had  done,  they  had 
done  peaceably.  IT  Nor  yet  blasphemers 
of  your  goddess.  They  had  not  used 
narsh  or  reproachful  language  of  Diana. 
This  had  not  been  charged  on  them,  nor 
IS  there  the  least  evidence  that  they  had 
done  it.  They  had  opposed  idolatry ;  had 
reasoned  against  it ;  and  had  endeavour- 
ed to  turn  the  people  from  it.  But  there 
19  not  the  least  evidence  that  they  had 
ever  done  it  in  harsh  or  reproachful  lan- 
guage. And  it  shows  that  men  should 
employ  reason,  and  not  harsh  or  reproach- 
ful language  against  any  pervading  evil ; 
Mid  that  the  way  to  remove  it,  is,  to  C7i- 
Ughten  the  minds  of  men,  and  to  convince 
them  of  the  error  of  their  ways.  Men 
eain  nothing  by  bitter  and  reviling  words ; 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


27! 


the  craftsmen  which  are  with  him, 
have  a  matter  against  any  man^ 
'  the  law  is  open,  and  there  are 
deputies :  let  them  implead  one 
another. 

39  But  if  ye  inquire  any  thing 
concerning  other  matters,  it  shall 

1  or,  th*  fourt-dayi  are  kept. 


and  it  is  m.uch  to  obtain  the  testimony  of 
even  the  enemies  of  religion — as  Paul 
did  of  the  chancellor  of  Ephesus — that 
no  such  words  had  been  used  in  describ- 
ing their  crimes  and  follies. 

38.  Have  a  matter  against  any  man. 
Have  a  complaint  of  injury;  if  injustice 
has  been  done  them  by  any  one.  "IT  7'he 
law  is  open.  See  the  margin.  'Aya^ixToi 
xyovTxi,  i,  e.  y,fi'cex,t.  There  are  court  days  i 
days  which  are  open,  or  appointed  for 
judicial  trials,  where  such  matters  can 
be  determined  in  a  proper  manner.  Per 
haps  the  courts  w-ere  then  held,  and  the 
matter  might  be  immediately  determined 
1^  And  there  are  deputies.  Roman  pro- 
consuls. Note,  ch.  xiii.  7.  The  cause 
might  be  brought  before  them  w-ith  the 
certainty  that  it  might  be  heard  and  de- 
cided. The  Syriac  reads  this  in  the  sin- 
gular number — '  Lo,  the  proconsul  is  in 
the  city.'  IT  Let  them  implead  one  another. 
Let  them  accuse  each  other  in  the  court ; 
i.  e.  let  thera  defend  their  own  cause, 
and  arraign  one  another.  The  laws 
are  equal,  and  impartial  justice  will  be 
done. 

39.  But  if  ye  inquire.  If  you  seek  to 
determine  any  other  matters  than  that 
pertaining  to  the  alleged  wrong  which 
Demetrius  has  suffered  in  his  business. 
IT  Other  matters.  Any  thing  respecting 
public  affairs ;  any  thing  pertaining  to  the 
government  and  the  worship  of  Diana 
^  Ina  lavful  assembly.  In  an  assembly 
convened,  not  by  tumult  and  riot,  but  in  . 
conformity  to  law.  This  was  a  tumultu 
ous  assemblage,  and  it  was  proper  in  the 
public  officer  to  demand  that  they  should 
disperse ;  and  that,  if  there  were  any 
public  grievances  to  be  remedied,  it 
should  be  done  in  an  assembly  properly 
convened.  It  may  be  remarked  here 
that  the  original  word  rendered  assembly, 
is  that  which  is  usually  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament rendered  church.  'Ex.y.Ki,(r!x.  it 
is  properly  rendered  by  the  word  assem- 
bly— not  denoting  here  a  mixed  (jr  tumul- 
tuous assemblage,  but  one  convened  m 
the  legal  manner.  The  proper  meaning 
of  the  word  is,  that  which  is  called  out 
The  church,  the  Christian  asseviblv  of  tiV 


612 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  J).  61, 


be  determined  in  a    lawful  assem- 
bly. 

40  For  we  are  in  daiigrer  to  bo 
called  in  question  for  this  day's 
uproar,  there  beincr  no  cause  where- 
by we  may  give  an  account  of  this 
concourse. 

41  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken, 
he  dismissed  the  assembly.  ° 

CHAPTER  XX. 

A  ND  after  the  uproar  *  was  ceas- 

■^^  ed,  Paul  called  unto  /urn  the 

disciples,  and  embraced  them,  and 

i  or,  ordinary.         o2Cor.l.8-10.       fcc.19.40. 


faithful,  is  marie   up  of  those  who  are 
called  out  from  the  world. 

40.  To  be  called  in  question.  By  the 
government;  by  the  Roman  authority. 
Such  a  tumult,  continued  for  so  long  a 
time,  would  be  likely  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  magistrates,  and  expose  them 
to  their  displeasure.  Popular  commotions 
were  justly  dreaded  by  the  Roman  go- 
vernment; and  .such  an  assembly  as  this, 
convened  without  any  good  cause,  would 
not  escape  their  notice.  There  was  a 
Roman  law  which  made  it  capital  for 
any  one  to  be  engaged  in  promoting  a 
riot.  Sui  costum,  et  concur  sum  fecerit,  ca- 
vile puniatur :  'He  who  raises  a  mob,  let 
nim  be  punished  with  death.' 

41  Dismissed  the  assembly.  Tf.vUxxyia-iuv. 
The  word  usually  translated  church.  Here 
it  is  applied  to  the  irregular  and  tumultu- 
ous assemblage  which  had  conv-ened  in  a 
riotous  manner. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

1.  The  vproar.  The  tumult  excited 
by  Demetrius  and  the  workmen.  Alter 
It  had  been  quieted  by  the  lown-clerk- 
ch.  xix.  40,  41.  TT  Embraced  them.  Sa- 
luted them,  gave  them  parting  expres- 
sions of  kindness.  Comp.  Nou>,  J^uko 
vii.  45.  Rom.  xvi.  16.  1  Cor.  xvl  '20.  2  Cor. 
\iii.  12.  1  The.ss.  v.  26.  1  Peter  v.  14.  The 
Syriac  translates  this,  '  Paul  called  the 
disciples,  and  consoled  them,  and  kissed 
them.'  H  'J'o  go  to  Macedonia.  On  his 
way  to  Jerusalem,  agreeably  to  his  pur- 
pose, recorded  ch.  xix.  21. 

2.  Over  those  parts.  The  parts  of  coun 
cry  in  and  near  Macedonia.  He  probably 
went  to  Macedonia  by  Troas,  where  ho 
expected  to  find  Titus  (2  Cor.  ii.  12);  biU 
not  finding  him  there,  he  went  by  hini- 
Belf  to  Philippi,  Theesalonica,  &.C.,  and 
then  returned  to  Greece  proper.  H  liifo 
Greece.     Into  Gieecc  proper,  of  which 


departed,  for  to  go     into  Macedo 
nia. 

2  And  when  he  had  gone  ovei 
those  parts,  and  had  given  thero 
much  **  exhortation,  he  came  into 
Greece, 

3  And  there  abode  three  months» 
And  when  the  Jews  laid  wait '  foi 
him,  as  he  was  about  to  sail  into 
Syria,  he  purposed  to  return  through 
Macedonia. 

4  And  there  accompanied  him 
into  Asia,  Sopater  of  Berea ;   aYid 

clCor.16.5.  lTim.1.3.        d  lThe5S.2.3,ll.         e  c.23 
12;25.3.  2Cor.ll.26. 


Athens  was  the  capital.  While  in  Mace- 
donia, he  had  great  anxiety  and  trouble, 
but  was  at  length  comforted  by  the  com- 
ing of  Titus,  who  brought  him  intelli 
gence  of  the  liberal  disposition  of  the 
churches  of  Greece  in  regard  to  the  col- 
le<:;tion  for  the  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem. 
2  Cor.  vii.  5 — 7.  It  is  probable  that  the 
second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  was 
written  during  this  time  in  Macedonia, 
and  sent  to  them  by  Titus.  See  Note  of 
Doddridge. 

3.  And  there  abode.  Why  he  remained 
here  is  unknown.  It  is  probable,  thai 
while  in  Greece,  he  wrote  the  epistle  to 
the  Romans.  Comp.  Rom.  xv.  25 — 27. 
H  Laid  wait.  There  was  a  design  formed 
against  him  by  the  Jews,  which  they 
sought  to  execute.  Why  they  formed 
this  purftose,  the  historian  has  not  in- 
formed us.  II  As  he  was  about  to  sail.  If 
would  seem  from  this,  that  the  design  of 
the  Jews  was  to  attack  the  ship  in  which 
he  was  about  to  sail,  or  to  arrest  him  on 
ship-board.  This  fact  determined  him  to 
take  a  much  more  circuitous  route  by 
land,  so  that  the  churches  of  Macedonia 
were  favoured  with  another  visit  from 
him.  IT  Into  Syria.  On  his  way  to  Jeru- 
salem. IT  He  purposed,  &c.  He  resolved 
to  avoid  the  snare  which  they  had  laid 
for  him,  and  to  return  by  the  same  way 
in  which  he  had  come  into  Greece. 

4.  Ajid  there  accompar^ied  him.  It  wa« 
usual  for  some  of  the  dis  .iplcs  to  attend 
the  apostles  in  their  journeys.  IT  Into  Asia, 
It  is  not  meant  that  they  attended  hira 
from  Greece  through  Rlaccdonia ;  but 
that  they  went  with  him  to  Asia,  having 
gone  before  him,  and  joined  him  at  Troas. 
IF  Sopater  0/  Berea.  Perliap.s  the  same 
person  wlio,  in  Rom.  xvi.  21,  is  callei^ 
Sosijxitcr,  and  who  is  there  said  to  haw 
been  a  kinsman  of  Paul     lli  Aristarchtu 


V.  D.  60.J 


CHAPTER  XX. 


yr., 


of  the  The3salonians,  Aristarchiis  " 
and  Secundus ;  and  Gains  of  Der- 
be,  and  ''  Timotheus  ;  and  of  Asia, 
Tychicus  "  and  '^  Trophimus. 

5  These  going  before,  tarried  for 
as  at  Troas. 

6  And  we  sailed  away  from  Phi- 
rippi  after  the  days  of  *  unleavened 
Dread,  and  came  unto  them  at  Troas 
'  in  five  days ;  where  we  abode 
seven  days.  » 

a  C.I9.2&.  b  c.16.1.  c  Eph.6.21.  Col.4.7.  2Tim. 
1.12.  Tit.3.12.  dc.2\.29.  2Tiis.4.20.  eEx.23.13. 
/2Tim.  4.13. 


ch.  xiy,  29.  T  Gains  of  Derhe.  Note,  ch. 
xix.  29.  IT  Tychicus  This  man  was  high 
n  the  confidence  ana  affection  of  Paul. 
In  Eph.  vi.  21,  22,  he  siyles  him  "a  be- 
loved brotlier,  and  faithful  minister  in  the 
Jjord."  IT  And  Trophimus.  Trophimus 
was  from  Ephesus.  ch.  xx.  29.  When 
Paul  wrote  his  second  epistle  to  Timo- 
thy, he  was  at  Miletum,  sick.  2  Tim. 
iv.  20. 

5.  These  going  before.  Going  before 
Paul  and  Luke.  Dr.  Doddridge  supposes 
that  only  Tychicus  and  Trophimus  went 
before  the  others.  Perhaps  i^he  Greek 
most  naturally  demands  this  intorpreta- 
tion.  H  Tarried  for  us.  The  word  "^  us" 
here,  shows  that  Luke  had  again  joined 
Paul  as  his  companion.  In  ch.  xvi.  12,  it 
appears  that  Luke  was  in  Philippi,  in  the 
house  of  Lydia.  Why  he  remained  there, 
or  why  he  did  not  attend  Paul  in  his  jour- 
ney to  Athens,  Corinth,  Ephesus,  &c.  is 
not  known.  It  is  evident,  however,  that 
he  here  joined  him  again.  IT  At  Troas. 
Note,  ch.  xvi.  8. 

6.  Afer  the  days  of  unleavened  bread. 
After  the  seven  days  of  the  passover, 
during  which  they  ate  only  unleavened 
bread.  See  Ex.'  xii.  IT  In  five  days. 
They  crossed  the  iEgean  sea.  Paul, 
when  he  crossed  it  on  a  former  occasion, 
did  it  in  two  days  (ch.  xvi.  11,  12);  but 
the  navigation  of  the  sea  is  uncertain, 
and  they  were  now  probably  hindered  by 
contrary  winds. 

7.  And  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week. 
Showing  thus,  that  this  day  was  then  ob- 
served by  Christians  as  holy  time.  Comp. 
I  Cor.  xvi.  2.  Rev.  i.  10.  IT  To  break 
b'-eud.  Evidently  to  celebrate  the  Lord's 
supper  Comp.  ch.  ii.  46.  So  the  Syriac 
understands  it,  by  translating  it, '  to  break 
the  eucharist,'  i.  e.  the  eucharistic  bread, 
[t  is  probable  that  the  apostles  and  eai-ly 
Christians  celebrated  the  Lord's  supper 
>a  every  Lord's-day.      IT  And  coniivued 


7  And  upon  the  first  ^  day  oi  the 
week,  when  the  disciples  Ccitne  to- 
gether to  break  ''  bread,  Paul 
preached  unto  them,  re^y  to  de- 
part on  the  morrow  ;  anc^ontinued 
his  speech  unti'.  midnight. 

8  And  there  were  many  lights  i 
the  upper  '  chamber,  where  the} 
were  gathered  together. 

9  And  there  sat  in  a  window  a 
certain   young  man   named   Euty 

?  1  Cor.  16.2.  Rev.1.10.  h  c.2.42.46.  ICor.lO.Kfc 
5  1.20-34.  t  c.1.13. 


his  speech  until  midnight.  The  discourse 
of  Paul  continued  until  the  breaking  of 
day.  ver.  11.  But  it  was  interrupted 
about  midnight  by  the  accident  that  oc- 
curred to  Eutychus.  The  fact  that  Paul 
was  about  to  leave  them  on  the  next  day, 
probably  to  see  them  no  more,  was  the 
principal  reason  why  his  discourse  W'as 
so  long  continued.  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose, however,  that  it  was  one  continued 
or  set  discourse.  No  small  part  of  the 
time  might  have  been  passed  in  hearing 
and  answering  questions,  though  Paul 
was  the  chief  speaker.  The  case  proves 
that  such  seasons  of  extraordinary  devo 
t;on  may,  in  peculiar  circumstances,  be 
proper.  Occasions  may  arise  where  il 
will  be  proper  for  Christians  to  spend  a 
much  longer  time  than  usual  in  public 
w^orship.  It  is  evident,  however,  that 
such  seasons  do  not  often  occur. 

8.  And  there  were  many  lights.  Why 
this  circumstance  is  mentioned  is  not  ap 
parent.  It,  however,  meets  one  of  the 
slanders  of  ths  early  enemies  of  Chris- 
tianivy,  that  Christians  in  their  assemblica 
were  accustomed  to  extinguish  all  the 
lights,  and  to  commit  every  kind  of  abo- 
mination. Perhaps  the  mention  of  many 
lights  hero  is  designed  to  intimate  that  il 
was  a  place  of  public  worship,  as  not 
only  the  Jews,  but  the  Gentiles  were  ac- 
customed to  have  many  lights  burning  in 
such  places.  ^  In  the  upper  chamber 
Note.  ch.  i.  13. 

9.  And  there  sat  tr.  a  windov).  The 
window  was  left  open  pirtbably  to  avoid 
the  malice  of  their  enemies,  who  might 
be  disposed  otherwise  to  charge  thera 
with  holding  their  assemblies  in  df^rknesa 
for  purposes  of  iniquity.  The  window 
was  a  mere  opening  in  the  wall  to  let  in 
light,  as  there  was  no  glass  known  attha( 
time;  and  as  the  shutters  of  the  window 
were  not  closed,  there  was  nothing  to  pre 
vent  Eutychus  from  fallingf  down.  Ii  TA» 


21 1 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D   60. 


chus,  beinff  lallen  into  a  deep 
Sxeep ;  and  as  Paul  was  long 
preaching-,  he  sunk  down  with 
sleep,  and^U  down  from  the  third 
loft,  and  \^s  taken  up  dead. 

10  And  Paul  went  down,  and 
fell  "  on  him,  and  embracing  him^ 
said,  ^  Trouble  not  yourselves  ;  for 
his  life  is  in  him. 

1 1  When  he  therefore  was  come 
op  again,  and  had  broken  bread,  and 
eaten,  and  talked  a  long  while,  even 
till  break  of  day,  so  he  departed. 

12  And  they  brought  the  young 

s  IKings  17.21.  2Kiugs  4.34.  h  Matt.9.24. 

third  loft.  The  third  story.  IT  And  was 
taken  up  dead.  Some  have  supposed  that 
he  was  merely  stunned  with  the  fall,  and 
that  he  was  still  alive.  But  the  obvious, 
and  therefore  the  safest  interpretation  is, 
that  he  was  actually  killed  by  the  fall, 
find  was  miraculously  restored  to  life. 
This  is  an  instance  of  sleeping  in  public 
worship  tiiat  has  some  apology.  The  late 
hour  of  the  night,  and  the  length  of  the 
services,  were  the  excuse.  But,  though 
the  thing  is  often  done  now,  yet  how  sel- 
dom is  a  sleeper  in  a  church  furnished 
with  an  excuse  for  it.  No  practice  is 
more  shameful,  disrespectful,  and  abomi- 
nable, than  that  so  common  of  sleeping 
in  the  house  of  God. 

10.  And  ftlL  on  him,  &c.  Probably 
Btretching  himself  on  him  as  Elisha  did 
on  the  Shunammite's  son.  2  Kings  iv. 
33 — 35.  it  was  an  act  of  tenderness  and 
compa-ssion,  evincing  a  strong  desire  to 
restore  him  to  life.  IT  Trouble  not  your- 
selves. They  would  doubtless  be  thrown 
into  great  consternation  by  such  an 
event.  Paul  therefore  endeavoured  to 
compose  their  minds  by  the  assurance  that 
he  would  live.  IT  For  his  life  is  in  him. 
He  is  restored  to  life.  This  has  all  the 
ippearance  of  having  been  a  miracle. 
Life  was  restored  to  him  as  Paul  spoke. 

11.  Come  tip  apain.  To  the  upper 
room.  ver.  8.  H  And  had.  broken  bread, 
and  eaten.  Had  taken  refreshment.  As 
this  is  spoken  of  Paul  only,  it  is  evidently 
distinguished  from  the  celebration  of  the 
liord's  supper. 

12.  Not  a  Utile  comforted.  By  the  fact 
that  he  was  alive  ;  perhaps  also  strength- 
ened by  the  evidence  that  a  miracle  had 
been  wrought. 

13.  Sailed  unto  Assos.  There  were 
neveral  cities  of  this  name.  One  was 
ill  Lv;ia:  one  in  the  territory  of  Eolis; 


man  alive,  and  were   not  a  Ijtle 
comforted. 

13  And  he  went  before  to  ship, 
and  sailed  unto  Assos,  there  intend- 
ing to  take  in  Paul :  for  so  had  he 
aj)pointed,  minding  himself  to  go 
afoot. 

14  And  when  he  met  with  us  at 
Assos,  we  took  him  in,  and  came  to 
Mitylene. 

^  And  we  sailed  thence,  and 
came  the  next  dcii/  over  agains", 
Chios ;  and  the  next  dai/  we  arrived 
at  Samos,  and  tarried  at  Trogyl- 


one  in  Mysia  ;  one  in  Lydia  ;  and 
another  in  Epirus.  The  latter  is  the 
one  intended  here.  It  was  between 
Troas  and  Mitylene.  The  distance  to  it 
from  Troas  by  sea  was  much  greater  than 
by  land,  and  accordingly  Paul  chose  to  go 
to  it  on  foot.  IF  Minding  himself.  Choos 
ing  or  preferring  to  go  on  foot.  Most  of 
his  journeys  were  probably  performed  in 
this  way. 

14.  Came  to  Mili/lene.  This  was  the 
capital  of  the  island  of  Lesbos.  It  was 
distinguished  by  the  beauty  of  its  situa- 
tion, and  the  splendour  and  magnificence 
of  its  edifices.  The  island  on  which  it 
stood,  Lesbos,  was  one  of  the  largest  in 
the  ^gean  sea,  and  the  seventh  in  the 
Mediterranean.  It  is  a  few  rniles  distant 
from  the  coast  of  Aeolia,  and  is  alx)ut  on© 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  miles  in  circum- 
ference. The  name  of  the  city  now  is 
Castro. 

15.  Over-agaxnsl.  Opposite  to.  Into 
the  neighbourhood  of;  or  near  to  it. 
II  Chios,  called  also  Coos,  an  island  in  the 
Archipelago,  between  Lesbos  and  Samos. 
It  is  on  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor,  and  is 
now  called  Scio.  It  will  long  he  remem 
bered  as  the  seat  of  a  dreadful  massacre 
of  almost  all  its  inhabitants  by  the  Turks 
in  1823.  ^  At  Samos.  This  was  also  an 
island  of  the  Archipelago,  lying  off  the 
coast  of  Lydia,  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  a  narrow  strait.  These  islands  were 
celebrated  among  the  ancients  ibr  their 
extraordinary  wines.  IT  TrogijlUum 
This  was  the  name  of  a  town  and  pro- 
montory of  Ionia  in  Asia  Minor,  between 
Ephesus  and  the  mouth  of  the  river  Me- 
ander, opposite  to  Samos.  The  promon- 
tory is  a  spur  of  mount  Mycale.  IT  MiU' 
ins.  Called  also  Miletum.  It  was  a  city 
and  scajKirt,  and  the  ancient  capital  of 
Ionia.    It  was  originally  composed  ot  a 


\  D.  60.J 


CHAPTER  XX. 


27£ 


tiuin;  and  the  next  day  we  came  to  ] 
Miletus. 

16  For  Paul  had  determined  to 
sail  by  Ephesus,  because  he  would 
not  spend  the  time  in  Asia ;  for  he 
hasted,  if  it  were  possible  for  him, 
to  be  *  at  Jerusalem  the  day  of 
'  Pentecost. 

17  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to 


a  C.1S.21:  24.17 


c.2.1,  lCor.16.8, 


colony  of  Cretans.  It  be<|(re  extremely 
powerful,  and  sent  out  colonies  to  a  great 
number  of  cities  on  the  Euxine  sea.  It 
was  distinguished  for  a  magnificent  tem- 
ple dedicated  to  Apollo.  It  is  now  called 
by  the  Turks  Melas.  It  was  the  birth- 
place of  Thales,  one  of  the  seven  wise 
men  of  Greece.  It  was  about  forty  or 
fifty  miles  from  Ephesus. 

16.  To  sail  by  EpkesiLS.  The  word  hy 
m  our  translation  is  ambiguous.  We  say 
to  go  by  a  place,  meaning  either  to  take 
It  in  our  way,  to  go  to  it,  or  to  go  past  it. 
Here  it  means  the  latter.  He  intended  to 
Bad  past  Ephesus  without  going  to  it. 
IT  For  he  hasted,  &c.  Had  he  gone  to 
Ephesus,  he  would  probably  have  been 
80  delayed  in  his  journey  that  he  could 
not  reach  Jerusalem  at  the.  time  of  Pen- 
tecost. IF  The  day  of  Pentecost.  Note, 
ch..  ii.  1. 

17.  He  sent  to  Ephesus.  Perhaps  a  dis- 
tance of  forty  miles.  IT  The  elders  of  the 
church.  Who  had  been  appointed  vvhile 
he  was  there  to  take  charge  of  the 
church.     Note,  ch.  xv.  2. 

18.  And  when  they  were  come  unto  him. 
The  discourse  which  follows  is  one  of  the 
most  tender,  affectionate,  and  eloquent 
which  is  any  where  to  be  found.  It  is 
strikingly  descriptive  of  the  apostle's 
manner  of  life  while  with  them  ;  evinces 
his  deep  concern  for  their  welfare  ;  is  full 
of  tender  and  kind  admonition  ;  expresses 
the  firm  purpose  of  his  soul  to  live  to 
the  glory  of  God,  and  his  expectation  W 
be  persecuted  still ;  and  is  a  most  affection- 
ate and  solemn  farewell.  No  man  can 
read  it  without  being  convinced  that  it 
came  from  a  heart  full  of  love  and  kind- 
ness; and  that  it  evinces  a  great  and 
noble  purpose  to  be  entirely  employed  in 
one  great  aim  and  object — the  promotion 
of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  danger 
and  of  death.  IF  Ye  know.  From  your 
owTi  observation.  He  had  been  with 
them  three  years,  and  could  make  this 
solemn  appeal  to  themselves,  that  he  had 
led  a  faithful  and  devoted  life.  How 
'jRiinr  is  it,  when  a  minister  can  thus  ao- 


Ephesus,  and  c^alled  the  elders  of 
the  church. 

18  And  when  they  were  come  to 
him,  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  know, 
from  the  first  day  *=  that  I  came  into 
Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been 
with  you  at  all  seasons, 

19  Serving  the  Lord  with  all 
'^  humility  of  mind,  and  with  many 

c  c.l9.1,10.  d  lCor.15.9,10. 


peal  to  those  with  whom  he  has  laboared, 
in  proof  of  his  own  sincerity  and  fidelity.' 
How  comforting  to  himself",  and  how  full 
of  demonstration  to  a  surrounding  world, 
of  the  truth  and  power  of  the  gospel 
which  is  preached.  We  may  further  re- 
mark, that  this  appeal  furnishes  strong 
proof  of  the  purity  and  holiness  of  Paul's 
life.  The  elders  at  Ephesus  must  have 
had  abundant  opportunity  to  know  him. 
They  had  seen  him,  and  heard  him  pub- 
licly, and  in  their  private  dwellings.  A 
man  does  not  make  such  an  appeal  unless 
he  has  a  consciousness  of  integrity,  nor 
unless  there  is  conclusive  ^roq/' of  his  in- 
tegrity. It  is  strong  evidence  of  the  holi- 
ness of  the  character  of  the  apostles,  and 
proof  that  they  were  not  impostors,  that 
they  could  thus  appeal  with  the  utmost 
assurance  to  those  who  had  every  oppor- 
tunity of  knowing  them.  ^  From  the  first 
day.  He  was  with  them  three  years,  ver. 
31.  ^  Into  Asia.  Asia  Minor.  They 
would  probably  know  not  only  how  he 
had  demeaned  himself  while  with  them, 
but  also  how  he  had  conducted  in  other 
places  near  them.  ^  After  what  manner 
I  have  been  with  you.  How  1  have  lived 
and  acted.  What  has  been  my  manner 
of  life.  What  had  been  his  mode  of  life, 
he  specifies  in  the  following  verses. 
IT  At  all  seasons.    At  all  times. 

19.  Serving  the  Lord.  In  the  discharge 
of  the  appropriate  duties  of  his  apostolic 
office,  and  in  private  life.  To  discharge 
aright  our  duties  in  any  vocation,  is  serv- 
ing the  Lord.  Religion  is  often  repre 
sented  in  the  Bible  as  a  service  rendered 
to  the  Lord.  IT  With  all  humility.  With- 
out arrogance,  pride,  or  a  spirit  of  dicta- 
tion; without  a  desire  to  '.'lord  it  over 
God's  heritage,"  without  being  elated 
with  the  authority  of  the  apostolic  office, 
the  varietyof  the  miracles  which  he  was 
enabled  to  perform,  or  the  success  which 
attended  his  labours.  What  an  admira 
bie  model  for  ail  who  are  in  the  ministry, 
fnr  all  who  are  endowed  with  talents  and 
learning,  and  for  all  who  meet  with  re- 
markable success  in  their  \york.    The 


376 


THE  ACTS. 


l^.D.  6t 


tears,  "  and  temptations,  *  whicli 
befell  me  by  '  the  lying  in  wait  of 
the  Jews : 


proper  effect  of  such  success,  and  of  such 
»alent,  will  be  to  produce  true  humility. 
Eminent  success  in  the  work  of  the  mi- 
nistry tends  to  produce  lowliness  and 
hninbleiiess  of  mind;  and  the  greatest 
ordovvnients  are  usually  connected  with 
oha  most  simple  and  childlike  humility. 
V  And  with  many  tears.  Paul,  not  unfre- 
quenlly,  gives  evidence  of  the  tender- 
ness of  his  heart,  and  his  regard  for  the 
souls  of  men,  and  his  deep  solicitude  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners,  ver.  31.  Phil. 
Hi.  18.  2  Cor.  li.  4.  The  ^ar/icuZar  thing, 
however,  here  specified  as  producing 
weeping,  was  the  opposition  of  the  Jews. 
But  it  cannot  be  supftosed  that  those  tears 
were  sJied  from  an  apprehension  of  per- 
soiial  danger.  It  was  rather  becau.se  the 
opposition  of  the  Jews  impeded  his  work, 
and  retarded  his  progress  in  winning 
souls  to  Christ.  A  minister  of  the  gospel 
will,  (1.)  Feel,  and  deeply  feel  for  the 
salvation  of  his  people.  He  will  weep 
over  their  condition  when  he  sees  them 
going  astray,  and  in  danger  of  perishing. 
lie  will,  (2.)  Be  especially  affected  with 
opposition,  because  it  will  retard  his 
work,  and  prevent  the  progress  and  the 
triumph  of  the  gospel.  It  is  not  because 
it  is  a  personal  concern,  but  because  it  is 
ihe  cause  of  his  Master.  IT  And  tempta- 
tions. Trials,  arising  from  their  opposi- 
tion. We  use  the  word  temptation  in  a 
more  limited  sense,  to  denote  inducements 
offered  to  mie  to  lead  him  into  sin.  The 
word  in  the  Scriptures  most  commonly 
denotes  trials  of  any  kind.  IF  Which  be- 
fell me.  Which  happened  to  me  ;  which 
I  encountered.  II  13 y  the  lying  in  vait, 
&c.  B\'  their  snares  and  plots  against  my 
life.  Comp.  ver.  3.  Those  snares  and 
plans  were  designed  to  blast  his  reputa- 
.ion,  and  to  destroy  his  usefulness. 

20.  /  kept  back  nothing,  S^c.  No  doc- 
trine, no  admonition,  no  labour.  What- 
ever he  judged  would  promote  their  sal- 
vation, he  had  faithfully  and  fearlessly 
delivered.  A  minister  of  the  gos|)ol  must 
be  the  judge  of  what  will  be  profitahle 
to  the  people  of  his  charge.  Ilis  aim 
ehuuld  1)0  to  promote  their  real  welfare — 
to  preacri  that  which  will  be  profitable. 
His  object  will  not  be  to  please  their 
fanny;  to  gratify  their  taste;  to  flaller 
their  pride;  or  to  proriiole  his  own  popu- 
larity. *  All  Sc.'ipture  U  jmififable"  (2 
''^  X  '.J     ^) ;  and  it  wil'  lie  ilis  aim  to 


20  Jlnd  how  «*  I  kept  back  no- 
thing- that  was  profitable  unto  you^ 
but  have   shewed   you,  and   have 


declare  that  only  which  will  tend  to  pro- 
mote their  real  welfare.  Even  if  it  be 
unpalatable  ;  if  it  be  the  language  of  re- 
proof and  admonition;  if  it  be  doctrine 
to  which  the  heart  is  by  nature  opposed  ; 
if  it  run  counter  to  the  nahve  prejudice« 
and  passions^f  men  ;  yet,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  it  %dHfed  be,  and  will  be  deli 
vered.  JN'o  docrrinc  that  will  be  profita- 
ble should  be  kept  back ;  no  plan,  no  la- 
bour, that  may  promote  the  welfare  of 
the  flock,  should  be  withheld.  IT  Bui 
have  shewed  you.  Have  announced  or 
declared  to  you.  The  word  here  used 
{y.vxyyi7Kxi)  is  most  commonly  applied 
to  preaching  in  public  assemblies,  or  in  a 
public  manner,  IT  Have  taught  you  pub- 
licly. In  the  public  assembly  ;  by  public 
preaching.  H  And  from  house  to  house. 
Though  Paul  preached  in  public,  and 
though  his  time  was  much  occupied  in 
manual  labour  for  his  own  support  (ver 
34),  yet  he  did  not  esteem  hispublic  preach 
ing  to  be  all  that  was  required  of  him ; 
nor  his  daily  occupation  to  be  an  excuse 
for  not  visiting  from  house  to  house.  We 
may  observe  here,  (1.)  That  Paul's  exam- 
ple is  a  warraat  and  an  implied  injunc- 
tion for  family  visitation  by  a  pastor.  If 
proper  in  Ephesus,  it  is  proper  still.  If 
practicable  in  that  city,  it  is  in  other  cities. 
If  it  was  useful  there,  it  will  be  else- 
where. If  it  furnished  to  him  consola- 
tion in  the  retrospect  when  he  came  to 
look  over  his  ministry,  and  if  it  was  one 
of  the  things  which  enabled  him  to  say 
"I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men,'' 
it  will  be  so  in  other  cases.  (2.)  The 
design  for  which  ministers  should  visit 
should  be  a  religious  design.  Paul  did 
not  visit  for 'mere  ceremony,  nor  for  idle 
gossip,  or  chit-chat ;  nor  to  converse  on 
tUlmere  news  or  }x)litics  of  the  day.  His 
aim  was,  to  show  the  way  of  salvation, 
and  to  teach  in  private  what  he  taught  in 
public.  (3.)  How  much  of  this  is  to  be 
done  is,  of  course,  to  be  left  to  the  dis- 
cretion of  every  minister.  Paul,  in  pri- 
vate visiting,  did  not  neglect  public  in 
struction.  The  latter  he  evidently  con 
sidcred  to  be  his  main  or  chief  business. 
His  high  v.rws  of  the  ministry  ore 
evinced  in  his  life,  and  in  his  letters  tc 
Timothy  and  Titus.  Yet,  while  public 
preaching  is  the  main,  the  prime,  tho 
leading  business  of  a  minister,  and  w«ilo 
his  first  <*tt">rt«  "hould  ]yi  d''»':f«'J  to  pre 


CHAPTER  XX. 

and  ^  from 


\.  D,  GO.] 


taught  you    publicly, 
house  to  house, 

21  Testifying-  both  to  the  .Tews 
and  also  to  the  Greeks,  repentance 
*  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

a  2Tim.4.2.  b  Mark  1.15.  Luke  24.47. 


277 


{larsition  for  that,  he  may  and  should  find 
time  to  enforce  his  public  inotructions  by 
going  from  house  to  house  i  and  often  he 
will  find  that  his  most  immediate  and  ap- 
parent success  will  result  from  such  fami- 
ly instructions.  (4.)  If  it  is  his  duty  to 
visit,  it  is  the  duty  of  his  people  to  receive 
him  as  becomes  an  ambassador  of  Christ. 
They  should  be  willing  to  listen  to  his 
instructions ,  to  treat  him  with  kindness, 
and  to  aid  his  endeavours  in  bringing 
a  family  under  the  influence  of  reli- 
gion. 

21.  Testifying.  Bearing  witness  to  the 
necessity  of  repentance  towards  God.  Or 
teaching  them  the  nature  of.  repentance, 
&c.,  and  exhorting  them  to  repent  and 
believe.  Perhaps  the  word  testifying  in- 
cludes both  ideas  of  giving  evidence,  and 
of  urging  with  great  earnestness  and  af- 
fection that  repentance  and  faidi  were 
necessary.  See  I  Tim.  v.  21.  2  Tim.  ii. 
14;  where  the  word  here  used,  and  here 
translated  testify,  is  there  translated,  cor- 
rectly, charge,  in  the  sense  of  strongly 
urging,  or  entreating  with  great  earnest- 
ness. IT  And  to  the  Greeks.  To  all  vvho 
were  not  Jews.  The  Greeks  properly 
denoted  those  who  lived  in  Greece,  and 
who  spoke  the  Greek  languag3.  But  the 
phrase,  '  Jews  and  Greeks,'  among  the 
Hebrews,  denoted  the  whole  human  race. 
He  urged  the  necessity  of  repentance 
and  faith  in  all.  Religion  makes  no  dis- 
tinction, but  regards  all  as  sinners,  and  as 
needing  salvation  by  the  blood  of  the 
Redeemer.  H  Repentance  toward  God. 
Note,  Matt.  iii.  2.  Repentance  is  to  be 
exercised  "toward  God,"  because,  (1.) 
Sin  has  been  committed  against  him,  and 
it  is  proper  that  we  express  our  sorrow  to 
the  Being  whom  we  have  offended  ;  and, 
(2.)  Because  God  only  can  pardon.  Sin- 
cere repintanoe  exists  only  where  there 
is  a  willingness  to  make  acknowledgment 
to  the  very  Being  whom  we  have  offend- 
ed, or  injured.  *^  And  faith.  J)|||^,  Mark 
xvi.  16.  IT  Toward.  Eii.  In  regard  to ; 
in  ;  confidence  in  the  work  and  merits 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  is  required,  be- 
cause there  is  no  other  one  who  (an  save 
fiom  sin.     Note,  ch.  iv.  12. 

22.  Bound    in    (ne    spirit.      Strongly 

•i  A 


22  And  now,  behold,  T go'  bound 
in  the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not 
knowing  '^  the  things  that  shall  be- 
fall me  there  : 

23  Save  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
witnesseth     in    every    cit)?^,    say 

cc.19.21.        dJam.4.U. 


urged  or  constrained  by  the  influence? 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  my  mind.  •  Not  by 
any  desire  tu  see  the  place  where  my 
fathers  worshipped,  and  not  urged  merely 
by  reason,  but  by  the  convictions  and 
mighty  promptings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
do  my  duty  in  this  case.  The  expression 
"  bound  in  the  spirit" {SsSi/Avog  tu,  nv£C/*»Tj; 
is  one  of  great  strength  and  emphasis. 
The  word  Alxi,  to  biiid,  is  usually  applied 
to  confinement  by  cords,  fetters,  or  bands 
(Matt.  .viii.  30  ;  xiv.  3  ;  xxi.  2) ;  and  then 
denotes  any  strong  obligation  (Rom.  vii. 
2),  or  any  thing  that  strongly  urges,  or 
impels.  Matt.  xxi.  2.  When  we  are 
strongly  urged  by  the  convictions  of  duty, 
by  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  we 
should  not  shrink  from  danger  or  from 
death.  Duty  is  to  bedoneat  allhaz&rds.  It 
is  ours  to  follow  the  directions  of  God ;  re- 
suits  we  may  safely  and  confidently  leave 
with  him.  IT  Not  knowing  the  things, 
that  shall  befall  me  there.  He  knew  that 
calamities  and  trials  of  some  kind  await- 
ed him  (ver.  23),  but  he  did  not  know,  (l.J 
Of  what  particular  kind  they  would  be , 
nor,  (2.)  Their  issue,  whether  it  should  be 
life  or  death.  We  should  commit  our 
way  unto  God,  not  knowing  what  trials 
may  be  before  us  in  lii'e ;  but  know- 
ing that,  if  w^e  are  found  faithful  at  the 
post  of  duty,  we  have  nothing  to  fear  in 
the  issue. 

23.  Save  that.  Except  that.  This  waa 
all  that  he  knew,  that  bonds  and  afflictions 
were  to  be  his  portion.  IT  The  Holy  Gkosi 
witnesseth.  Either  by  direct  revelation  to 
him,  or  by  the  predictions  of  inspired  men 
whom  Paul  might  meet.  An  instance 
of  the  latter  mode  occurs  in  ch.  xxi.  11. 
It  is  probable  that  the  meaning  here  is, 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  had  deeply  impress- 
ed the  mind  of  Paul  by  his  direct  in- 
fluences, and  by  his  experience  in  every 
city,  that  bonds  and  trials  were  to  be  his 
portion.  Such  had  been  his  experience 
in  every  city  where  he  had  preached  the 
gospel  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
that  he  regarded  it  as  his  certain  portiop 
that  he  was  thus  to  be  afflicted.  IT  In 
every  city.  In  almost  every  city  where 
Paul  had  been,  he  had  been  subjected  to 
tiese   trials.    Ii«  had   been  persecu'fld 


CT'i 


,  THE  ACTS 

bonds   ar.d   aflljctions  ' 


LA.  D.  Ca 


ir.^  •  that 
tbide  me. 
24  But  none  *   of  these   things 

ac.9.16;  21.11.  i  or  wait  for  m*.         fcc.21.13. 

aoai.8.35,37.  2Cor.4.16. 


»toried,  and  scourged.  So  uniform  was 
•his,  so  constant  had  been  his  experience 
in  thin  way,  that  he  regarded  it  as  his 
certain  portion  to  be  thus  afflicted  ;  and 
he  approaclied  Jerusalem,  and  every 
other  city,  with  a  confident  expectation 
that  such  trials  awaited  him  there. 
IT  tSai/ing.  In  his  experience  :  by  direct 
levelation  ,  and  bv  the  mouth  of  prophets, 
ch.  xxi.  11.  When  Paul  was  called  to 
the  apostleship,  it  was  predicted  that  he 
would  suffer  much.  ch.  ix.  16.  IT  Bonds. 
Chainn.  That  I  would  be  bound,  as 
prisoners  are  who  are  confined.  IF  Abide 
me.  See  the  margin.  They  remain  or 
wait  for  me ;  i.  e.  I  must  expect  to  sufler 
them. 

24.  Move  me.  Alarm  me  ;  or  deter  me 
from  my  purpose.  Gr.  'I  make  an  account 
of  iione  of  them.'  I  do  not  regard  them 
as  of  any  moment,  or  as  worth  considera- 
tion, in  the  great  purpose  to  which  I  have 
devoted  my  life.  ^  Neither  count  I  my 
^ife.  I  do  not  consider  my  life  as  so  valu- 
able as  to  be  retained  by  turning  away 
from  bonds  and  persecutions.  I  am  cer- 
tain of  bonds  and  afflictions  ;  I  am  willing 
also,  if  it  be  necessarjs  to  lay  down  my 
life  in  the  prosecution  of  the  same  pur- 
pose. IT  Dear  unto  myself.  So  precious 
or  valuable  as  to  be  regained  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  duty.  I  am  willing  to  sacrifice  it 
if  it  be  nece^^ary.  This  was  the  spirit 
of  the  Saviour,  and  of  all  the  early 
Christians.  Duty  is  of  more  importance 
than  life  ;  and  when  eitlier  duty  or  life  is 
to  be  sacrificed,  life  is  to  be  cheerfully 
Eurrendered.  IT  So  that.  This  is  my 
main  object,  to  finish  my  course  with  joy. 
It  is  im[)Iied  here,  (1.)  That  this  was  the 
great  purpose  which  Paul  had  in  view. 
(2.)  Th^  if  he  should  even  lay  down  his 
life  in  this  cause,  it  wovld  be  a  finishing 
his  course  with  joy.  In  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  duty,  he  had  nothing  to  fear. 
Life  would  be  ended  wii'h  peace  when- 
ever God  should  require  him  to  finish  his 
courne.  H  Finish  vtii  course.  Close  my 
fareer  ns  an  apostle  and  a  Christian 
Life  is  thuH  ronresentcd  as  a  course,  or 
race  that  is  to  be  run.  2  Tim.  iv.  7.  Ileb. 
xii.  1.  1  Cor.  ix.  24.  Acts  xiii.  25.  ^With 
joy.  With  the  approlmiion  of  conscience 
fld  of  God  ;  v.ilh  [io.k  e  in  the  rrcollec- 
Oun  of  the  past.     Mnn  should  strive  eo  to 

9  s\ia\  he  will   have  ih»tliing  to  regret 


move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life 

dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might 

finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the 


when  he  lies  on  a  bed  of  death.  It  is  a 
glorious  privilege  to  finish  life  with  joy. 
It  is  most  sad  and  awful  when  the  last 
hours  are  imbittered  with  the  reflection 
that  life  has  been  wasted,  or  that  the 
course  has  been  evil.  The  only  way  in 
which  the  course  of  life  may  be  finished 
with  joy,  is  by  meeting  faithfully  every 
duty,  and  encountering,  as  Paul  did 
every  trial  with  a  constant  desire  to  glo 
rify  God.  "iT  Arid  the  ministry.  That  I 
may  fully  discharge  the  duty  of  the  apos 
tolic  office,  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 
in  2  Tim.  iv.  5,  he  charges  Timothy  to 
mahefidl  proof  of  his  ministry.  He  here 
shows  that  this  was  the  ruling  principle 
of  his  owii  life.  If  Which  I  have  received 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Which  the  Lord  Je 
sus  has  committed  to  me.  Acts  ix.  15 — 1? 
Paul  regarded  his  ministry  as  an  office 
intrusted  to  him  by  the  Lord  Jesus  him- 
self On  this  account  he  deemed  it  to  be 
peculiarly  sacrisd,  and  of  high  authority. 
Gal.  i.  12.  Every  minister  has  been  in- 
trusted with  an  office  by  the  Lord  Jesus. 
He  is  not  his  own ;  and  his  great  aim 
should  be,  to  discharge  fully  and  entirely 
the  duties  of  that  office.  11  To  testify  the 
gospel.  To  bear  witness  to  the  good 
news  of  the  favour  of  God.  This  is  the 
great  design  of  the  ministry.  It  is  to  beai 
witness  to  a  dying  world  of  the  pood 
news  that  God  is  merciful,  and  that  his 
favour  may  be  made  manifest  to  sinners 
From  this  verse  we  may  learn,  (I.)  Thai 
we  all  have  a  course  to  run ;  a  duty  to 
perform.  Ministers  have  an  allotted 
duty  ;  and  so  have  men  in  all  ranks  anc 
professions.  (2.)  We  should  not  be  de- 
terred by  danger,  or  the  fear  of  death, 
from  the  discharge  of  that  duty.  We  are 
safe  only  when  we  are  doing  the  will  of 
God.  We  are  really  m  danger  only 
when  we  neglect  our  duty,  and  make 
the  great  God  our  enemy.  (3.)  We 
should  so  live  as  that  the  end  of  our 
course  may  bo  joy.  It  is,  at  best,  a 
solemn  thing  to  die  ;  but  death  may  be  a 
scene  of  lriumj)h  and  of  joy.  (4.)  It  raal- 
fers  htl^jwhon,  or  where,  or  how  w^ 
die,  if  \^^dic  in  the  discharge  of  our 
duty  to  God.  He  will  order  the  circiim- 
Btancos  of  our  departure  ;  and  he  can 
sustain  us  in  the  last  ronflirt.  Happy  is 
that  life  whicli  is  sjient  in  doing  the  wi? 
of  God,  and   peaceful   that  death  whi''* 


4.  D.  6U.J 


CHAFTEK  XX. 


i7i) 


ministry  *  which  I  have  received* 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 

25  And  now,  behold,  I  know 
that  ye  all  among  whom  1  have 
gone   preacliing    the    kingdom   of 

(r2Csr.4.1.         i  Gal. 1.1. 


God,  shall  see  ray  face  no  nriore. 

26  Wherefore  1  take  you  to  re- 
cord this  day  that  I  am  pure  '^  from 
the  blood  of  all  men. 

27  For  1  have  not  shunned  to  de- 
clare untoyou  all  thecounsel'^of  God. 

c2Cor.7.2.        d  Eph.l.ll. 


closes  a  life  of  toil  and  trial  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

25.  I  know  that  ye  all  Perhaps  this 
means  simply, '  I  have  no  expectation  of 
seeing  you  again ;  I  have  every  reason  to 
suppose  that  this  is  my  final  interview 
with  you.'  He  expected  to  visit  Ephesus 
no  more.  The  journey  to  Jerusalem  was 
dangerous.  Trials  and  persecutions  he 
knew  awaited  him.  Besides,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  he  designed  to  turn  his  atten- 
tion to  other  countries,  and  to  visit  Rome  ; 
and  probably  had  already  formed  the 
purpose  of  going  into  Spain.  See  Acts 
six.  2K  Comp.  Rom.  xv.  23 — 28.  From 
(ill  these  considerations  it  is  evident  that 

he  had  no  expectation  of  being  again  at|j.neglect  or  fault  of  theirs 
Ephesus ;   it  is  probable,  however,  that  -     - 

he  did  again  return  to  that  city.  See 
Note,  ch  xxviii.  31.  IT  Among  xokom  I 
have  gone  preaching.  Among  whom  I 
have  preached.  The  parting  of  a  minis- 
ter and  people  is  among  the  most  tender 
and  affecting  of  the  separations  that  occur 
on  earth.  H  The  kingdom  of  God. 
Making  known  thu  nature  of  the  reign 
of  God  on  earth  by  tlie  Messiah.  See 
Note,  Matt.  iii.  2- 

26.  Wherefore.  A.id,  In  view  of  the 
past,  of  my  ministry  and  labours  among 
you,  I  appeal  to  your  own  selves  to  testify 
that  I  have  been  faithful.  IF  liake  you  to 
record.  Gr.  I  call  you  to  witness  ;  I  ap- 
peal to  you  to  testify.  If  any  of  you  are 
lost,  if  you  prove  unfaithful  to  God,  I  ap- 
peal to  yourselves  that  the  fault  is  not 
mine.  It  is  well  when  a  minister  can 
make  this  appeal,  and  call  his  hearers  to 
bear  testimony  to  his  own  faithfulness. 
Ministers  who  preach  the  gospel  with 
fidelity  may  thus  appeal  to  their  hearers  ; 
and  in  the  day  of  judgment  may  call  on 
them  to  witness  that  the  fault  of  the  ruin 
of  the  soul  is  not  to  be  charged  to  them. 
IT  IViat  I  am  pure.  I  am  not  to  be  charged 
with  the  guilt  of  your  condemnation,  as 
owing  to  my  unfaithfulness.  This  does 
not  mean  that  he  set  up  a  claim  to  abso- 
lute perfection ;  but  that,  in  the  matter 
under  consideration,  he  had  a  conscience 
void  of  offence.     IT  2'/ie  blood  of  all  men. 

•The  word  Hood  is  used  often  in  the  sense 
of  death,  or    bloo^i  sh'tJ  :   and   hence  of 


t?ie  guilt  or  crime  of  putting  one  to  death, 
or  condemnation  for  it.  Matt,  xxiii.  35 ; 
xxvii.  25.  Acts  v.  28 ;  xviii.  6.  It  here 
means,  that  if  they  should  die  the-  second 
death,  if  they  should  be  lost  for  ever,  he 
would  not  he  to  blame.  He  had  dis- 
charged his  duty,  in  faithfully  warning 
and  teaching  them  ;  and  now  if  they  were 
lost,  the  fault  would  be  their  own,  not  his. 
IT  All  men.  All  classes  of  men — Jews 
and  Gentiles.  He  had  warned  and  in- 
structed all  alike.  Ministers  may  have 
many  fears  that  their  hearers  will  be 
lost.  Their  aim,  however,  should  be,  (1.) 
To  save  them,  if  possible ;  and,  (2.)  If 
they  are  lost,  that  it  should  be  by  no^, 
of  theirs.  ^^ 

27.  For.  This  verse  contains  a  reason 
for  what  had  been  said  in  the  previous 
verse.  It  shows  why  Paul  regarded  him- 
self as  innocent  if  they  should  be  lost- 
IF  /  have  not  shunned.  I  have  not  kept 
back  ,•  I  have  not  been  deterred  by  Fear, 
by  the  desire  of  popularity,  by  the  fact 
that  Ihe  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  un- 
palatable to  men,  from  declaring  them 
fully.  The  proper  meaning  of  the  word 
translated  here,  "  I  have  not  shunned" 
(\j7rstrTiiXi!j.-/,v),  Is  to  disguise  any  impor- 
tant truth ;  to  withdraw  it  from  public 
view;  to  rfec/me  publishing  it  from  fear, 
or  an  apprehension  of  the  consequences. 
Paul  means  that  he  had  not  disguised  any 
truth ;  he  had  not  withdrawn  or  kept  it 
from  open  view,  by  any  apprehension  of 
the  effect  which  it  might  have  on  their 
minds.  Truth  may  be  disguised  or  kept 
back,  (I.)  By  avoiding  the  subject  altoge- 
ther from  timidity,  or  an  apprehension  of 
giving  offence  if  it  is  openly  proclaimed ; 
or,  (2.)  By  giving  it  too  little  prominency, 
so  that  it  shall  be  lost  in  the  multitude 
of  other  truths;  or,  (3.)  By  presenting  it 
amidst  a  web  of  metaphysical  specula- 
tions, by  entangling  it  with  otberpubjx.'cts  • 
or,  (4.)  By  making  use  of  other  terms  th&r. 
the  Bible  does,  for  the  purpose  of  inv*^lv 
ing  it  in  a  mist,  so  that  it  cannot  be  un- 
derstood. Men  may  resort  to  this  course 
(1.)  Because  the  truth  itself  will  be  un- 
palatable ;  (2.)  Because  they  may  appre^ 
hend  the  loss  of  repuration  or  support 
;3.)  Because  they  mav  not  love  the  truf  I 


.280 


28  Take   heed  "  therefore   unto 
yourselves,   and  to    all   the  flock, 

a  Col.4.n.  lTi.in.4.16. 


THE  ACTS.  LA.  D.  60 

over   the  which   the   Holy    Ghos*. 
hath  made  you  ^  overseers,  to  feed 

iHeb. 13.17. 


themselves,  and  choose  to  conceal  its  pro- 
minent and  otiensive  points ;  (4.)  Because 
they  may  be  afraid  of  the  rich,  the  great, 
and  the  gay,  and  ayjprehend  that  they 
Bhall  excite  their  indignation ;  and,  (5.) 
By  a  love  of  metaphysical  i)hilosophy, 
anti  a  constant  etiort  to  bring  every  thing 
to  the  test  of  tiieir  own  reason.  Men 
often  preach  a  philosophical  exjilaiiation 
of  a  doctrine  instead  ol  {he  doctrine  itself. 
They  deserve  the  credit  of  ingenuity,  but 
not  that  of  being  open  and  bold  prociaim- 
ers  of  the  truth  of  God.  IT  The  whole  coun- 
sel. Jia<rav  T  V  /Ecu\/>.  The  word  counsel 
(iouxf/)  denotes  properly  consultation,  de- 
liberation ;  and  then  will  or  purjKjse. 
Luke  xxiii.  51.  Acts  ii.  23.  It  means  here 
the  will  or  purfjose  of  God,  as  revealed 
in  regard  to  the  salvation  of  men.  Paul 
had  made  a  full  statement  of  that  plan — 
1^  the  guilt  of  men,  of  the  claims  of  the 
mw,  of  the  need  of  a  Saviour,  of  the 
provisions  of  mercy,  and  of  tlie  state  of 
future  rewards  and  punishments.  Minis- 
ters ought  to  declare  all  that  counsel,  be- 
cause God  commands  it ;  because  it  is 
needful  for  the  salvation  of  men  ;  and, 
because  the  message  is  not  theirs,  but 
God's,  and  they  have  no  right  to  change, 
to  disguise,  or  to  withhold  it.  And  if  it 
is  the  duty  of  ministers  to  declare  that 
counsel,  it  is  the  duty  of  a  people  to  lis- 
ten to  it  with  respect  and  candour,  and 
with  a  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  to 
be  saved  by  it.  Declaring  the  counsel  of 
God  will  do  no  good,  unless  it  is  received 
into  honest  and  humble  hearts,  and  with 
a  disposition  to  know  what  God  has  re- 
vealed for  salvation. 

28.  Take  heed  therefore.  Attend  to;  be 
on  your  guard  against  the  dangers  which 
beset  you,  and  seek  to  discharge  your 
duty  with  fidelity.  IT  To  yourselves.  'To 
your  own  piety,  opinions,  and  mode  of 
life.  This  is  the  first  duty  of  a  minister ; 
for,  without  this,  nil  his  preaching  will  be 
vain.  Comp.  Col.  iv.  17.  1  Tim.  iv.  14. 
Ministers  are  beset  with  peculiar  dan- 
gers and  temptations,  and  against  them 
they  should  be  on  their  guard.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  tem[)tation8  which  they  have 
tn  common  with  olher  men,  they  arc 
ex|)osed  to  those  peculiar  to  their  of- 
fice— arising  from  flattery,  and  ambition, 
an<l  despondciKv,  and  worldly-minded- 
ness.  And  just  in  ])ro|K)rlion  io  the  im- 
portance of  their  oflicf,  is  the  iin[)ortc:ncc 
of  the  injunction  of  l*aa'   V»  t.ike  heed  to 


themselves.  I1  And  to  all  the  flock.  Tht 
church ;  the  charge  intrusted  to  them. 
The  church  of  Christ  is  cften  compared 
toajlock.  See  JNotes  on  John  x.  1 — 20. 
also  John  xxi.  15 — 17.  The  word  Jlock 
here  refers  particularly  to  the  church,  and 
not  to  the  congregation  in  general,  for  it  if 
represented  to  be  that  which  was  purchas- 
ed wilh  the  blood  of  the  atonement.  The 
comma  nd  here  is,  (1.)  To  take  heed  to  the 
church:  i.  e.  to  instruct,  teach,  and  guide 
it;  to  guard  it  from  enemies  (ver.  29), 
and  to  make  it  their  special  object  to  pro- 
mote its  welfare.  (2.)  To  take  heed  to 
ALL  the  flock — the  rich  and  the  poor,  the 
bond  and  the  free,  the  old  and  the  young 
It  is  the  duty  of  ministers  to  seek  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  each  individual 
of  their  charge — not  to  pass  by  the  poor 
because  they  are  poor ;  and  not  to  be 
afraid  of  the  rich  because  they  are  rich. 
1^  shepherd  regards  the  interest  of  the 
tendercst  of  the  fold  as  much  as  the 
strongest ;  and  a  faithful  minister  will 
seek  to  advance  the  interest  of  all.  To 
do  this,  he  should  know  all  his  people ; 
should  be  acquainted,  as  far  as  possible, 
with  their  peculiar  wants,  character,  and 
dangers,  and  should  devote  himself  to 
their  welfare  as  his  first  and  main  em- 
ployment. IT  Over  the  vhich  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Though  they  had  been  appointed 
doubtless,  by  the  church,  or  by  the  apos- 
tles, yet  it  IS  here  represented  as  having 
been  done  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  was 
by  him,  (1.)  Because  he  had  called  and 
qualified  them  for  their  work ;  and,  (2.) 
Because  they  had  been  set  apart  in  ac 
cordance  with  his  direction  and  will 
IF  Overseers,  'n^-to-xojrou;.  Bishops.  The 
word  pro])erly  denotes  those  who  are  ap- 
pointed to  oven^ee,  or  inspect  any  thing. 
This  passage  proves  that  the  name  was 
applicable  to  eiders  ;  and  that  in  the  timo 
of  the  apostles,  the  name  bishop  andpres- 
hyter,  or  elder,  was  given  to  the  same 
class  of  ofTicers,  and,  of  course,  that  there 
was  no  distinction  between  them.  One 
term  was  originally  used  to  denote  office 
the  other  o^c,  and  both  were  applied  to 
the  Fame  jiersons  in  the  church.  The 
same  thing  occurs  in  Titus  i.  f) — 7,  whers 
those  who  in  ver.  5  are  called  elders, 
are  in  ver.  7  called  bishops.  See  also 
1  Tim.  iii.  1  -10.  Phil.  i.  1.  IT  To  feed. 
\\r.,ij%ivciv.  This  word  is  properly  applied 
to  the  c;ire  which  a  shepherd  exerciset 
over  his  tluck.     8eo  Notes  John  xxi.  15 


A  D.  60  ] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


'^oi 


«  the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath 

purchased  '  with   his   own  blood. 

29  For  I  know  this,  that  after  my 

oPrnv.10.21,  Jer.3.15.  Jno.21. 15-17.  lPet.5.2,3. 
fcEph.l.U.   Col. 1.14.  Heb.9.12,14.    IPet.l. 18,19.  Rev. 
6.9 


16.  It  applies  not  only  to  the  act  oi  feed- 
ing a  flock,  but  also  to  that  of  protecting, 
gui,jing,  and  guarding  it.  It  here  denotes 
not  merely  the  duty  of  properly  instruct- 
ing the  church,  but  also  of  governing  it  ; 
of  securing  it  from  enemies  (ver.  29),  and 
of  directing  its  affairs  so  as  to  promote  its 
edificaiion  and  peace.  IF  The  church  of 
God.  This  is  one  of  the  three  passages 
in  the  New  Testament  in  regard  to  which 
there  has  been  a  long  contraversy  among 
critics,  which  is  not  yet  determined. 
The  controversy  is,  whether  this  is  the 
correct  and  genuine  reading.  The  other 
two  passages  are,  1  Tim.  iii.  16;  and 
]  John  V.  7.  The  MSS.  and  versions 
exhibit  three  readings  :  the  church  of  God 
(too  esoC);  the  church  of  the  Lord  (toO 
Ku^i'ou);  and  the  church  of  the  Lord  and 
God  (Kjf  tou  ■Au.i  GsoC).  The  Latin  vulgate 
reads  it  God.  The  Syriac,  the  Lord.  The 
Arabic,  the  Lord  God.  The  Ethiopic,  the 
Christian  family  of  God.  The  reading 
which  now  occurs  in  our  text  is  found 
in  no  ancient  MSS.,  except  the  Vatican 
codex ;  and  occurs  nowhere  among  the 
writings  of  the  fathers,  except  in  Atha- 
nasius,  in  regard  to  whom  also  there  is*a 
various  reading.  It  is  retained,  however, 
by  Beza,  Mill,  and  Whitby,  as  the  genu- 
ine reading.  The  most  ancient  MSS- 
and  the  best,  read  the  church  of  the 
Lord,  and  this  probably  was  the  genuine 
text.  It  has  been  adopted  by  Griesbach 
and  Wetstein ;  and  many  important  rea- 
sons may  be  given  why  it  should  be  re- 
tained. See  those  reasons  stated  at  length 
in  Kuinoel  in  loco ;  see  also  Griesbach 
and  Wetstein.  It  may  be  remarked,  that  a 
change  from  Lord  to  God  might  easily 
be  made  in  the  transcribing,  for  in  an- 
cient MSS,  the  words  are  njt  written  at 
length,  but  are  abbreviated.  Thus,  the 
name  Christ  (Xjirroj)  is  written  xos;  the 
name  God  (©«=?)  is  written  002  ;  the  name 
Lord  (Kuf  .0.;)  is  Written  KOS  ;  and  a  mis- 
take, therefore,  of  a  single  letter  would 
lead  to  the  variations  observable  in  the 
manuscripts.  Comp.  in  this  place  the 
Note  of  Mill  in  his  Greek  Testament, 
who  thinks  that  the  name  God  should  be 
retained.  The  authority  however  is  so 
doubtful,  that  it  should  not  be  used  as  a 
Droof  text  on  the  divinity  of  Christ ;  and 
not  necessary   as  th'^re  are  so  many 


departing  shall  grievous  wolves* 
enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing 
'^  the  flock. 

c  Matt.7.15.  2Pet2.1.  d  Jer.l3.20;23.1.  Ezek.S4 

2,3.  Zech.11.17. 


undisputed  passages  on  that  subject 
IT  Which  he  hath  purchased.  The  word 
here  used  (-£e<£;ro.>io-aTo)  occurs  but  in 
one  other  place  in  the  New  Testament. 
1  Tim.  iii.  13,  "  For  they  that  have  used 
the  office  of  deacon  'we\[,purchase  to  them- 
selves a  good  degree  and  great  boldness  in 
the  faith."  The  word  properly  means  to 
acquire  or  gain  any  thing ;  or  to  make  ii 
ours.  This  may  be  done  by  a  price,  or  by 
labour,  &c.  The  noun  [Tn^iTToinTii)  de- 
rived from  this  verb  is  several  times  used 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  denotes  acqui 
sition.  1  Thess.  v.  9,  "  God  hath  appoint- 
ed us  to  obtain  [unto  the  obtaining  or 
acquisition  of]  salvation."  2  Thess.  ii.  14.. 
"  Whereunto  he  called  you  by  our  gos- 
pel, to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  Tit.  ii.  14. 
Eph.  i.  14.  In  this  place,'  it  means  that 
Christ  had  acquired,  gained,  or  procured 
the  church  for  himself  by  paying  his  own 
life  as  the  price.  The  church  is  often 
represented  as  having  thus  been  bought 
with  a  price.  1  Cor.  vi.  20 ;  vii.  23.  2  Pet 
ii.  1.  IT  With  his  own  Mood.  With  the 
sacrifice  of  his  own  life ;  for  blood  is 
often  put  for  life,  and  to  shed  the  blood 
is  equivalent  to  taking  the  life.  See 
Note,  Rom,  iii.  2.5.  The  doctrines  taught 
here  are,  (1.)  That  the  death  of  Christ 
was  an  atoning  sacrifice ;  that  he  offered 
himself  to  purchase  a  people  to  his  own 
service.  (2.)  That  the  church  is,  there- 
fore, of  peculiar  value — a  value  to  be 
estimated  by  the  worth  of  the  price  paid 
for  it.  Comp.  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19.  (3.)  That 
this  fact  should  make  the  purity  and  sal 
vation  of  the  church  an  object  of  specia" 
solicitude  with  the  ministers  of  the  gos 
pel.  They  should  be  deeply  affected  in 
view  of  that  blood  which  has  been  shed 
for  the  church ;  and  they  should  guard 
and  defend  it  as  having  been  bought  with 
the  highest  price  in  the  universe.  The 
chief  consideration  that  will  make  minis, 
ters  faithful  and  self-denying  is,  that  the 
church  has  been  bought  with  a  price 
If  the  Lord  Jesus  so  loved  it ;  if  he  gave 
himself  for  it,  they  should  be  willing  to 
I  deny  themselves,  to  watch,  and  toil,  and 
pray,  that  the  great  object  of  his  death— 
the  purity  and  the  salvation  of  thai 
church — may  be  obtained. 
29.  For  I'know  this.    By  what  he  ha<i 


18? 


THE  ACTS 


A.  L).  bO 


30  A.lso   of  "   your   own  selves  |  member  that  by  tne  space  of  three 


shall  men  arise,  speakingr  perverse 
things,  to  draw  away  disciples 
after  them. 

31  Therefore   watch,  *   and   re- 


a  IJdo.2.19.  Jude4,&c. 


leen  in  other  places ;  by  his  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  and  of  the  dangers  to 
which  they  were  exposed  ;  and  by  the 
guidance  of  inspiration.  ^  After  my  de- 
jjarture.  Ilis  presence  had  been  the 
means  of  guarding  the  church,  and  pre- 
serving it  from  these  dangers.  Now  that 
the  founder  and  guide  of  the  church  was 
to  be  removed,  they  would  be  exposed  to 
dissensions  and  dangers.  IT  Grievous 
violves.  Heavy  {S-x^i'i.;),  strong,  mighty, 
dangerous  wolves — so  strong  that  .the 
feeble  flock  would  not  be  able  to  resist 
them.  The  term  wolves  is  used  to  denote 
the  enemies  of  the  flock — false,  and  hypo- 
critical, and  dangerous  teachers.  Comp. 
Matt.  X.  16.  Note,  vii.  15.  IT  Enter  in 
among  you.  From  abroad  ;  doubtless  re- 
ferring particularly  to  the  Jews,  who 
might  be  expected  to  distract  and  divide 
them.  IT  Not  sparing  the  flock.  Seeking 
to  destroy  the  church.  The  Jews  would 
regard  it  with  peculiar  hostility,  and 
would  seeH  to  destroy  it  in  every  way. 
Probably  they  would  approach  them  with 
great  professed  friendship  for  them,  and 
expressing  a  desire  only  ta  defend  the 
laws  of  Moses. 

30.  Also  of  your  own  selves.  From 
your  own  church ;  from  those  who  pro- 
fess to  be  Christians.  ^  Speaking  j^er- 
verse  things.  Crooked,  perverted,  dis- 
tracting doctnnes  (rTiso-Tf a/^^lva).  Comp. 
^  Note,  Acts  xiii.  10.  They  would  pro- 
claim doctrines  tending  to  distract  and 
divide  the  church.  The  most  dangerous 
enemies  which  the  church  has  had,  have 
been  nurtured  in  its  own  bosom,  and 
have  consisted  of  those  who  have  per- 
verted the  true  doctrines  of  the  gospel. 
Among  the  Ephesians,  as  among  the 
Corinthians  (Cor.  i.  11 — 13),  there  might 
be  parties  formed ;  there  might  be  men 
influenced  by  ambition,  like  Diotrephes 
(3  John  9),  or  like  Phygellus  or  Her- 
mogencs  (2  Tim.  i.  15).  or  like  Hyme- 
neus  and  Alexander.  1  Tim.  i.  20.  Men 
jnder  the  influence  of  ambition,  or  from 
.no  love  of  pcvwer  or  popularity,  form 
^>irties  in  the  church,  produce  divisions 
and  dJHtraclions,  and  greatly  retard  its  in- 
ternal prfwperity,  and  mar  its  neace.  'J'lio 
rhurch  of  Christ  would  have  little  to  fear 
from  external  entmies  if  it  nurtured  no 
foes  in  its  own  bosom;  and  all  the  power 


years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  ''  every 
one  night  and  day  with  tears. 

32  And  now,   brethren,  i  com 
mend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word 


of  persecutors  is  not  so  much  to  be  dreaded 
as  thecounsels  and  plans,  the  parties, strifes, 
heart-burnings,  and  contentions  w  hich  are 
produced  by  those  who  have  power, 
among  the  professed  friends  of  Christ. 

31.  Therefore  watch.  Matt.  xxiv.  42. 
In  view  of  the  dangers  which  beset  your- 
selves (ver.  28),  the  danger  from  men  not 
connected  with  the  church  (ver.  29),  and 
the  danger  that  shall  arise  from  the  lovers 
of  power  among  yourselves  (ver.  30),  be 
on  your  guard.  Observe  the  approach 
of  danger,  and  set  yourselves  against  it 
IT  Remember.  Recall  my  counsels  and 
admcnidons  in  reference  to  these  dan- 
gers. IT  By  the  space  of  three  years.  In 
ch.  xix.  10,  we  are  told  that  Paul  spen 
two  years  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus. 
In  ch.  xix.  8,  it  is  said  that  he  was  teacb 
ing  in  the  synagogue  at  Ephesus  threj» 
months.  In  addition  to  this,  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  he  spent  some  months  more 
in  Ephesus  in  instructing  the  church  in 
other  places.  Perhaps,  however,  by  the 
phrase  three  years,  he  meant  to  use 
merely  a  round  number,  denoting  about 
three  years ;  or,  in  accordance  with  the 
Jewish  customs,  part  of  each  of  the  three 
years — one  whole  year,  and  a  considera 
ble  portion  of  the  two  others.  Comp. 
Note,  Matt.  xii.  40.  "T  /  ceased  not.  I 
continued  to  do  it.  II  To  warn.  To 
admonish;  to  place  before  the  mind 
(I'oj^jTai) ;  setting  the  danger  and  duty 
of  each  individual  before  him.  IT  Every 
one.  lie  had  thus  set  them  an  example 
of  what  he  had  enjoined,  ver.  28.  He 
had  admonished  each  individual,  what- 
ever was  his  rank  or  standing.  It  is  well 
when  a  minister  can  refer  to  his  own  ex- 
ample as  an  illustration  of  what  he 
meant  by  his  precepts.  ?  Night  and 
day.  Continuallv ;  by  every  opportunity. 
IT  "IV'tVA  tears.  Expressive  of  his  deep- 
feeling  and  his  deep  interest  in  their  wel 
fare.     Note  on  ver.  19. 

32.  And  now,  hrcthreyi.  About  to  ieavo 
them,  probably  to  see  them  no  more,  he 
committed  them  to  the  faithful  care  and 
keeping  of  God.  Amidst  all  the  dangers 
of  the  church,  when  human  strength 
fails  or  is  withdrawn,  we  may  commit 
that  church  to  the  safe  keeping  and  ten 
der  care  of  God.  IT  I  connnend  you.  1 
commil  you;  I  place  ycu  (^»(»Ti^ifion)  ir 


A-  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XX 


283 


of  his  grace,  which  "  is  able  to 
build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an 
inheritance  ''  among  all  them  which 
%re  sanctified. 

«Jno.l7.1T.      tc.26.18.  Col.1.12.  Heb.9.15.  lPet.1.4. 


his  hands,  and  under  his  protection. 
Note,  Acts  xiv.  23.  IT  And  to  the  word 
of  his  grace.  That  is,  to  his  gracious 
word  ;  to  his  merciful  promise.  To  his 
doctrine  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ, 
which  has  been  conferred  on  us  by  grace. 
Paul  refers,  doubtless,  to  the  gospel — in- 
cluding its  promises  of  support,  its  consol- 
ing truths,  and  its  directions  to  seek  all 
needful  help  and  comfort  in  God.  TT  Which 
is  able.  Which  has  power.  Ti  S>jvx,uivv. 
Which  word,  or  gospel,  has  power  to 
build  you  up.  Heb.  iv.  12,  "  For  the 
word  of  God  is  quick  [living,  life-giving, 
(■af],  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any 
two-edged  sword,"  &c.  Comp.  Isa.  xlix. 
2.  Jer.  xxiii.  29.  "  Is  not  my  word  like  as 
a  fire  ?  saith  the  Lord  :  and  like  a  ham- 
mer that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ?" 
It  is  implied  here,  that  the  gospel  is  not 
a  dead  letter ;  that  it  has  power  to  ac- 
complish a  great  work ;  and  that  it  is 
adapted  to  the  end  in  view,  the  conver- 
sion and  san^tification  of  the  soul.  There 
is  no  danger  in  representing  the  gospel  as 
mighty,  and  as  fitted  by  infinite  wisdom 
to  secure  the  renovation  and  salvation  of 
man.  Comp.  Rom.  i.  16.  1  Cor.  i.  18.  2 
Cor.  X.  4.  IT  2'o  build  you  up.  The  word 
used  here  is  properly  applied  to  a  house 
which  is  reared  and  completed  by  slow 
degrees,  and  by  toil.  It  here  means  to 
establish,  make  firm,  or  permanent ;  and 
hence  to  instruct,  to  establish  in  doctrine, 
and  in  hope.  It  here  means  that  the 
word  of  God  was  able  to  confirm  and  es- 
tablish them  in  the  hopes  of  the  gospel, 
amidst  the  dangers  to  which  they  would 
be  exposed.  ^  And  to  give  you  an  inheri- 
tance. To  make  you  heirs ;  or  to  make 
you  joint  partakers  with  the  saints  of  the 
blessings  in  reserve  for  the  children  of 
God.  Those  blessings  are  often  repre- 
sented as  an  inheritance,  or  heirship, 
which  God  will  confer  on  his  adopted 
children.  Matt.  xix.  29  ;  xxv.  34.  Mark 
x.  17.  Heb.  vi.  12.  Rev.  xxi.  7.  Eph.  i.  11  ; 
V.  5.  Col.  i.  12;  iii.  24.  Rom.  viii.  17. 
Gal.  iii.  29.  IT  Among  all  them  which  are 
sanctified  With  all  who  are  holy  ;  w  ith 
all  the  saints.  Note,  John  x.  3fi.  Those 
who  shall  bo  saved  are  made  holy.  They 
who  receive  a  part  in  the  inheritance  be- 
yond the  grav©,  shall  have  it  only  among 
the  sanctified  aiid  the  pure.    They  must, 


33  I  *=  have  coveted  no  man's  sil- 
ver, or  gold,  or  apparel. 

34  Yea,  ye  yourselves  "^  know, 
that   these  hands  have  ministered 


c  lSam.12.3.  lCor.9.12.  2Cor.7.2. 
4.12.  lThe33.2.9.  2Thes3.  3.8. 


d  c.l8.3.1Cor, 


therefore,  be  pure  tt  mselves,  or  they 
can  have  no  part  ia  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  of  God. 

33.  /  have  coveted.  I  have  not  desired. 
I  have  not  made  it  an  object  of  my  living 
among  you  to  obtain  your  property.  Thus 
(2  Cor.  xii.  14)  he  says,  "  I  seek  not  yours, 
but  you."  Paul  had  power  to  demand 
support  in  the  ministry  as  the  reward  of 
his  labour.  1  Cor.  ix.  13,  14.  Yet  he  did 
not  choose  to  exercise  it,  lest  it  should 
bring  the  charge  of  avarice  against  the 
ministry.  1  Cor.  ix.  12.  15.  Paul  also  had 
power  in  another  respect.  He  had  a  vast 
influence  over  the  people.  The  early 
Christians  were  disposed  to  commit  their 
property  to  the  disposal  of  the  apostles. 
See  Acts  iv.  34,  35.  37.  The  heathen  had 
been  accustomed  to  devote  their  property 
to  the  support  of  religion.  Of  this  pro- 
pensity, if  the  object  of  Paul  had  been  to 
make  money,  he  might  have  availed  him- 
self, and  have  become  enriched.  De- 
ceivers often  thus  impose  on  people  for 
the  purpose  of  amassing  wealth  ;  and  one 
of  the  incidental  but  striking  proofs  of  the 
Christian  religion,  is  here  furnished  in  the 
appeal  which  the  apostle  Paul  made  to 
his  hearers,  that  this  had  not  been  his  mo- 
tive for  action.  If  it  had  been,  how  easy 
would  it  have  been  for  them  to  have  con- 
tradicted him !  and  w  ho,  in  such  circum- 
stances, would  have  dared  to  make  such 
an  appeal  ?  The  circumstances  of  the 
case,  therefore,  prove  that  the  object  of 
the  apostle  was  not  to  amass  wealth.  And 
this  fact  is  an  important  proof  of  the  truth 
of  the  religion  which  he  defended. 
What  should  have  induced  him  to  labour 
and  toil  in  this  manner,  but  a  conviction 
of  Jhe  truth  of  Christianity?  And  if  he 
really  believed  it  was  true,  it  is,  in  his 
circumstances,  a  strong  proof  that  this  re- 
ligion is  from  heaven.  See  this  proof 
stated  in  Faber's  "  Difficulties  of  Infidel 
ity,"  and  in  Lord  Lyttleton's  "  Letter  on 
the  conversion  of  St.  Paul."  ^  Or  ap- 
parel. Raiment.  Changes  of  raiment 
among  the  anciento,  as  at  present  among 
the  orientals,  constituted  an  important 
part  of  their  property.  See  Note,  on 
Matt.  vi.  19. 

34.  Yea,  ye  yourselves  know.  By  3'ou. 
own  acquaintance  with,  my  manner  oi 
life.    In  Corinth  he  had  lived  and  laboiw 


284 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  GO. 


anto  my  necessities,  and  to  them 
tliat  were  with  me. 
35  I  have  showed  you  all  t.iings, 


ed  with  ApoUos  (Note,  ch.  xviii.  3) ;  and 
ne  refers  elsewhere  to  the  fact,  that  he 
had  supported  himself,  in  part  at  least,by 
his  own  labour.  1  Cor.  iv.  12.  1  Thess. 
ii.  9.  2  Thess.  iii.  8.  We  may  hence 
learn  that  it  is  no  discredit  to  a  muiister 
to  labour.  Whatever  it  may  be  to  a  peo- 
ple who  put  him  under  a  necessity  to  toil 
for  his  support,  yet  the  example  of  Paul 
shows  that  a  man  should  rejoice  in  the 
privilege  of  preaching  the  gospel,  even 
if  it  is  done  while  he  is  obliged  to  resort 
to  labour  for  his  daily  bread.  It  is  well 
when  a  minister  of  the  gospel  can  make 
an  appeal  to  his  people  like  this  of  Paul, 
and  say,  "  I  have  coveted  no  man's  gold, 
or  silver,  or  apparel."  Every  minister 
should  so  live  that  he  can  make  this  ap- 
peal to  their  own  consciences  of  the  sin- 
cerity and  disinterestedness  of  his  labours 
from  the  pulpit ;  or  when  called  to  sepa- 
rate from  them  as  Paul  did ;  or  when  on 
a  dying  bed.  Every  minister  of  the 
gospel,  when  he  comes  to  lie  down 
to  die,  will  desire  to  be  able  to  make 
this  appeal,  and  to  leave  a  solemn  tes- 
timony there,  that  it  was  not  for  gold,  or 
ease,  or  fame,  that  he  toiled  in  the  min- 
isterial office.  How  much  more  influence 
can  such  a  man  have,  than  he  who  has 
been  worldly-minded ;  who  has  sought 
to  become  rich  ;  and  the  only  memorials 
of  whose  life  is,  that  he  has  sought  "  the 
fleece,  not  the  flock,"  and  that  he  has 
gained  the  property,  not  the  souls  of  men. 
And  every  Christian,  when  he  dies, 
fehould  and  will  desire  to  leave  a  testi- 
mony as  pure,  that  he  has  been  disinter- 
ested, self-denying,  and  laborious  in  the 
cause  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

35.  /  have  showed  you.  I  have  taught 
you  by  instruction  and  example.  I  have 
not  merely  discGnrsed  about  it,  but  have 
showed  you  how  to  do  it.  IT  All  things. 
Or,  in  respect  to  all  things.  In  every 
thing  that  respects  preaching  and  the 
proper  mode  of  life,  I  have  for  three 
years  set  you  an  example,  illustrating  the 
design,  nature,  and  duties  of  the  ofllce  by 
my  own  self  denials  and  toil.  IT  Ilou)  that. 
Or  that.  "Oti.  I  have  showed  you  that 
ye  should  by  so  labouring  supjiort  the 
weak.  ^  So  lahouriytp.  I/abouring  as  I 
have  done.  Setting  this  example,  and 
ministering  in  this  way  to  the  wants  of 
Others  IT  7'o  support  the  vcak.  To  pro- 
•de  for  the  wants  of  the  pick  and  feeble 


how  thai  so  labouring  ye  ought  to 
"  support  the  weak ;  and  to  re- 
member the    words   of   the   Lord 

a  Rom.5.11.Eph.4.28.  lThes9.5.14 


members  of  the  flock,  who  are  unable  to 
labour  for  themselves.  The  weak  hero 
denote  the  poor,  the  needy,  the  infirm. 
IF  And  to  rememhcr.  To  call  to  mind  for 
encouragement,  and  with  the  force  of  a 
command.  IT  The  words  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  These  words  are  nowhere  re 
corded  by  the  evangelists.  But  they  did 
not  pretend  to  record  all  his  sayings  and 
instructions.  Comp.  John  xxi.  25.  There 
is  the  highest  reason  to  suppose,  that 
many  of  his  sayings  which  are  not  re- 
corded would  be  treasured  up  by  those 
who  heard  them ;  would  be  transmitted 
to  others ;  and  would  be  regarded  as  a 
precious  part  of  his  instructions.  Paul 
evidently  addresses  them  as  if  they  had 
heard  this  before,  and  were  acquainted 
with  it.  Perhaps  he  had  himself  remind- 
ed them  of  it.  This  is  one  of  the  Re- 
deemer's most  precious  sayings;  and  it 
seems  even  to  have  a  peculiar  value, 
from  the  fact  that  it  is  not  recorded  in  the 
regular  and  professed  histories  of  his  life 
It  comes  to  us  recovered,  as  it  were,  from 
the  great  mass  of  his  unrecorded  sayings; 
rescued  from  that  oblivion  to  which  it 
was  hastening  if  left  to  mere  tradition, 
and  placed  in  permanent  form  in  the  sa- 
cred writings  by  the  act  of  an  apostle 
who  had  never  seen  the  Saviour  befor» 
his  crucifixion.  It  is  a  precious  relic — a 
memento  of  the  Saviour — and  the  efllect 
of  it  is,  to  make  us  regret  that  more 
of  his  words  were  not  recovered  from  ao 
uncertain  tradition,  and  placed  in 
permanent  form  by  an  inspired  jien- 
man.  God,  however,  who  knows  what 
is  requisite  to  guide  us,  has  directed 
the  words  which  are  needful  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  church,  and  has  preserved  by 
inspiration  the  doctrines  which  are  adapt- 
ed to  <:onvert  and  bless  man.  IT  It  is  more 
blessrU  to  give.  It  is  a  higher  privilege  ; 
it  lends  more  to  the  happiness  of  the  indi- 
vidual, and  of  the  world.  The  giver  is 
more  blessed  or  happy  than  the  receiver. 
This  appears,  (1.)  Because  it  is  a  privilege 
to  give  to  the  wants  of  others  ;  it  is  a  con- 
dition for  which  we  should  be  thankful 
when  we  are  in  a  situation  to  promote 
their  felicity.  (2.)  Because  it  tends  to 
promote  the  happiness  of  the  bonetfictor 
himself  There  is  j)leasure  in  the  act  of 
giving  when  it  is  done  with  pure  motives 
It  promotes  onr  own  peace,  is  follo»*«>a 
by  happiness  in  the  rcccilcoan  ol   ♦ 


Ki    V.  00. 


CHAPTER  XX, 


2S5 


/esus,  how  he  said,  It  *  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

36  And  when  he  had  thus  spo- 
ken, he  kneeled  ^  down,  and  prayed 
with  them  all. 

37  And  they  all  wept  sore,  and 

.  a    Luke  14.12-14.  b  c.21.5. 


end  will  be  followed  by  happiness  for 
ever.  That  is  the  most  truly  happy  man, 
who  is  most  benevolent.  He  is  the  most 
miserable,  who  has  never  known  the  lux- 
ury of  doing  good,  b^who  lives  to  gain 
all  he  can,  and  to^oard  all  he  gains. 
(3.)  It  is  blessed  in  the  reward  that  shall 
result  from  it.  Those  who  give  from  a 
pure  motive,  God  will  ble.ss.  They  shall 
be  rewarded,  not  only  in  the  peace  which 
they  shall  experience  in  this  life,  but  in 
the  higher  bliss  of  heaven.  Matt.  xxv. 
34 — 36.  We  may  also  remark,  that  this  is 
a  sentiment  truly  great  and  noble.  It  is 
worthy  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  that  on 
which  he  himself  acted,  when  he  came 
to  give  pardon  to  the  guilty ;  comfort  to 
the  disconsolate  and  the  mourner ;  peace 
to  the  anxious  sinner;  sight  to  the  blind  ; 
hearing  to  the  deaf;  life  to  the  dead  ;  and 
heaven  to  the  guilt/and  the  lost.  Acting 
on  this,  he  gave  his  own  tears  to  weep 
over  human  sorrows  and  human  guilt ; 
he  gave  his  own  labours  and  toils  to  in- 
struct and  save  man;  he  gave  his  own 
life  a  sacrifice  for  sin  en  the  cross  ;  and 
he  gave  his  Spirit  to  awaken  and  save 
those  for  v.'hom  he  died.  Loving  to  give, 
he  has  freely  given  us  all  things.  Loving 
to  give,  he  delights  in  the  same  character 
in  his  followers,  and  seeks  that  they  who 
have  wealth,  and  strength,  and  influence, 
should  be  willing  to  give  all  to  save  the 
world.  Imitating  his  great  example,  and 
complying  with  his  command,  the  church 
shall  yet  learn  more  and  more  to  give  its 
wealth  to  bless  the  poor  and  needy;  its 
sons  and  its  daughters  to  bear  the  gospel 
to  the  benighted  heathen  ;  and  its  undi- 
vided and  constant  efforts  to  save  a  lost 
world. — Here  closes  this  speech  of  Paul ; 
an  address  of  inimitable  tenderness  and 
beauty.  Happy  would  it  be  if  every 
minister  could  bid  suck  an  adieu  to  his 
people,  when  called  to  part  from  them; 
«ind  happy  if,  at  the  close  of  life,  every 
Christian  could  leave  the  world  with  a 
like  consciousness  that  he  had  been  faith- 
ful in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  Thus 
jlying,  it  will  be  blessed  to  leave  the 
world ;  and  thus  would  the  example  of 
ihe  saints  live  in  the  memory  oi  survi- 


"  fell  on  Paul's  neck,  and  kissod 
him ; 

38  Sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the 
"^  words  which  he  spake,  that  they 
should  see  his  face  no  more.  And 
they  accompanied  him  unto  the  ship 


GeD.46.29. 


d  ver.25. 


vors  long  after  they  themse  ves  have  m 
cended  to  their  rest. 

36.  He  kneeled  down.  The  usual  atti- 
tude of  prayer.  It  is  the  proper  posture 
of  a  suppliant.  It  indicates  reverence 
and  humility ;  and  is  represented  in  the 
Scriptures  as  the  common  attitude  of  de- 
votion. 2  Chron.  vi.  13.  Dan.  vi.  10 
Luke  xxii.  41.  Acts  vii.  60;  ix.  40;  xxi. 
5.  Rom.  xi.  4.  Phil.  ii.  10.  Eph.  iii.  14. 
Mark  i.  40. 

37.  Wept  sore.  Wept  much.  Greek 
"There  was  a  great  weeping  of  all.' 
T  Aiid  fell  on  Paul's  neck.  Embraced 
him,  as  a  token  of  tender  affection.  The 
same  thing  Joseph  did  when  he  met  his 
aged  father  Jacob.  Gen.  xlvi.  29.  If  And 
kissed  him.  This  was  the  common  token 
of  affection.  Note,  Matt.  xxvi.  48.  Luke 
XV.  20.    Rom.  xvi.  16.   1  Cor.  xvi.  20. 

38.  Sorrowing  most  of  all.,  &c.  This 
was  a  most  tender  and  affectionate  part- 
ing-scene. It  can  be  more  easily  imagin- 
ed than  described.  We  may  learn  from 
it,  (1.)  That  the  parting  of  ministers  and 
people  is  a  most  solemn  event,  and  should 
be  one  of  much  tenderness  and  affection. 
(2.)  The  effect  of  true  religion  is  to  make 
the  heart  more  tender;  to  make  friend- 
ship more  affectionate  and  sacred  ;  and 
to  unite  more  closely  the  bonds  of  love 
(3.)  Ministers  of  the  gospel  should  be 
prepared  to  leave  their  people  with  the 
same  consciousness  of  fidelity,  and  the 
same  kindness  and  love,  which  Paul 
evinced.  They  should  live  such  lives  as 
to  be  able  to  look  back  upon  their  whole 
ministry  as  pure  and  disinterested  ;  and 
as  having  been  employed  in  guarding  the 
flock,  and  in  making  known  to  them  the 
whole  counsel  of  God.  So  parting,  they 
may  part  in  peace.  An^feb  living,  and 
acting,  they  will  be  pre^Rl  to  give  up 
their  account  with  joy,  and  not  w'm  griel. 
May  God  grant  to  every  minister  the 
spirit  which  Paul  evinced  at  Ephesus 
and  enable  each  one,when  called  to  leave 
his  people  by  death  or  otherwise,  to  do  i' 
with  the  same  consciousness  of  fidelity 
Avhich  Paul  evinced,  whA  he  left  his 
people  to  see  their  face  no  more  . 


2bb 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  60 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

AN  D  It  came  to  pass,  that  after 
we  were  gotten  from  them,  and 
iiad  launched,  we  came  with  a 
straight  course  unto  Coos,  and  the 
day  following  unto  Rhodes,  and 
from  thence  unto  Patara : 

2  And  finding  a  ship  sailing  over 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

1.  Aflcr  we  were  gotten  from  them. 
After  we  had  left  the  elders  at  Miletus, 
ch.  XX.  38.  They  were  on  their  way  to 
Jerusalem.  IT  tjnlo  Coos.  This  was  a 
small  island  in  the  Grecian  Archipelago, 
a  short  distance  from  the  south-western 
point  of  Asia  Minor.  It  is  now  called 
Slari'Co.  It  was  celebrated  for  its  fertility, 
and  for  the  wine  and  sjik-worms  which 
it  produced.  IT  Unto  Rhodes.  This  was 
an  island  in  the  Levant.  On  the  island 
was  a  city  of  the  same  name,  which  was 
principally  distinguished  for  its  brazen 
Colossus,  which  was  built  by  Chares  of 
Lyndus.  It  stood  across  the  mouth  of  the 
harbour.and  was  so  high  that  vessels  could 
pass  between  its  legs.  It  stood  fifty-six 
years,  and  was  then  thrown  down  by  an 
earthquake.  It  was  reckoned  as  one  of 
the  seven  wonders  of  the  world.  When 
the  Saracens  took  possession  of  this  island, 
they  sold  thid  prostrate  image  to  a  Jew, 
who  loaded  900  camels  with  the  brass  of 
it.  This  was  A.  D.  600.  about  900  years 
after  it  had  been  thrown  down.  The  an- 
cient name  of  the  island  was  Asteria.  Its 
name  Rhodes  was  given  from  the  great 
quantity  of  roses  which  it  produced. 
ir  Un'.o  Patara.  This  was  a  maritime 
city  of  Lycia,  in  Asia  Minor,  over-against 
Rhodes. 

2.  Into  Phenicia.  See  Note,  ch.  xi.  19. 
Phenicia  was  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem. 
IT  Set  forth.     Sailed. 

3.  Had  discovered  Cijprus.  Note,  ch. 
iv.  36.  ^  Into  Syria.  Note,  Matt.  iv. 
2-1.  IF  And  landed  at  Tyre.  Note,  Matt. 
xi.  21.  IT  To  unlade  her  harden.  Her 
cargo.  TyrMnu  formerly  one  of  the 
most  commj^^^pities  of  the  world  ;  and 
it  is  probabraPHn  in  the  time  of  Paul  its 
commercial  importance  had  not  entirely 
ceased. 

4.  And  finding  disciples.  Christians. 
This  is  the  first  mention  of  there  being 
Christians  at  Tyre,  but  there  is  no  impro- 
bal)ility  in  supposing  that  the  gospel  had 
Ijeen  preachiB  thoro,  though  it  is  not  ex- 
pressly recorded  l>y  Luke.  IT  Who  said 
to  Paul.  Comp.  vcr.  12.  Their  deep  in- 
i«)rest  ir.  hid  welfare,  and  Tioir  npprehen- 


unto  Phenicia,  we  went  aboard,  and 
set  forth. 

3  Now  when  we  had  discovered 
Cyprus,  we  left  it  on  the  left  hand, 
and  sailed  into  Syria,  and  landed 
at  Tyre  :  for  there  the  ship  was  to 
unlade  her  burden. 

4  And  finding  disciples,  we  tar- 

sion  of  his  danger,  was  the  reason 
why  they  admonished  him  not  to  go. 
IF  Through  the  spirit.  There  is  some  dif- 
ficulty in  underst^a^ing  this.  In  solving 
this  difficulty,  weWay  remark,  (1.)  That 
it  is  evident  tfsat  the  Holy  Spirit  is  meant, 
and  that  Luke  means  to  say  that  this  was 
spoken  by  his  inspiration.  The  Holy 
Spirit  was  bestowed  on  Christians  at  that 
time  in  large  measures,  and  many  appear 
to  have  been  under  his  inspiring  guid- 
ance. (2.)  It  was  not  understood  by  Paul 
as  a  positive  command  that  he  should  not 
go  up  to  Jerusalem — for  had  it  been,  it 
would  not  have  been  disobeyed.  Paul 
evidently  understood  it  as  expressive  of 
their  earnest  wish  that  he  should  not  go, 
as  apprizing  him  of  danger,  and  as  a  kind 
expression  in  regard  to  his  ovvti  welfare 
and  safety.  Comp.  ver.  13.  Paul  was  in 
better  circumstances  to  understand  this 
than  we  are,  and  his  interpretation  was 
doubtless  correct.  (3.)  It  is  to  be  under- 
stood, therefore,  simply  as  an  inspired 
prophetic  v;arning,  that  if  he  went,  he 
went  at  the  risk  of  his  life ;  a  prophetic 
warning  joined  with  their  individual  per- 
sonal wishes,  that  he  would  not  expose 
himself  to  this  danger.  The  meaning 
evidently  is,  that  they  said  by  inspiration 
of  the  Spirit,  that  he  should  not  go  imless 
be  was  willing  to  encounter  danger,  and 
the  hazard  of  life  as  a  consequence,  for 
they  foresaw  that  the  journey  would  be 
attended  with  this  hazard.  Grotius  ren- 
ders it,  "  that  he  should  not  go,  xmless  he 
was  loilling  to  be  bouiid."  Michaelis  and 
Stolzius,  "They  gave  him  prophetic 
warniner,  that  he  should  not  go  to  Jerusa- 
lem." Doddridge,  "  If  he  tendered  his  own 
liberty  and  safety,  not  to  go  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem, since  it  would  certainly  expote  him 
to  very  great  hazard."  The  inspiratioi/ 
in  the  case  was  that  of  admonition  and 
warning,  not  of  positive  command.  Paul 
was  simply  apprized  of  the  (ianger;  and 
then  loft  to  the  free  determinsticm  of  his 
own  will.  He  chose  tj  encounter  the 
dancer  of  which  he  Aas  thus  apprized. 
He  did  not  despise  the  intimations  of  the 
Spirit;  but  ho  judged  that  liis  duty  to 
God   called   Ihim  ihuR  to  encounter  th.* 


A   D.  00.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


28-? 


ried  then?  seven  days :  who  said 
« to  Paul  through  the  Spirit,  that 
he  should  not  go  up  to  Jerusalem. 

5  And  when  we  had  accomplish- 
ed those  days,  we  departed  and 
went  our  way  :  and  they  all  brought 
us  on  our  way  with  wives  and  chil- 
dren, till  lue  luere  out  of  the  city : 
and  we  kneeled  *  down  on  the  shore, 
and  prayed. 


hazards  of  the  journey.  We  may  be  ap- 
prized of  danger  in  a  certain  course,  either 
by  our  friends  or  by  the  word  of  God, 
and  still  it  may  be  our  duty  to  meet  it. 
Our  duty  is  not  to  be  measured  by  the 
fact  that  we  shall  experience  dangers, 


v/hatever   way   that  may  be    maddl  ^originally  called  AccHO ;  but  was  called 


known  to  us.  It  is  in  following  the  will 
of  God  ;  and  encoumenng  whatever  trials 
may  be  in  our  wa; 

5.  Had  accomplished  those  days.  When 
those  days  were  passed.  ^  They  all 
brought  us  on  our  way.  They  attended 
us.  Note,  ch.  XV.  3.  Rom.  xv.  24.  1  Cor. 
xvi.  6.  11.  3  John  6.  This  was  an  ex- 
pression of  tender  attachment,  and  of  a 
deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  Paul  and 
his  fellow-travellers.  IT  We  kneeled  down. 
Note,  ch.  XX.  36.  IF  On  the  shore.  Any 
place  may  be  proper  for  prayer.  Note, 
John  iv.  21 — 24.  God  is  every  where, 
and  can  as  easily  hear  the  prayer  of  the 
humble  on  the  sea-shore  as  in  the  most 
magnificent  temple.  This  is  an  instance, 
as  well  as  that  in  ch.  xx.  36,  where  the 
apostle  evidently  prayed  with  the  church 
without  a  form  of  prayer.  No  man  can 
believe  that  he  thus  poured  forth  the  de- 
sires of  his  heart  at  parting,  and  com- 
mended them  to  God,  in  a  prescribed 
form  ofv'ords.  Besides  that  there  is  not 
the  least  evidence  that  such  a  form  was 
then  used  in  the  Christian  church,  scenes 
like  this  show  more  clearly  than  abstract 
arguments  could  do,  that  such  a  form 
v»'as  not  needed,  and  would  not  be  used. 
Paul  and  his  fellow  Christians,  on  the 
sand  of  the  sea-shore,  would  pour  forth 
the  gushing  emotions  of  their  souls  in 
lajiguage  such  as  their  circumstances 
would  suggest,  and  such  as  such  a  scene 
would  demand.  And  it  is  presumed  to 
be  impossible  that  any  man  can  read  this 
narrative  in  a  dispassionate  manner  with- 
out believing  that  they  offered  an  extem- 
pore prayer. 

7.  We  came  to  Ptolemais.  This  was  a 
iKy  situated  on  the  coast  of  th?  Mediter- 
ajeun,  on  the  north   angle  ^f  a   bay 


6  And  when -we  had  taken  oui 
leave  one  of  another,  we  took  ship 
and  they  returned  home  again. 

7  And  when  we  had  finished  om 
course  from  Tyre,  we  came  to 
Ptolemais,  and  saluted  the  brethren 
and  abode  with  them  one  day. 

8  And  the  next  dai/^  we  that  were 
of  Paul's  company  departed,  and 
came  unto  Cesarea :  and  we  enter- 


which  extends,  in  a  semi-circle  of  three 
leagues,  as  far  as  the  point  of  Mount 
Carmel.  At  the  south  and  west  sides  the 
city  was  washed  by  the  sea;  and  was 
surrounded  by  triple  walls.  It  was  in 
the  tribe  of  Asher  (Judg.  i.  31),  and  was 


Ptolemais  in  honour  of  one  of  the  PtolC' 
mies,  who  beautified  and  adorned  it. 
The  Christian  crusaders  gave  it  the  name 
of  Acre,  or  St.  John  of  Acre,  from  a 
magnificent  church  which  was  built  in 
it,  and  which  was  dedicated  to  the  apos- 
tle John.  It  is  still  called  Akka  by  ilie 
Turks.  The  Syriac  and  Arabic  render  it 
Accho  in  this  place.  It  sustained  several 
sieges  during  the  crusades,  and  was  the 
last  fortified  place  wrested  from  the 
Christians  by  the  Turks.  It  sustained  a 
memorable  siege  under  Bonaparte,  and 
since  then  it  has  been  much  increased 
and  strengthened.  Its  present  popula- 
tion is  estimated  at  from  18,000  to  20,000, 
H  A7id  saluted  the  brethren.  Embraced 
them;  gave  them  expressions  of  affection 
and  regard. 

8.  We  that  were  of  PauVs  company. 
From  this  it  would  appear  that  they  had 
been  attended  thus  far  by  some  persons 
who  were  going  only  to  Ptolemais.  This 
clause,  however,  is  wanting  in  many 
MSS.,  and  has  been  omitted  by  Benge!, 
Griesbach,  Knapp,  and  others,  as  spurious 
It  is  also  wanting  in  the  Syriac  and  the 
Vulgate.  IT  Unto  Cesarea.  See  Note, 
ch.  viii.  40.  IT  Into  the  house  of  Philip. 
One  of  the  seven  deacons,  ch.  vi.  5. 
After  his  conversation  with  the  eunuch 
of  Ethiopia,  he  went  to  Cesarea,  and  pro 
bably  there  abode.  ^  The  evangelist 
This  word  properly  means  one  who  an 
nounces  good  news.  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  is  applied  to  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  or  one  who  declares  the  glafe 
tidings  of  salvation.  It  occurs  only  in 
two  other  places.  Eph.  iv.  11.  2  Tim.  iv 
5.  What  was  the  precise  rank  of  those 
who  bore  ihis  title  in  the  early  Chrisdau 
church,  cannot  perhafrs  he  determined 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  60 


ed  into  the  house  of  Philip  "  the 
evang-elist, ''  which  was  one  of  the 
seven  ;  *=  and  abode  with  him. 

9  And  the  same  man  had  four 
daughters,  virgins,  which  **  did 
prophesy. 

10  And  as  we  tarried  there  many 
days,  there  came  down  from  Jmlea 

cerlain  prophet,  named  Agabus. ' 

11  And  when  he  was  come  unto 
us,  he  took  Paul's  girdle,  and 
boutd  his  own  hands  and  feet,  and 

o  :.8.26,40.  iEph.4.tl.  2Tim.4.5.  cc.6.5. 

i  Jc«.a.28.  c.2.n.       ec.11.28. 

ft  is  evident,  however,  that  it  is  used  to 
denote  the  office  of  preaching  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  as  this  title  is  applied  to  FInUpA 
and  not  to  any  other  of  the  seven  dea- 
cons, it  would  seem  probable  that  he  had 
been  intrusted  with  a  special  commission 
to  preach,  and  that  preaching  did  not  per- 
tain to  him  as  a  deaccm,  and  does  not  pro- 
perly belong  to  that  office.  The  business 
of  a  deacon  was,  to  take  care  of  the  poor 
members  oi  the  church,  cb.  vi.  1 — 6. 
Tbe  office  of  preaching  was  distinct  from 
this,  though,  as  in  this  case,  it  might  be 
conferred  on  the  same  individual. 

9.  Which  did  prophesy.  See  Note,  ch. 
ii.  17;  xi.  27.  That  females  sometimes 
partO(»k  of  the  prophetic  influence,  and 
foret(jld  future  events  is  evident  from 
various  places  in  the  New  Testament. 
See  ]Vo»e,  ch.  ii.  17. 

10.  There  came  dovm.  Note,  ch.  xv.  1. 
IT  Named  Agabus.     See  Note,  ch.  xi.  28. 

11.  He  look  Paul's  girdle.  The  loose, 
flowing  robes,  or  outer  garments,  which 
were  worn  in  eastern  countries,  were 
bound  by  a  girdle,  or  sash,  around  the 
body,  when  they  ran,  or  laboured,  or 
walked.  Such  a  girdle  was,  therefore, 
an  indispensable  part  of  dress.  H  And 
bound  his  own  hajids  and  feet.  As  em- 
blematic of  what  would  be  done  by  the 
Jews  to  Paul.  It  was  common  for  the 
prophets  to  perform  actions  wnicli  were 
emblematic  of  the  events  whicli  they 
predicted.    The  design  was  to  make  the 

Erediction  more  forcible  and  impressive, 
y  representing  it  to  the  eye.  Thus  Jere- 
miah was  directed  to  bury  his  girdle  by 
the  Euphrates,  to  denote  the  approaching 
captivity  of  the  Jews.  Jer.  xiii.  4.  Thus 
h*  wa«  directed  to  make  bands  and  yokes, 
and  to  put  k'lem  arf)und  his  neck,  as  i 
nign  to  Kilom  and  Moab,  &:c.  Jer.  xxvii. 
2,  3.  Thus  the  act  of  the  ftotter  was  em- 
blematic of  the  deetruclion  that  was  com- 


saia.  Thus  saiih  the  Holy  Chos':, 
So-''  shall  the  Jbmib  at  Jerusalem 
bind  the  man  that  owneth  this  gir- 
dle, and  shall  deliver  him  into  the 
hands  of  the  Gentiles. 

12  And  when  we  heard  these 
things,  both  we,  and  they  of  that 
place,  ^  besought  him  not  to  go  up 
to  Jerusalem. 

13  Then  Paul  answered,  Whal 
mean  ye  to  weep  and  to  break  mine 
heart  1  for  I  am  ready  *  not  to  be 

/ver.33.  c.20.23.        g- Matt.  16.22,23.        A  2Tiin.4.1 


ing  upon  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  .fer 
xviii.  4.  So  Isaiah  walked  naked  uni 
barefoot  as  a  sign  of  the  captivity  ot 
Egvpt  and  Ethiopia.  Isa.  xx.  3,  4.  Comp. 
Ezek.  iv.,  xii.,  &c.  IT  So  shall  the  Jews, 
&c.  This  was  fulfdled.  See  ver.  33,  and 
ch.  xxiv.  IT  Info  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles. 
To  be  tried ;  for  the  Romans  then  had 
jurisdiction  over  Judea. 

13.  What  mean  ye.  Gr.  What  do  ye. 
A  tender  and  affectionate,  but  firm  re- 
proach. IT  7'o  weep  and  to  break  my  heart  7 
To  afflict  me,  and  distract  my  mind  by 
alarms,  and  by  the  expressions  of  tender- 
ness. His  mmd  was  fixed  on  going  to 
Jerusalem  ;  and  he  felt  thut  he  was  pre- 
pared for  whatever  awaited  him.  Ex- 
pressions of  tenderness  among  friends 
are  proper.  Tears  may  be  inevitable  at 
parting  from  those  whom  we  love.  But 
such  expressions  of  tenderness  and  love 
ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  interfere  with 
the  convictions  of  duty  in  their  minds. 
If  they  have  made  up  their  minds  that  a 
certain  course  is  proper,  and  have  resolv- 
ed to  pursue  it,  we  ought  neither  to  at- 
tempt to  divert  them  from  it,  nor  to  dis- 
tract their  minds  by  our  remonstrances  or 
our  tears.  We  should  resign  them  to 
their  convictions  of  what  is  demanded  of 
them,  with  affection  and  prayer,  but  with 
cheerfulness.  We  should  lend  them  all 
the  aid  in  our  power,  and  then  commend 
them  to  the  blessing  and  protection  of 
God.  These  remarks  apply  especially  to 
those  who  are  engaged  in  the  missionarj' 
enterprise.  It  is  trj'ing  to  part  with  a 
son,  a  daughter,  or  a  beloved  friend,  ir 
order  that  they  may  go  to  proclaim  the 
gospel  to  the  benighted  and  dying  he.v 
then.  The  act  of  parting— /or  life  ,•  and 
the  apprehension  of  the  perils  which 
they  riLiy  encounter  on  the  ocean,  and  in 
heathen  lands,  may  be  painful.  Fiit  i.' 
hcv.  I'ko  Paul,  have  looked  at  it  rnlmly 


%^v 


00.] 


CHAPTER  XXL 


«l^M 


oound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jeru- 
salem for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Tesus. 

14  And  when  he  would  not  be 
persuaded,  we  ceased,  saying,  The 
will  *  of  the  Lord  be  done. 

15  And  after  those  days  we  took 
up  our  carriages,  and  went  up  to 
Jerusalem. 

a  Matt.6.10;  26.42. 

candidly,  and  with  much  prayer;  if  they 
have  come  to  the  dehberate  conclusion 
that  it  iithe  will  of  God  that  Ihey  should 
devote  Their  lives  to  this  service,  we 
ought  not  to  vteep,  and  to  break  their 
hearts.  We  should  cheerfully  and  confi- 
dently commit  them  to  the  protection  of 
the  God  whom  they  serve,  and  remem- 
ber that  they  are  seeking  his  glory,  and 
that  the  partmg  of  Christians,  though  for 
life,  will  be  short.  Soon,  in  a  better 
world,  they  will  be  united  again,  to  part 
no  more;  and  the  blessedness  of  that 
future  meeting  will  be  greatly  heightened 
by  all  the  sorrows  and  self-denials  of 
separation  here,  and  by  all  the  benefits 
which  such  a  separation  may  be  the  1 
means  of  conveying  to  a  dying  world. 
That  mother  will  meet,  with  joy,  in 
heaven,  the  son  from  whom,  with  many 
tears,  she  was  sundered,  when  he  entered 
on  a  missionary  life ;  and  surrounded 
with  many  ransomed  heathen,  heaven 
will  be  made  more  blessed,  and  all  eter- 
nity more  happy.  IF  But  also  to  die. 
This  was  the  true  spirit  of  a  martyr. 
J'his  spirit  reigned  in  the  hearts  of  all 
the  early  Christians.  IT  For  the  name  of 
(he  Lord  Jesus.  For  his  sake  ;  hi  making 
liis  name  known. 

14.  Would  not  be  persuaded.  To  re- 
main. He  was  resolved  to  go.  IT  We 
ceased.  We  ceased  remonstrating  with 
him,  and  urging  him  to  remain.  IT  The 
will  of  the  Lord  be  done.  They  were  now 
assured  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  that 
he  should  go.  And  they  were  now  ready 
to  submit  to  that  will.  This  is  an  instance 
and  an  evidence  of  true  piety.  It  was 
the  expression  of  a  wish  thaf  v^hatever 
God  might  judge  to  be  necessary  for  the 
advancement  of  hia  cause,  might  take 
place,  even  though  it  ehould  be  attended 
with  many  trials.  They  commended  their 
friend  to  the  protection  of  God,  confident 
that  whatever  should  occur  would  be 
light.    Comp.  Note,  Matt.  vi.  ]0 ;  xxvi.  42. 

15.  After  those  days.  After  what  had 
occurred,  as  related  in  the  previous  verses. 
^  We  took  yp  our  carriages.    This  is  a 


16  There  went  with  us  also  cer- 
tain  of  the  disciples  of  Cesarea, 
and  brought  with  them  one  IMnasoB 
of  Cyprus,  an  old  disciple,  ''  with 
whom  we  should  lodge. 

17  And  when  we  were  come  to 
Jerusalem,  the  brethren  received  * 
us  gladly. 

18  And  the  day  following  Paul 


most  unhappy  translation.  The  word  car 
riage  we  apply  now  exclusively  to  a 
vehicle  fo  conveying  any  thing — as  a 
coach,  chariot,  gig,  cannon  carriage,  &c. 
The  original  word  means  simply,  that 
they  prepared  themselves;  made  them 
selves  ready ;  put  their  baggage  in  order 
&c.  'A.-rso-xiusjT^/^Evoi.  They  prepared  foi 
the  journey.  The  English  word  carriage 
was  formerly  used  in  the  sense  of  that 
which  is  carried,  baggage,  burden,  ves- 
sels, furniture,  &c.  Thus  it  was  used 
in  the  time  that  our  translation  was  made ; 
and  in  this  sense  it  is  to  be  understood 
in  1  Sara.  xvii.  22,  "  And  David  left  his 
carriage  (baggage)  in  the  hand  of  the 
keeper  of  the  carriage,"  &c.  See  ver. 
20,  margin.  Isa.  x.  28,  "  At  Michmash 
he  hath  laid  up  his  carriages"  [his  bag- 
gage, &c.] 

IG.  One  Mnaso7i  of  Cyprus.  The  ori- 
ginal in  this  place  would  be  better  trans- 
lated, "  And  brought  us  to  Mnason  of 
Cyprus,  an  old  disciple,"  &c.  It  is  evi- 
dent that,  though  Mnason  was  originally 
of  Cyprus,  yet  he  was  now  an  inhabitant 
of  Jerusalem,  and  was  well  known  to 
the  disciples  at  Cesarea.  It  is  possible 
that  he  might  have  been  at  Cesarea,  and 
accompanied  Paul  to  Jerusalem;  but  the 
more  correct  interpretation  of  the  passage 
is,  that  Paul  and  his  fellow-travellers 
were  conducted  to  his  house  in  Jerusa 
lem,  and  that  he  was  not  with  them  ir 
the  journey.  IT  Of  Cyprus.  Note,  ch.  iv 
36.  IT  An  old  disciple.  An  early  convert 
to  Christianity — perhaps  one  who  w^aa 
converted  before  the  crucifixion  of  the 
Saviour.  IT  With  whom  we  should  lodge. 
In  whose  house  we  were  to  take  up  our 
abode.  The  riles  of  hospitality  were 
shown  in  a  distinguished  manner  by  the 
early  Christians. 

17.  The  brethren.  Christians.  ^  Re 
ceived  us  gladly.  They  had  been  long 
absent.  They  had  been  into  distant  re- 
gions, and  had  encountered  many  dan- 
gers. It  was  a  matter  of  joy  that  they  had 
now  returned  in  safety. 

13   Unti  James  James  the  Le?s.  Note 


;y() 


THE  ACT!S 


[A.  L), 


# 


went  in  with  us  unto  James ;  "  and 
all  the  elders  were  present. 

19   And    when    lie   hud    saluted 
them,  he  decla^ed  particularly  what 

*  things  Gcd  had  wrought  among 
the  Gentiles  by  *=  his  ministry. 

ac.lo.l3,&c.  Gal.l.l9.  i  Rom. 15.18,19.  c  c.20. 
U^9Carl2.U 

ch.  XV.  13.  He  resided  at  Jerusalem. 
Comp.  Gal.  i.  19.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  iie  was  the  only  one  of  the  apostles 
then  at  Jerusalem;  and  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  the  church  at  Jerusalem 
A'as  left  under  his  particular  care.  It 
was  natural,  therefore,  that  Paul  and  his 
travelling  companions  should  take  an 
early  opportunity  to  see  him.  James  was 
the  cousin  of  our  Lord,  and  in  Gal.  i.  19, 
he  is  called  the  Lord's  brother.  On  all 
accounts,  therefore,  he  was  entitled  to, 
and  would  receive  particular  respect  from 
the  early  disciples. 

19.  Hud  saluted  them.  With  the  usual 
tokens  of  respect  end  ^flpction.  II /ie 
declared  particularly,  &c.  As  an  evidence 
that  God  had  been  with  him.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  there  might  have  been 
Bome  suspicion  in  regard  to  Paul  among 
the  disciples  at  Jerusalem,  and  he  might 
nave  heard  that  they  were  prejudiced 
against  him.  This  prejudice  would  be 
removed  by  his  stating  what  had  actually 
occrrred  under  his  ministry. 

20.  They  glorified  the  Lord.  They  gave 
praise  to  the  Lord  for  what  he  had  done. 
They  saw  new  proofs  of  his  goodness 
and  mercy,  and  they  rendered  him  thanks 
for  all  that  had  been  accomplished.  There 
was  no  jealousy  that  it  had  Deen  done  by 
the  instrumentality  of  Paul.  True  piety 
will  rejoice  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel, 
and  in  the  conversion  "of  sinnens,  by 
whatever  instrumentality  it  may  be  ef- 
fected. IT  Thou  seest,  brother.  The  lan- 
guage of  tenderness  in  this  address,  re- 
cognising Paul  as  a  fellow-labourer  and 
fellow  Christian,  implies  a  wish  that  Paul 
would  do  all  that  could  be  done  to  avoid 
giving  offence,  and  to  conciliate  the  fa- 
vour of  his  countrymen.  IT  How  viany 
'housands.  The  number  of  converts  at 
this  time  must  have  been  very  great. 
Twenty-five  years  before  this,  three  thou- 
sand had  been  converted  at  one  time 
(ch.  ii.),  and  afterwards  the  number  had 
swelled  to  some  more  thousands,  ch.  iv, 
I.  The  assertion,  that  there  wore,  then, 

*  many  thousands,"  imi)liefi  that  the  work 
fc  signally  begun  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
m  Jerusalem,  had  not  ceased,  and  that 
many  more   had   been  converted  to  the 


20  And  when  they  htard  //,  they 
glorified  the  Lord;  and  said  unto 
him,  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many 
thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which 
believe ;  and  they  are  all  zealous 
'^  of  the  law  : 

dc.92.3.  Rom.10.2. 


Christian  faith.  IT  Which  believe.  Whc 
are  Christians.  They  are  spoken  of  u 
believer.^,  or  as  having  faith  in  Christ,  in 
contradistinction  from  those  who  rejected 
him,  and  w  hose  characteristic  trait  it  wa« 
that  they  were  unbelievers,  '^^nd  they 
are  all  zealous  of  the  law.  'Hiey  still 
observe  the  law  of  Moses.  The  refer 
ence  here  is,  to  the  law  respecting  cir 
cumcision,  sacrifices,  distinctions  of  meats 
and  days,  festivals,  &c.  It  may  seem  re- 
markable that  they  should  still  continue 
to  observe  those  rites,  since  it  was  the 
manifest  design  of  Christianity  to  abolish 
them.  But  we  are  to  remember,  (1.) 
That  those  rites  had  been  appointed  by 
God,  and  that  they  were  trained  to  their 
observance.  (2.)  That  ihe  aposdes  con 
formed  to  them  while  they  remained  in 
Jerusalem,  and  did  not  deem  it  best  to 
set  themselves  violently  against  them 
ch.  iii.  1.  Luke  xxiv.  53.  (3.)  That  the 
question  about  their  observance  had 
never  been  agitated  at  Jerusalem.  It 
was  only  among  the  Gentile  converts 
that  the  question  had  risen,  and  there  it 
must  arise,  for  if  they  were  to  be  observ- 
ed, they  must  have  been  impoaed  upon 
them  by  authority.'  (4.)  The  decision  of 
the  council  (ch.  xv.)  related  only  to  the 
Gentile  converts.  It  did  no^  touch  the 
question,  whether  those  rites  uere  to  be 
observed  by  the  Jewish  converts.  .;."?.)  It 
was  to  be  presumed,  thrft  as  the  Christian 
religion  bjjcame  better  understood — thai 
as  its  large,  free,  and  catholic  nature 
became  more  and  more  developed,  the 
peculiar  institutions  of  Moses  would  be 
laid  aside  of  course,  without  agitation, 
and  without  tumult.  Had  the  question 
been  agitated  at  Jerusalem,  it  would 
have  excited  tenfold  opposition  to  ('liris- 
tianity,  and  would  have  rent  the  Chris- 
tian church  into  faciions,  and  greatly  re- 
tarded the  advance  of  the  (Christian  «loo- 
trine.  VVe  arc  to  remember  also,  (0.) 
That,  in  the  arrangement  of  Divine  Pro- 
vidence, the  time  was  drawing  neat 
wliich  was  to  destroy  the  temple,  iht 
city,  and  the  nation;  which  was  to  pu 
an  end  to  sacrifices,  and  tjf'evtually  to 
close  f<)r  ever  the  oliservnu'e  of  the 
MoBaic  rites.     As  this  dfBtriiction  was  s/ 


A.  D,  60.1 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


2ai 


•21  And  they  are  informed  of 
thee,  that  thou  teachest  all  the  Jews 
which  are  among  the  Gentiles  to 
forsake  Moses,  saying  that  they 
ought  not  to  circumcise  "  their 
cliildren,  neither  to  walk  after  their 
customs. 


3ear,  and  as  it  would  be  se  effectual  an 
argument  against  the  observance  of  the 
Mosaic  rites,  the  Great  Head  of  the  church 
did  not  suffer  the  question  of  their  obU- 
gation  to  be  needlessly  agitated  among 
the  disciples  at  Jerusalem. 

21.  And  they  are  informed  of  thee.  Re- 
ports respecting  the  conduct  of  Paul 
would  be  likely  to  be  in  circulation 
among  all  at  Jerusalem.  His  remarka- 
ble conversion  ;  his  distinguished  zeal ; 
his  success  among  the  Gentiles,  would 
make  his  conduct  a  subject  of  special 
interest.  Evil-minded  men  among  the 
Jews,  who  came  up  to  Jerusalem  from 
different  places  where  he  had  been, 
would  be  likely  to  represent  him  as  the 
decided  enemy  of  the  laws  of  Moses, 
and  these  reports  would  be  likely  to 
reach  the  ears  of  the  Jewish  converts. 
The  reports,  as  they  gained  ground,  would 
be  greatly  magnified,  until  suspicion 
might  be  excited  among  the  Christians 
at  Jerusalem,  that  he  was,  as  he  was 
rfi||ited  to  be,  the  settled  foe  of  the 
Jewash  rites  and  customs.  IF  Thai  thou 
teachest  all  the  Jews,  &c.  From  all  the 
evidence  which  we  have  of  his  conduct, 
this  report  was  incorrect  and  slanderous. 
The  truth  appears  to  have  been,  that  he 
did  not  enjoin  the  observance  of  those 
laws  on  the  Gentile  converts;  that  the 
effect  of  his  ministry  on  them  was,  to  lead 
them  to  suppose  that  their  observance 
was  not  necessary — contrary  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Judaizing  teachers  (see  ch. 
XV.);  and  that  he  argued  with  the  Jews 
themselves,  where  it  could  be  done,  against 
the  obligation  of  those  laws  and  customs, 
eince  the  Messiah  had  come.  They  de- 
pended on  that  observance  for  justifica- 
tion and  salvation.  This  Paul  strenu- 
ously opposed ,  and  this  he  defended  at 
length  in  the  epistles  which  he  wrote. 
See  the  epistles  to  the  Romans,  the  Gala- 
tians  and  the  Hebrews.  Yet  these  facts 
might  be  easily  misunderstood  and  per- 
verted, so  as  to  give  rise  to  the  slanderous 
report,  that  he  was  every  where  the 
enemy  of  Moses  and  the  law.  IT  Which 
are  among  the  Gentiles.  Who  live  in 
teathen  countries.     The  Jews  were  ex- 


22  What  is  it  therefoie  *?  The 
multitude  must  neec's  come  *  to- 
gether :  for  they  will  hear  that  thou 
art  come. 

23  Do  therefore  this  that  we  say 
to  thee  :  We  have  four  men  which 
have  a  vow  on  them  ; 


tensively  scattered,  and  settled  in  all  the 
large  towns  and  cities  of  the  Roman 
empire.  IT  To  forsake  Moses.  The  law 
and  authority  of  Moses.  That  is,  to  re- 
gard his  laws  as  no  longer  binding.  IT  To 
walk  after  the  customs.  To  observe  the 
institutions  dHfehe  Mosaic  ritual.  Note, 
ch.  vi.  1-1.  ^e  word  cusloins  denotes 
the  rites  of  the  Mosaic  economy — the 
offering  of  sacrifices,  incense,  the  obla- 
tions, anointings,  festivals,  &c.  which  the 
law  of  Moses  prescribed. 

22.  What  is  it  therefore  ?  What  is  to 
be  done  ?  What  is  it  proper  to  do,  to 
avoid  the  effects  of  the  evil  report  which 
has  been  circulated  ?  W^hat  they  deemed 
it  proper  to  do,  is  suggested  in  the  follow- 
ing verses.  IT  The  multitude.  The  mul- 
titude of  Jevi's.  IT  Must  needs  come  tO' 
geiher.  There  will  be  inevitably  a  tumult 
uous  assemblage.  It  will  be  impossible 
to  prevent  that.  The  reasons  were,  be 
cause  their  minds  were  exceedingly  agi- 
tated that  one  of  their  own  countrymen 
had,  as  they  understood,  been  advising 
apostasy  from  the  religion  of  their  fathers ; 
because  it  had  been  extensively  done  in 
many  parts  of  the  world,  and  with  grea 
success ;  and  because  Paul,  having,  a 
they  believed,  himself  apostatized  from 
the  national  religion,  had  become  very 
conspicuous,  and  his  very  presence  in 
Jerusalem,  as  in  other  places,  would  be 
likely  to  excite  a  tumult.  It  was,  there- 
fore, the  part  of  friendship  to  him,  and  to 
the  cause,  to  devise  some  proper  place  to 
prevent,  if  possible,  the  anticipated  ex- 
citement. 

23.  We  have  four  men.  There  are 
with  us  four  men.  It  is  evident  that 
James  and  the  elders  meant  to  say,  tha/ 
these  men  were  connected  with  them  in 
the  Christian  church  ;  and  the  fact  show 
that  the  ChrisUans  at  Jerusalem  did  not 
disregard  the  institutions  of  Moses,  and 
had  not  been  so  far  enlightened  in  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity  as  to  forsake 
yet  the  ceremonial  riles  of  the  Jews 
IT  Which  have  a  vow^  on  them.  Which 
have  made  a  vow.  See  Notes,  ch  xviii. 
18.    From  the  mennon  of  shaving  \lw 

1  nead  (in  ver.  24),  it  is  evident  that  the  vtw 


J9'2 


THE  ACTS 


[A.i).  60 


'24  Them  take,  and  jmrify  thy- 
seli'  with  them,  and  be  at  charges 
witn  them,  that  they  may  shave 
•  their  heads  :  and  all  may  know, 
that  those  things,  whereof  they 
were  informed  concerning  thee,  are 
nothing,  but  that  thou  thyself  also 
walkest  orderly,and  keepest  the  law. 

a  Num. 6.2,13,18.  c.lS.ia. 


which  they  had  taken  was  that  of  the 
Nazarxte ;  and  that  as  the  time  of  their 
vcw  was  about  expiring,  they  were  about 
to  be  shaven,  in  accordance  with  the  cus- 
tom usual  on  such  occasyjji^  See  ]\ote, 
ch.  xviii.  18.  These  perssHpFaul  could 
join,  and  thus  show  decisl^ly  that  he 
did  not  intend  to  undervalue  or  dispa- 
rage the  laws  of  Moses,  when  those  laws 
were  understood  as  mere  ceremonial  ob- 
eervances. 

24.  T.'iem.  take.  Take  with  you.  Join 
vourself  with  them.  IT  And  purify  thy- 
self with  them.  Join  them  in  observing 
the  forms  of  purification  prescribed  by 
the  law  of  Moses  in  the  observance  of 
the  vow  of  the  Nazarite.  The  purifying 
here  refers  to  the  vows  of  sanctity  which 
the  JN'azarites  were  to  observe.  They 
were  to  abstain  from  wine  and  strong 
drink  ;  they  were  to  eat  no  grapes,  moist 
or  dried  ;  they  were  to  come  near  no 
dead  body,  nor  to  make  themselves  "  un- 
clean" for  their  father,  mother,  brother, 
or  sister,  when  they  died  (Num.  vi.  3 — 7); 
and  they  were  to  present  an  offering 
when  the  days  of  the  vow  were  complet- 
ed. ]\um.  vi.  8.  ^  A7id  be  at  charges 
with  them.  Share  with  them  the  expense 
of  the  sacrifices  and  offerings  required 
when  the  vow  is  completed.  Those  offer- 
ings were  a  ram  of  a  year  old  lor  a  burnt- 
offering,  a  sheep  of  the  same  age  for  a 
fiin-offering,  a  ram  for  a  thank-offering,  a 
basket  of  unleavened  cakes,  and  a  liba- 
tion of  wine.  See  Num.  vi.  13 — 20. 
^  That  they  may  shave  Cheir  ficads.  The 
shaving  ofthe  head,  or  the  rutting  off  the 
hair  which  had  been  suffered  to  grow 
during  the  continuance  of  the  vow 
fNum.  vi.  5),  was  an  oljservance  indicat- 
ing that  the  vow  had  been  performed. 
Paul  was  requested  to  join  with  them  in 
the  expense  of  the  sacrifices  and  offer- 
'ngs,  that  thus  the  whole  of  the  ceremo- 
nies having  been  olwerved,  their  heads 
might  be  shaved  as  an  indication  that 
ev«!rv  part  of  the  vow  had  been  com- 
jiliod  with.  If  AjuI  all  may  know.  By 
liie  fact  (»f  your  observance  of  one  of  the 
rites  uJllie  Mosaic  religion,  all  ruay  have 


25  As  touching  the  Gentiles 
which  believe,  we  *  hive  written, 
and  concluded  that  they  observe  no 
such  thing,  save  only  that  they 
keep  themselves  from  things  offer- 
ed to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and 
from  strangled,  and  from  fornica 
tion. 

b  c.15.20,29. 


evidence  that  it  is  not  your  purix>se  oi 
practice  to  speakcontemptuout^ly  of  those 
rites,  or  to  undervalue  the  autliority  of 
Moses.  IT  Are  nothing.  Are  untrue,  or 
without  any  foundation.  H  Walkest  or- 
derly. That  you  live  hi  accordance 
with  the  real  requirements  of  the  law  of 
Moses.  To  walk  in  the  Scriptures  often 
denotes  to  live,  to  act,  to  conduct,  in  a  cer- 
tain manner.  All,  probably,  that  they 
wished  Paul  to  show  by  this  was,  that  he 
was  not  an  enemy  of  Moses.  They  who 
gave  this  counsel  were  Christians,  and 
they  could  not  wish  him  to  do  any  thing 
which  would  imply  that  he  was  not  a 
Christian. 

25.  As  touching  the  Gentiles.  In  re 
gard  to  die  Gentile  converts.  It  might 
be  expedient  for  Paul  to  do  what  could 
not  be  enjoined  on  the  Gentiles  They 
could  uot  command  the  Gentile  converts 
to  observe  those  ceremonies,  while  yet  it 
might  be  proper,  fpr  the  sake  of  peagCj^ 
that  the  converts  to  Christianity  nSfi 
among  the  Jews  should  regard  them. 
The  conduct  of  the  Christians  at  Jerusa- 
lem in  giving  this  advice,  and  of  Paul  in 
following  it,  may  be  easily  vindicated. 
If  it  be  objected,  as  it  has  been  by  infi- 
dels, that  it  looks  like  double-dealing ; 
that  it  was  designed  to  deceive  the  Jews 
in  Jerusalem,  and  to  make  them  believe 
that  Paul  actually  conformed  to  the  cere- 
monial law,  when  his  cjnduct  among  the 
Gentiles  showed  that  ho  did  not;  we 
may  reply,  (1.)  That  the  observance  ot 
that  law  was  not  necessary  in  order  to 
justification ;  (2.)  That  it  would  hare 
been  improper  to  have  enjoined  its  ob- 
servance on  the  Gentile  converts  as  ne- 
ccssary,  and  thorelbre  it  was  never  done; 
(3.)  Tnat  when  the  Jews  urged  its  ob- 
servance as  necessary  to  justification  and 
salvation,  Paul  strenuously  o/yjo.W  thia 
view  of  it  everywhere;  (4.)  Yet,  that 
as  a  matter  of  ex])e(Jieiicy,  he  did  not  op- 
pose its  being  ob.-^ervecl  either  by  the 
Jews,  or  by  the  cctnverts  made  among  the 
Jews.  In  fact,  there  is  oilier  rvideiice 
besides  the  case  before  us,  (hat  Paul  him 
self  (  onliniied   U    ulisei  vc  soma  at  leu^ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


29J 


26  Then  Paul  took  <*  the  men; 
and  the  next  day  purifying  himself 
with  theiTi,  entered  ^  into  the  tem- 
ple, to  sig:nify  the  accomplish- 
ment *=  of  the  days  of  purification, 


of  the  Jewish  rites,  and  his  conduct  in 
public  at  Jerusalem,  was  in  strict  accord- 
ance with  his  conduct  in  other  places. 
See  ch.  xviii.  18.  The  sum  of  the  whole 
matter  is  this,  that  when  the  observance 
of  the  Jewish  ceremonial  law  was  urged 
as  necessary  to  justification  and  accept- 
ance with  God,  Paul  resisted  it ;  when  it 
was  demanded  that  its  observance  should 
be  enjoined  on  the  Gentiles,  he  opposed 
it :  in  all  other  cases  he  made  no  opposi- 
tion to  it,  and  was  ready  himself  to  com- 
ply with  it,  and  willing  fchat  others  should 
also.  IT  We  have  written,  ch.  xv.  20.  29. 
26.  Ttien  Paul  took  the  men.  Took 
them  to  himself;  united  with  them  in  ob- 
Berving  the  ceremonies  connected  with 
their  vow.  To  transactions  like  this  he 
refers  in  1  Cor.  ix.  20,  "  And  unto  the 
Jews  1  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might 
gain  the  Jews;  to  them  that  are  under  the 
law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I  might  gain 
them  that  are  under  the  law."  Thus,  it 
•las  always  been  found  necessary  in  pro- 
pagating the  gospel  among  the  heathen, 
hot  to  offend  them  needlessly  ;  but  to  con- 
form to  their  innocent  customs  in  regard 
to  dress,  language,  modes  of  travelling, 
Bitting,  eating,  &c.  Paui  did  nothing 
more  than  this.  He  violated  none  of  the 
dictates  of  honesty  and  truth.  IT  Purify- 
ing himself  with  them.  Observing  the 
ceremonies  connected  with  the  rite  of 
purification.  Note,  ver.  24.  This  means 
evidently  that  he  entered  on  the  ceremo- 
nies of  the  separation  according  to  the 
law  of  the  Nazarite.  IF  To  signify. 
Greek,  Signifying  or  making  known. 
That  is,  he  announced  to  the  priests  in 
the  temple  his  purpose  of  observing  this 
vow  with  the  four  men,  according  to  the 
law  respecting  the  Nazarite.  It  was 
proper  that  such  an  announcement  should 
be  made  beforehand,  in  order  that  the 
priests  might  know  that  all  the  ceremo- 
nies required  had  been  observed.  IT  7%e 
accomplishment,  &c.  The  fulfilling,  the 
completion.  That  is,  he  announced  to 
them  his  purpose  to  observe  all  the  days, 
and  all  the  rites  of  purification  required  ir 
the  law,  in  order  that  an  offering  might 
be  properly  made.  It  does  not  mean 
that  the  days  had  been  accomplished,  but 
that  It  was  his  intention  to  observe  them, 
so  that  it  would  be  proper  to  offer  the 
2b2 


until  that  an  offering  should  be  of- 
fered for  eveiy  one  of  them. 

27  And  when  the  seven  days 
were  almost  ended,  the  Jews " 
which  were  of  Asia,   when  they 


usual  sacrifice.  Paul  had  not  indeed 
eng:aged  with  them  in  the  beginning  of 
their  vow  of  separation ;  but  he  nwght 
come  in  with  hearty  intention  to  share 
with  them.  It  cannot  be  objected  that 
he  meant  to  impose  on  the  priests,  arid  to 
make  them  believe  that  he  had  observed 
the  whole  vow  with  them  ;  for  it  appears 
from  their  own  writings  {Bereshith  Rabba 
90,  and  Koheleth  Rabba  7),  that  in  those 
instances  where  the  Nazarites  had  not 
sufficient  property  to  enable  them  to  meet 
the  whole  expense  of  the  offerings,  other 
persons,  who  possessed  more,  might  be- 
come sharers  of  it,  and  thus  be  made 
parties  to  the  vow.  See  Jahn's  Archae- 
ology, $  395.  This  circumstance  will  vin 
dicate  Paul  from  any  intention  to  take 
an  improper  advantage,  or  to  impose  on 
the  priests  or  the  Jews.  All  that  he  an- 
nounced was,  his  intention  to  share  with 
the  four  men  in  the  offering  which  they 
were  required  to  make;  to  divide  the 
expenses  with  them ;  and  thus  to  show 
his  approval  of  the  thing,  and  his  accord 
ance  with  the  law  which  made  such  a 
vow  proper,  as  he  had  before  t'one  in  a 
voluntary  manner ,  when  it  could  not  he  pre- 
tended that  it  was  for  double-dealing,  or 
imposition,  ch.  xviii.  18.  IT  Until  that  an 
oaring,  &c.  The  sacrifices  requued  of 
all  those  who  had  observed  this  vow 
Note  ver.  24.  Num.  vi.  13.  It  is  a  complete 
vindication  of  Paul  in  this  case,  that  he 
did  no  more  here  than  he  had  done  in  a 
voluntary  manner  (ch.  xviii.  18.),  and  aa 
appears  then  in  a  secret  manner,  showing 
that  he  was  still  in  the  practice  of  ol> 
serving  this  rite  of  the  Mosaic  institution. 
Nor  can  it  be  proved  that  Paul  ever,  in 
any  way,  or  at  any  time,  spoke  against  the 
vow  of  the  Nazarite,  or  that  a  vow  of  a 
similar  kind  in  spirit  would  be  improper 
for  a  Christian  in  any  circumstances. 

27.  And  when  the  seven  days  were  almost 
ended.    Gr.  As  the  seven  days  were  about 

to    be     fulfilled.         "Eui\\:.v    a-WTsKsTc-B-xt. 

The  seven  days  which  were  to  complete 
the  oI>servance  of  the  vow.  ver.  26 
Perhaps  the  whole  observance  in  thi 
case  was  intended  to  be  but  seven  days 
as  the  time  of  such  a  vow  was  voluntary 
'^Ib  translation,  "  were  almost  ended," 
is  not  quite  correct.  The  Greek  implies 
no  more  than  that  the  period  of  the  seven 


291 


THE  ACTS. 


FA.  D.  60 


saw  him  in  tne  emple,  stirred  up 
all  the  people,  anJ  laid  "  hands  on 
him. 

28  Crying  out,  Men  of  Israel, 
help  :  this  is  the  man  that  *  teach- 
eth  all  men  every  where  against  the 
people,  aifd  the  law,  and  this  place  ; 
and  further,  brought  Greeks  also 
into  the  temple,  and  hath  polluted 
this  holy  place. 

29  (For  they   had   seen   before 

•  0.26.21.          i  c.6.13,14;  24.5,6. 


days  was  about  to  be  accomplished,  without 
implying  it  was  near  the  close  of  them 
when  he  was  seized.  By  comparing  tiie 
foUowmg  places,  ch.  xxi.  18.  26;  xxii.  30; 
xxiii.  12.32;  xxiv.  1.  11,  it  appears  that 
the  time  of  his  seizure  must  have  been 
near  the  beginning  of  those  days.  {Dod- 
dridge.) ^  The  Jews  which  were  of  Asia. 
Who  resided  in  Asia  Minor,  but  who  had 
come  up  to  Jerusalem  for  purposes  of 
worship.    Com  p.  Notes  on  ch.  ii. 

28.  Slen  of  Israel.  Jews.  All  who  are 
the  friends  of  the  law  of  Moses.  IT  This 
is  the  man,  &c.  This  implies  that  they 
had  before  given  information  to  the  Jews 
at  Jerusalem  that  there  was  such  a  man  ; 
ttnd  they  now  exulted  in  the  fact,  that 
they  had  found  him.  They,  therefore, 
called  on  all  these  to  aid  in  securing 
and  punishing  him.  IF  That  teaclieth,  &c. 
See  Notes,  ch.  vi.  13,  14.  ^Against  the 
people.  The  people  of  the  Jews.  That 
is,  they  pretended  that  he  taught,  that 
the  customs  and  laws  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion were  not  binding,  and  endeavoured 
to  prejudice  all  men  against  them.  H  And 
the  law.  The  lav.'  of  Mo.ses.  ^  And 
tfiis  place.  The  temple.  Every  thing 
against  the  law  would  be  interpreted 
also  as  being  against  the  temple,  as  most 
of  the  commandments  of  the  law  were 
celebrated  there.  It  is  possible  also  that 
Paul  might  have  declared  that  the  tem- 
ple was  to  be  destroyed.  Com  p.  ch.  vi. 
13, 14.  IT  And  further,  brought  Greeks,  &c. 
The  temple  was  surrounded  by  various 
areas  called  courts.  Notes,  Matt.  xxi.  12. 
The  outermost  of  these  courts  was  called 
the  ct)urt  of  the  GentilcM,  and  into  that 
it  was  lawful  for  the  Gentiles  to  enter. 
But  the  word  "temple"  here  refers, doiibt- 
le.^H,  to  the  [lart.s  ot  the  area  appropriated 
especially  to  the  iKraeliles,  and  \\hi(  h  it 
was  unlawful  fi)r  a  Gentile  to  enter.  Sap 
the  arwa  markrd  CJ.G.CJ.CJ.  in  the  wjfn 
of  the  temple.  Malt.  xxi.  12.  ^  And%2th 
polluted,  <fec.    He  defiled  the  tem])le  by 


with  hmj.,  in  the  city,  Trophjinus 
'^  an  Ephesian,  whoir  they  sup 
pos<?d  that  Paul  had  brought  into 
the  temple.) 

30  And  all  the  city  was  moved, 
and  the  people  ran  together ;  and 
they  took  Paul,  and  drew  him  out  of 
the  temple  :  and  forthwith  the  doors 
were  shut. 

3 1  And  as  they  were  about  to  ** 
kill  him,  tidings    came   unto   the 

cc.20.4,  d  lCor.U.23,&c. 


thus  introducing  a  Gentile.  No  greater 
defilement,  in  their  view,  could  scarcely 
be  conceived.  No  more  eflective  appeal 
could  be  made  to  the  passions  of  the  peo- 
ple than  this. 

29.  In  the  city.  In  Jerusalem.  As  he 
was  with  Paul,  it  was  inferred  that  he 
would  attend  him  every  where.  IT  TrO' 
phimns.  He  had  accompanied  Paul  on 
his  way  from  Ephesus.  ch.  xx.  4.  H  Whom 
they  supposed,  &c.  This  is  a  most  striking 
illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  accu- 
sations are  often  brought  against  others, 
They  had  seen  him  with  Paul  in  the  city, 
they  inferred.,  therefore,  that  he  had  been 
with  him  in  the  temple.  They  did  not 
even  pretend  that  they  had  seen  him  in 
the  temple  ;  but  the  inference  was  enough 
to  inflame  the  angry  and  excitable  pas- 
sions of  the  multitude.  So  in  the  accu- 
sations which  men  now  often  make  of 
others.  They  see  one  thing,  they  iifer 
another ;  they  could  testify  to  one  thing, 
but  they  conclude  that  another  thing  will 
also  be  true,  and  that  other  thing  they 
charge  on  them  as  the  truth.  If  men 
would  slate  facts  as  they  are,  no  small 
part  of  the  slanderous  accusations  against 
others  would  cease.  An  end  would  be 
made  of  most  of  the  charges  of  falsehood 
and  error,  and  heresy,  and  dishonesty 
and  double-dealing,  and  immorality.  If 
a  statement  is  made,  it  should  be  o[  the 
thing  as  it  was.  If  we  attempt  to  state 
what  a  man  has  done,  it  should  not  be 
what  we  sujtpose  he  had  done.  If  we  at- 
tempt to  state  what  he  believes,  it  should 
not  be  what  we  suppose  he  beUeves. 

30.  The  city  was  j/iovtd.  Was  agitated , 
was  thrown  into  commotion.  ^  Drew  him 
out  of  the  tetujilr.  Iiuirr  the  pretence 
that  "he  had  delilcd  it.  The  evident  do- 
sign  was  to  put  him  to  death,  vet.  31 
IT  The  doors  were  shut.  The  doors  lead- 
ing into  the  courts  of  the  Icmj  le. 

31.  And  as  Ihry  were  about  (0  kill  htm. 
Gr.  They  seeking  to  kill  him     This  waa 


A.  D.  60  J 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


296 


chief  captain  of  the  band,  that  all 
Jerusalem  was  in  an  uproar : 

3'2  Who  "  immediately  took  sol- 
diers and  centurions,  and  ran  down 
unto  them :  and  when  they  saw 
the  chief  captain  and  the  soldiers, 
they  left  beating  of  Paul. 

33  Then  the  chief  captain  came 
near,  and  took  him,  and  command- 
ed him  to  be  bound  ''  with  two 
chains  ;  and  demanded  who  he  was, 
and  what  he  hid  done. 

34  And  some  cried  one  thing, 
some   another,    among  the    multi- 

a  c.23,27;24.7.  b  ver.  11.  c.20.23.  Eph.6.20. 


evidently  done  in  a  popular  tumult,  as 
had  been  done  in  the  case  of  Stephen, 
ch.  vii.  They  could  not  pretend  that  they 
had  a  right  to  do  it  by  law.  H  Tidings 
came.  The  news,  or  rumour  came  ;  he 
was  told  of  it.  IT  The  chief  captain  of 
the  band.  This  band  or  body  of  Roman 
soldiers  was  stationed  in  the  tower  Anto- 
nia,  on  the  north  of  the  temple.  This 
lower  was  built  by  John  Hyrcanus,  high- 
priest  of  the  Jews,  and  was  by  him  called 
Baris.  It  was  beautified,  and  strength- 
ened by  Herod  the  Great,  and  was  called 
Antoma,  in  honour  of  his  friend,  Mark 
Antony.  Josephus  describes  this  castle 
as  consisting  of  four  towers,  one  of  which 
overlooked  the  temple,  and  which  he 
says  was  seventy  cubits  high.  Jewish 
Wars,  b.  v.  ch.  5,  $  8.  In  this  tower  a 
guard  of  Roman  soldiers  v.'as  stationed,  to 
secure  the  temple,  and  to  maintain  the 
peace.  The  commander  of  this  cohort 
is  here  called  "  the  chief  captain."  Re- 
ference is  made  to  this  guard  several 
times  in  the  New  Testament.  Matt, 
xxvii.  65,  66.  John  xviii.  12.  Acts  v.  26. 
The  word  translated  "chief  captain" 
(;«»xiaf%£o),  denotes  properly  one  who 
commanded  a  thousand  men.  The  band 
{n-TTii^x)  was  the  tenth  part  of  a  legion, 
and  consisted  sometimes  of  four  hundred 
and  twenty-five  soldiers,  at  others  of  five 
hundred,  and  at  others  of  six  hundred, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  Ipgion.  The 
name  of  this  captain  was  Claudius  Ly- 
Bias.  ch.  xxiii  26.  IT  In  an  uproar.  That 
the  whole  city  was  in  commotion. 

32.  Centurions.  Captains  of  a  hundred 
men. 

33.  To  be  bound  with  two  chains.  To 
ehow  to  the  enraged  multitude  that  he 
did  not  intend  to  reseue  any  one  from 

ustice,  but  to  keep  ■'iie  peace.    Paul's 


tude ;  and  when  he  could  not  know 
the  certainty  for  the  tumult,  he 
commanded  him  to  be  carried  intc 
the  castle.  '= 

35  And  when  he  came  upon  the 
stairs,  so  it  was,  that  he  was  borne 
of  the  soldiers,  for  the  violence  ** 
of  the  people. 

36  For  the  multitude,  of  the  peo- 
ple followed  after,  crying,  Awaj 
*  with  him ! 

37  And  as  Paul  was  to  be  led 
into  the  castle,  he  said  unto  the 
chief  captain.  May  I  speak  unto 

c  C.23. 10,16  d  Ps.55.9.  Hab.1.3.  e  Luke  23 

IS.  Jno.19.15.  c.22.22.  lCor.4.13. 

being  thus  bound  would  convince  them 
of  his  determination  that  justice  should 
be  done  in  the  case.  Probably  he  was 
bound  between  two  soldiers,  his  right 
arm  to  the  left  arm  of  the  one,  and  his 
left  arm  to  the  right  arm  of  the  other. 
See  Note,  ch.  xii.  6.  Or,  if  his  hands  and 
feet  were  bound,  it  is  evident  that  it  was 
so  done  that  he  was  able  still  to  walk 
ver.  37,  38.  This  was  in  accordance  with 
the  prediction  of  Agabus,  ch.  xxi.  11. 

34.  Into  the  castle.  The  castle  or 
tower  of  Antonia,  where  the  guard  was 
kept.  Note  on  ver.  31.  Comp.  ch.  xxiii, 
10.  16. 

35.  Upon  the  stairs.  The  stairs  which 
led  from  the  temple  to  the  tower  of  An- 
tonia. Josephus  says  (Jew'ish  Wars,  b.  v. 
ch.  5,  $  8),  that  the  tower  of  Antonia 
"  was  situated  at  the  corner  of  two  clois- 
ters of  the  court  of  the  temple,  of  that  on 
the  west,  and  of  that  on  the  north;  it 
was  erected  on  a  rock  of  fifty  cubits 
[seventy-five  feet]  in  height,  and  was  on 
a  great  precipice.  On  the.corner  where 
it  joined  to  the  two  cloisters  of  the  tem- 
ple, it  had  passages  down  to  them  both, 
through  which  the  guards  went  several 
ways  among  the  cloisters  with  their  arms, 
on  the  Jewish  festivals,"  &c.  It  was  on 
these  stairs,  as  the  soldiers  were  return- 
ing, that  the  tumult  was  so  great,  or  the 
crowd  so  dense,  that  they  were  obliged 
to  bear  him  along  to  rescue  him  from 
their  vio.^nce.  IF  The  violence  of  the  peo- 
ple.   The  rush  of  the  multitude. 

36.  Away  with  him  !  That  is,  to  death 
Comp.  Luke  xxiii.  18. 

37.  May  I  speak  unto  thee  ?  May  I  have 
the  privilege  of  making  my  defence  be- 
fore thee ;  or  of  stating  the  case  truly 
the  cause  of  my  accusation,  of  this  tu 
mult,  &c.     ?  Canst  thou   speak   G^eek 


'^96 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  M 


thee  1  Who  said,  Canst  thou  speak 
f rreek  1 


Implying  that  if  he  could,  he  might  be 
permitted  to  speak  to  him.  The  Greek 
language  was  that  which  was  then  al- 
most universally  spoken,  and  it  is  not  im- 
probable that  it  was  the  native  tongue 
of  the  chief  captain.  It  is  evident  that 
he  was  not  a  Roman  by  birth,  for  he  says 
(ch.  xxii.  28)  that  he  had  obtained  the 
privilege  of  citizenship  by  paying  a  great 
8um.  The  language  which  the  Jews 
epoke.  was  the  Syro-chaldaic  ;  and  as  he 
took  Paul  to  be  an  Egyptian  Jew  (ver.  38.), 
he  supposed  from  that  circumstance  also, 
that  he  was  not  able  to  speak  the  Greek 
language. 

38.  Art  not  thou  that  Egyptian.  That 
Egj'ptian  was  probably  a  Jew,  who  re- 
Bided  in  Egypt.  Josephus  has  given  an 
account  of  this  Egyptian,  which  striking- 
ly accords  with  the  statement  here  re- 
corded by  Luke.  See  Josephus'  Antiq. 
b.  XX.  ch.  viii.  $  6,  and  Jewish  War,  b.  ii. 
ch.  xiii.  $  5.  The  account  which  he 
gives  is,  that  this  Egyptian,  whose  name 
he  does  not  mention,  came  from  Eg}'pt  to 
Jerusalem,  and  said  that  he  was  a  pro- 
phet, and  advised  the  multitude  of  the 
common  people  to  go  with  him  to  the 
Mount  of  OUves.  He  said  further,  that 
he  would  show  them  from  thence  how 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem  would  fall  down  ; 
and  he  promised  them  that  he  would  pro- 
cure for  them  an  entrance  through  those 
walls  when  they  were  fallen  down 
Josephus  adds  (Jewish  War),  that  he  got 
together  thirty  thousand  men  that  were 
deluded  by  him,  "  these  he  led  round 
about  from  the  V)ilder7iess  to  the  mount, 
which  was  called  the  Moimt  of  Olives, 
and  was  ready  to  break  into  Jerusalem 
by  force  from  that  place."  But  Felix, 
who  was  apprized  of  his  movements, 
marched  against  him  with  the  Roman 
Boldiers,  and  discomfited  him,  and  slew 
four  hundred  of  them,  and  took  two  hun- 
dred alive.  "  But  the  Egyptian  escaped 
himself  out  of  the  fight,  but  did  not  ap- 

fioar  any  more."  It  was  natural  that  the 
{oinan  tribune  should  suppose  that  Paul 
was  this  Egyptian,  and  that  his  return 
had  produced  this  commotion  and  ex- 
citement amrmg  the  people.  IT  Madcst 
an  uproar.  Prcxlucing  a  sedition,  or  a 
r/stn^if  among  Iho  proi)le.  Creek,  "That 
Egyptian,  who  hrl()re  tlieso  days  having 
risen  up."  If  Jnlo  the.  vnldemess.  This 
corresponds  remarkably  with  the  account 
if  Josephus     Ho  ii^deed  mentions  that 


38  Art  not  thou  that  '  Egyptian 
which  before  those  days  madest  an 

»  This  Egyptian  rose  A.D.  55.  c.5.36. 


he  led  them  to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  but 
he  expressly  says  that "  he  led  them  round 
about  from  the  wilderness."  This  wil- 
derness  was  the  wild  and  uncultivated 
mountainous  tract  of  country,  lying  to  the 
east  of  Jerusalem,  and  between  .t  and 
the  river  Jordan.  See  Note,  Matt  iii.  1. 
It  is  also  another  striking  coincidence 
showing  the  truth  of  the  narrative,  that 
neither  Josephus  nor  Luke  mention  the 
name  of  this  Egyptian,  though  he  was  so 
prominent  and  acted  so  distinguished  & 
part.  IT  Four  thousand  men.  There  is 
here  a  remarkable  discrepancy  between 
the  chief  captain  and  Josephus.  The 
latter  says  that  there  were  thirty  thousand 
men.  In  regard  to  this,  the  following  re- 
marks may  be  made.  (1.)  This  cannot 
be  alleged  to  convict  Luke  of  a  false 
statement,  for  his  record  is,  that  tlie  chief 
captain  made  this  statement,  and  it  can- 
not be  proved  that  Luke  has  put  into  his 
mouth  words  which  he  did  not  utter.  All 
that  he  is  responsible  for  i-i,  a  correct 
report  of  what  the  Roman  tribune  said, 
not  for  \k\e  truth  or  falsehood  of  his  state- 
ment. It  is  certainly  possible  that  that 
might  have  been  the  common  estimate  of 
the  number  then,  and  that  the  account 
given  by  Josephus  might  have  been 
made  from  more  correct  information.  Or 
it  is  possible,  certf  oily;  that  the  statement 
by  Josephus  is  incorrect.  (2.)  If  Luke 
were  to  be  'leld  responsible  for  the  state 
ment  of  the  number,  yet  it  remains  to  be 
shown  that  he  is  not  as  correct  a  histo- 
rian as  Josephus.  Why  shou.t!  Josephus 
be  esteemed  infallible,  and  Li;i<e  false? 
Why  sliould  the  accuracy  of  Luke  bo 
tested  by  Josephus,  rather  than  the  accu- 
racy of  Josephus  by  Ltike  ?  Infidels 
usually  a,9si/7ne-lhat  Josephus  and  other 
profane  historians  are  infallible,  and  then 
endeavour  to  convict  the  sacred  writers 
of  falsehood  (3.)  The  narrative  of 
Luke  is  the  more  probable  of  the  two. 
It  is  more  probable  that  tlie  number  was 
only  four  thousand,  than  that  it  was  thirty 
thousand.  For  Josephus  says,  that  foui 
hundred  were  killed,  and  two  hundred 
taken  prisoners;  and  that  thus  they  were 
dispersed.  Now,  it  is  scarcely  credible, 
tliat  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  despera 
does  and  ciif-tliroals  would  be  dispersed 
l)y  Fo  Fmall  a  slaughter  and  rnptivitj 
But  ii  the  number  was  originally  but  foul 
thousand,  it  is  entirely  credible  that  the 
loss  of  six  hundred  would  discourage  and 


A  D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XXll. 


291 


uproar,  and  leddest  out  into  the 
wilderness  four  thousand  men  that 
were  murderers  1 

39  But  Paul  said,  **  I  am  a  man 
which  am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  a  city 
in  Cilicia,  a  *  citizen  of  no  mean 
city :  and  I  beseech  thee,  suffer  me 
to  speak  unto  the  people. 

40  And  when  he  had  given  him 
icense,  Paul   stood  on  the  stairs, 

4nd  beckoned  "  with  the  hand  unto 

o  0.9.11;  22.3.         fc  c.22.25.         cc. 12.17. 

dissipate  the  remainder.  (4.)  It  is  possi- 
ble that  the  chief  captain  refers  only  to 
the  organized  Sicarii,  or  murderers  that 
the  Egyptian  led  with  him,  and  Josephus 
to  the  multitude  that  afterwards  joined 
them,  the  rabble  of  the  discontented  and 
disorderly  that  joined  them  on  their 
march.  Or,  (5.)  There  may  have  been 
an  error  in  transcribing  Josephus.  It  has 
been  supposed  that  he  originally  wrote 
four  thousand,  but  that  ancient  copyists, 
mistaking  the  A  delta, /our,  for  A  lambda, 
thirty,  wrote  thirty  thousand,  instead  of 
fo'ir  Uiousand.  Whichever  of  these  solu- 
tions "Se  adopted  is  not  material.  IT  Which 
v>ere  murderers,  x^/.x^i^v.  Sicarii.  This 
is  originally  a  Latin  word,  and  is  derived 
from  Sica,  a  sliort  sword,  or  sabre,  or 
crooked  knife,  which  could  be  easily  con- 
cealed under  the  garment.  Hence  it 
came  to  denote  assassins,  and  to  be  ap- 
plied to  banditti,  or  robbers.  It  does  not 
mean  that  they  had  actually  committed 
murder,  but  that  they  were  desperadoes 
and  janditti,  and  were  drawn  together 
fo»  purposes  of  plunder  and  of  blood. 
This  class  of  people  was  exceedingly 
numerous  in  Judea.  See  Notes,  Luke 
X.  30. 

39.  A  Jew  of  Tarsus.  A  Jew  by  birth. 
See  Note,  ch.  ix.  11.  IT  Of  no  mean  cili/. 
Not  obscure,  or  undistinguished.  lie 
could  claim  an  honourable  birth,  so  flir 
as  the  place  of  his  nativity  was  concern- 
ed. See  Note,  ch.  ix.  11.  Tarsus  was 
much  celebrated  for  its  learning,  and  was 
at  one  time  the  rival  of  Alexandria  and 
Athens.  Xenophon  calls  it  a  great  and 
flourishing  city.  Anabasis.  Josephus 
(Antiq.  b.  i.  ch.  vi.  $  6)  says,  that  it  was 
the  metropolis,  and  most  renovmed  city 
among  them  [the  Cili£ians]. 

40.  License.  Liberty ;  permission. 
f  On  the  stairs.  Note,  ver.  35.  ^  Beck- 
oned with  the  hand.  Waving  the  hand 
as  a  sign  that  lie  was  about  to  address 
Jhem.  and  to  produce  silence,  and  atten- 


the  people :  and  whei.  there  was 
made  a  great  silence,  he  spake  unto 
thern  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  saying, 

CHAPTER  XXH 
lyTEN,  '^   brethren,   and  fathers, 
-^*-^  hear  ye  my  defence,  ^  which  j 
make  now  unto  you. 

2  (And  when  they  heard  that  he 
spake  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  to 
themjthey  kept  the  more  silence . 
and  Mt  saith,) 


tion.  See  ch.  xii.  17.  IT  In  the  Ilebre^i 
tongue.  The  language  which  was  spoken 
by  the  Jews,  which  was  then  a  mixture 
of  the  Chaldee  and  Syriac,  called  Syro- 
chaldaic.  This  language  he  doubtlesa 
used  on  this  occasion  in  preference  to  th*» 
Greek,  because  it  was  understood  better 
by  the  multitude,  and  would  tend  to  con- 
ciliate them  if  they  heard  him  address 
them  in  their  own  language.  The  fol- 
lowing chapter  should  have  been  con- 
nected with  this.  The  division  here  is 
unnatural. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
1.  Men,  brethren,  and  fathers.  This  de 
fence  was  addressed  to  the  Jews ;  and 
Paul  commenced  it  with  an  expression  of 
sincere  respect  for  them.  Slepiien  began 
his  defence  with  the  same  form  of  ad- 
dress. Note,  ch.  v:i.  2.  IF  My  defence. 
Against  the  charges  bronght  against  me. 
Those  charges  were,  that  he  had  endea- 
voured to  prejudice  men  every  where 
against  the  Jews,  and  the  law,  and  the 
temple,  ch.  xxi.  28.  In  order  to  meet 
this  charge,  Paul  stated  (1.)  That  he  had 
been  born  a  Jew,  and  had  enjoyed  all  the 
advantages  of  a  Jewish  education  (ver. 
3.) ;  (2.)  He  recounted  the  circumstances 
of  his  conversion,  and  the  reason  why  he 
believed  that  he  was  called  to  preach  the 
gospel  (ver.  4 — 16) ;  (3.)  He  proceeded 
to  state  the  reasons  why  he  went  among 
the  Gentiles,  and  evidently  designed  to 
vindicate  his  conduct  there  (ver.  17 — 21)  ; 
but  at  this  point,  at  the  name  Gentiles,  his 
defence  was  interrupted  by  the  enraged 
multitude,  and  he  was  not  permitted  to 
proceed.  What  would  have  been  his  de- 
fence, therefore,  had  he  been  suffered  tc 
finish  it,  it  is  impossible  to  krovv  with 
certainty.  On  another  occasion,  how 
ever,  he  was  permitted  to  make  a  simila- 
defence,  and  perhaps  to  complete  the 
train  of  thought  which  he  had  purposed 
to  pursue  here.  See  en.  xxvi. 
2.  The  Hebrew  tongue.    Note,  cli  xxi  4U 


«98 


THE  ACTS. 


LA.  D.  60 


3  I  am  "  verily  a  man  which  am 
a  J-ew,  born  n  Tarsus,  a  city  in 
Cilicia,  yet  brought  up  iu  this  city, 
at  the  feet  Df  ''  Gamaliel,  and  taught 
according  '^  tc  the  perfect  manner 
of  the  law  of  the  fathers,  and  was 
*  zealous  towards  God,  as  ye  *  all 
arc  this  day. 

4  And  1  persecuted  ^  this  way 
unto  the  death,  binding  an4^1iver- 
ing  into  prisons  both  men^pl  wo- 
men. 

5  As  also  the  high-priest  doth 
bear  me  witness,  and  all  the  estate 
of  the  elders :  from  whom  also  I 
received  letters  unto  the  brethren, 
and  went  to  Damascus,  ^  to  bring 
them  which  were  there,  bound,  unto 
ferusalem,  for  to  be  punished. 

G  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  I 
made  my  journey,  and  was  come 

a  c.21.39.  ZCor.l  1 .22.  Phil.3.5.       b  c.5.34.      c  c.26.5. 
i  Gal. 1.14.        ec.21.20.  Rom.10.2. 


3.  Born  in  Tarsus.  ]\ote,  ch  xxi.  39. 
U  Brought  vp  in  this  city.  In  Jerusalem, 
sent  there  for  the  advantage  of  more  per- 
fect instruction  in  the  law.  IT  At  the  feet 
of  Gamaliel.  As  a  scholar,  or  disciple  of 
Gamaliel.  The  phrase  to  sit  at  the  feet  of 
one,  is  expressive  of  the  condition  of  a 
disciple  or  learner.  Comp.  Deut.  xxxiii.  3. 
Luke  X.  39.  It  is  prcbable  that  the  expres- 
jion  arose  from  the  fact  that  the  learners 
occupied  a  lower  place  or  seat  than  the 
•-eacher.  The  phrase  is  expressive  of  hw- 
nility  and  a  lower  condition.  On  the  cha 
•acter  and  rank  of  Gamaliel,  see  iXote  on 
3h.  V.  31.  Paul  mentions  his  having  been 
nstructed  in  this  manner,  in  order  lo  show 
.hat  he  vvas  entitled  to  the  full  privilege  of 
iiA  Jew,  and  that  he  had  had  every  oppor- 
kunity  to  become  fully  acquainted  with  the 
aatureofthe  law.  ^According  to  the  perfect 
manner.  Kxra  ^a^IZiixv.  liy  strict  dili- 
gence, or  exact  care;  or  in  the  utmost 
•igour  and  severity  of  that  instruction. 
No  pains  were  spared  to  make  him  un- 
Jerstand  and  practise  the  law  of  Moses. 
I  The  lau)  of  the  fathers.  The  law  of  our 
fathers;  i.e.  the  law  which  they  received, 
and  handed  down  lo  us.  Paul  was  a 
Pharisee  ;  and  t!io  law  in  which  ho  had 
been  taught  was  not  ou'  y  the  written  law 
Df  Moses,  but  the  traditional  law  which 
.lad  been  handed  down  from  former  times. 
Note,  Matt.  iii.  0.  H  And  mas  zealous  to- 
vxirds  God.  Gal.  i.  11.  lie  bad  a  constant 
b'lrning  zeal  for  G<m1  and  his  law,  which 


nigh  unto  Damascus  about  noon 
suddenly  there  shone  from  heaves 
a  great  light  round  about  me. 

7  And  1  fell  unto  the  ground, 
and  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me, 
Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou 
me  ? 

8  And  I  answered.  Who  art  thou, 
Lord "?  And  he  said  unto  me,  I  am 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  per- 
secutest. , 

9  And  they  that  were  with  mfc 
saw  ''  indeed  the  light,  and  were 
afraid  ;  but  they  heard  not  the  voice 
of  him  that  spake  to  me. 

10  And  I  said.  What  shall  I  do, 
Lord  ?  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
me.  Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus ; 
and  there  it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all 
things  which  are  appointed  for  thee 
to  do. 

/c.8.3;26.!)-13.  Phil.3.6.  lTim.l.l3.  g  c.9,2,<te. 

h  Dan.  10.7. 


was  expressed  not  only  by  scrupulous  ad- 
herence to  its  forms,  but  by  pers|puting 
all  who  opposed  it.   ver.  4,  5. 

4.  And  [persecuted,  ch.  viii.  3.  ^  Thi 
way.  Those  who  were  of  this  mode  ol 
worshipping  God ;  that  is.  Christians 
Note,  Acts  ix.  2.  IT  Unto  the  death.  In 
tending  to  put  them  to  death.  He  did 
not  probably  put  any  to  death  himself, 
but  he  committed  them  to  prison,  he 
sought  their  lives,  he  was  the  agent  cm- 
ployed  in  arresting  them;  and  when  they 
were  put  to  death,  he  tells  us  that  he 
gave  his  voice  against  them  (Acts  xxvi. 
10) ;  that  is,  he  joined  in,  and  approved  oJ 
their  condemnation.  ^  Delivering  intt 
prisons,  &o.  ch.  viii.  3. 

5.  As  also  the  high-priest,  &;c.  Note 
ch.  ix.  2.  'a  All  the  estate  of  the  elders 
Greek.  All  t!ie  presbytery ;  that  is,  tho 
whole  body  of  the  sanhedrim,  or  great 
council  of  the  nation.  H  Unto  the  brethren. 
The  Jewish  brethren,  who  were  at  Da 
mascus.  Paul  here  speaks  as  a  Jew,  and 
regards  his  countrymen  as  his  brethren. 

G.  As  I  made  my  journey.  As  I  was  on 
my  journey.  IT  About  jioon.  ch.  xxvi.  13. 
"  At  mid-day-"  This  rircumslanco  is 
omitted  by  Luke  in  his  account  in  ch.  ix. 
Paul  menlioris  it^  as  being  the  more  re- 
markable since  itocrnrred  at  mid-day,  tc 
show  that  he  was  not  deluded  by  any  me- 
teoric or  natural  appearances,  which  u«u 
ally  occur  at  nig-lit. 

6—11.  See  No/.e8  ch.  ix.  3— 7 


A.  I)   60.] 


CHAPTER  XXIl. 


299 


11  And  when  I  could  not  see  for 
ihe  glory  of  that  light,  being  led 
by  the  hand  of  them  that  were  with 
me,  I  came  into  Damascus. 

12  And  one  Ananias,  "  a  devout 
man  according  to  the  law,  having  a 
good  *  report  of  all  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  there^ 

13  Came  unto  me,  and  stood,  and 
said  unto  me,  Brother  Saul,  receive 
'•hy  sight.  And  the  same  hour  I 
looked  up  upon  him. 

14  And  he  said.  The  "  God  of 
our  fathers  hath  chosen  '^  thee,  that 

o  c.9.17.         t  c.10.22.  lTim.3.7.  Heb.11.2.         cc.3. 
13:5.30.  dch.c.9.13.  Gal.1.15.          ever.18.  lCor.9. 

I:15«S. 


thou  shouldest  know  his  will-  and 
see  *  that  Just /One,  and  shouldest 
hear  the  voice  ^  of  his  mouth. 

15  For  thou  ^  shalt  be  his  wit- 
ness unto  all  men,  of  what  thoa 
hast  seen  and  heard. 

16  And  now,  why  tarriest  thou  ' 
arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash 
away  thy  sins,  calling  ^  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord, 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
when  I  was  come  again  to  Jerusa- 
lem, even  while  1  prayed  in  the 
temple,  I  was  in  a  trance  ;* 

/c.3.14;7.51.       g- 1  Cor.  11. 23.  Gal.  1.12.        A  c.23.11; 
26.16,&c.  tHeb.10.22.  lPet.3.21.  j  Rom,  10. 13. 

lCor.1.2.  fe2Cor.l2.2. 


11.  The  glory  of  that  light.  The  splen- 
dour, the  intense  brilliancy  of  the  hght. 
See  this  and  its  effects  explained  in  the 
Note  on  ch.  ix.  8. 

12,  13.  See  Notes,  ch.  ix.  17, 18 
14.  Shouldest  kyiow  his  will.   His  will  in 

ihe  plan  of  salvation,  and  in  regard  to 
your  future  life.  IT  And  see  that  Just  One. 
The  Messiah.  Note,  ch.  iii.  14.  As  Paul 
was  to  be  an  apostle,  and  as  it  was  the 
peculiar  office  of  an  apostle  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  person  and  deeds  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  (Note,  ch.  i.  21,  22.)  it  was  necessa- 
ry that  he  should  see  him,  that  thus  he 
might  be  a  competent  witness  of  his  re- 
surrection. IT  Shouldest  hear  the  voice  of 
his  mouth.  Shouldst  hear  and  obey  his 
commands. 

15.  For  thou  shalt  he  his  witness,  &c.  As 
an  apostle  to  testify  to  all  men  that  th^L.  1' 
Messiah  has  come ;  that  he  has  died  ;  thstffem. 
he  has  risen  ;  and  that  he  is  the  Saviour 
3f  the  world.  IT  Of  what  thou  hast  seen 
>ind  heard.  Of  the  remarkable  proof 
which  has  been  furnished  you  of  the  di- 
vine mission  and  character  of  the  Lord 
fesus. 

16.  And  now  why  tarriest  thou  ?  Why 
tost  thou  delay,  or  wait  any  longer?  These 
words  are  not  recorded  by  Luke  in  ch.  ix., 
where  he  has  given  an  account  of  the 
conversion  of  Paul;  but  there  is  nothing 
here  contradictory  to  his  statement. 
IT  And  wash  away  thy  sins.  Receive 
baptism,  as  an  act  expressive  of  the  wash- 
ing away  of  sins.  It  cannot  be  intended 
that  the  external  rite  of  baptism  was  suf 
ficient  to  make  the  soul  pure,  but  that  it 
was  an  ordinance  divinely  appointed  as 
expressive  of  the  v.'ashing  away  of  sins, 
or  of  purifying  the  heart.  Comp.  Heb.  x. 
22  Sinners  are  represented  in  the  Scrip- 
Uires  as  defiled  or  polluted   by  sin     "mj 


wash  away  the  sins,  denotes  the  purifying 
of  the  soul  from  this  polluted  influence. 
1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Rev.  i.  5 ;  vii.  14.  Isa.  i.  16 
Ps.  li.  2.  7.  IT  Calling  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  For  pardon  and  sanctificalion. 
Rom.  x.  13,  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  It 
was  proper  that  this  calling  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord  should  be  connected  with  the 
ordinance  of  baptism.  That  ordinance 
was  expressive  of  a  purifying  which  the 
Lord  only  could  produce.  It  is  proper 
that  the  rite  of  baptism  should  be  attend- 
ed with  extraordinary  prayer;  and  that 
he  who  is  to  be  baptized  should  make  it 
the  occasion  of  peculiar  and  very  solemn 
religious  exercises.  The  external  rite 
will  avail  nothing  without  the  pardoning 
mercy  of  God. 

When  I  was  come  again  to  Jerusa- 
That  is,  three  years  after  his  con- 
version. See  Gal.  i.  17,  18.  IT  While  1 
prayed  in  the  temple.  Paul,  like  the  othc 
converts  to  Christianity  from  among  me 
Jews,  would  naturally  continue  to  offer 
his  devotions  in  the  temple.  We  meet 
with  repeated  instances  of  their  continu- 
ing to  comply  with  the  customs  of  the 
Jewish  people.  IF  /  was  in  a  trance. 
Greek,  Ecstasy.  Note,  ch.  x.  10.  Per- 
haps he  here  refers  to  what  he  elsewhere 
mentions  (2  Cor.  xii.  1 — 5,)  which  he  calls 
"  visions  and  revelations  of  the  Lord." 
In  that  place  he  mentions  his  benig 
"  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven"  (ver.  2 ) 
and  "  into  paradise,"  where  he  heard 
words  which  it  was  "  not  possible  for  a 
man  to  utter."  ver.  4.  It  is  not  certain, 
however,  that  he  refers  in  this  place  t« 
that  remarkable  occurrence.  The  narra- 
tive would  rather  imply  that  the  Lora 
Jesus  appeared  to  him  in  the  temple  in  a 
remarkable  manner,  in  a  vision,  and  gave 


soo 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  60 


18  And  saw  *  liim  saying  unto 
a»e.  Make  haste,  and  get  thee  quick- 
ly out  of  Jerusalem :  for  they  will 
not  receive  thy  testimony  concern- 
ing me. 

19  And  I  said,  Lord,  they  ''know 
that  I  imprisoned  and  beat  in  every 
synagogue  them  that  believed  on 
thee : 

20  And  wiien  the  blood  of  thy 
martyr  Stephen  was  shed,  I  «  also 


a  Ter.l4. 


b  Ter.4.  e  c.7.58. 


him  a  direct  command  to  go  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. Paul  had  now  stated  the  evidence 
of  his  conversion,  which  appears  to  have 
heen  satisfactory  to  them:  at  least  they 
made  no  objection  to  his  statement;  he 
had  shown  by  his  being  in  the  temple 
tiis  respect  for  their  institutions  ;  and  he 
now  proceeds  to  show  that  in  his  other 
conduct  he  had  been  directed  by  the  same 
high  authority  by  which  he  had  been  call- 
ed into  the  ministry,  and  that  the  com- 
mand had  been  given  to  him  in  their  own 
»emple  and  in  their  own  city. 

18.  And  saw  him.  Evidently  the  Lord 
Jesus,  ver.  M.  He  had  received  his 
commission  from  him,  and  he  now  receiv- 
ed a  distinct  command  to  go  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. IT  For  they  tvill  not  receive.  The 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  probably  includ- 
.ng  both  Jews  and  Christians.  The  Jeu>s 
would  not  listen  to  him,  because  he  had 
become,  in  their  view,  an  aix>statc,  and 
they  would  hate  and  persecute  him  Tl 
Christians  would  not  be  hkely  to  recei 
nim,  for  they  would  remember  his  Ibrml 
persecutions,  and  would  be  suspicious  of 
him,  because  he  had  been  so  long  in 
Arabia,  and  had  not  sooner  connected 
lumself  with  them.  See  Note  on  ch.  ix. 
2f».  "  And  wlien  Saul  was  come  to  Jeru- 
salem, he  a.ssayed  to  join  himself  to  the 
disciples;  but  they  were  all  afraid  of 
him,  and  believed  not  that  he  was  a  dis- 
cij)Ic." 

19.  And  I  said.  Lord.  This  shf)ws  that 
it  was  the  Lord  Jesus,  whom  Paul  saw  in 
a  trance  in  the  temple.  The  term  Lord 
Ui  usually  applied  to  him  in  the  A«ls. 
Note,  ch.  i.  '21.     IT    Theif  know.     Chris- 

ians  know;  and  they  will  therefore  Ije 
not  likely  to  receive  to  their  Iciiowship 
their  f()rmer  enemy  and  persecutor. 
H  Hraf  in  ereri/  sytiai^nfruc  Hrating,  or 
Mourging,  wa^  (>riori  donn  in  the  sytia- 
fiigiie.     See  Note,  Malt.  x.  17.     Cnuip. 

^clH  xKvi.  ]  1     It  was  customary  for  tho.so 


was  standing  by,  and  consenting 
'^  unto  his  death,  and  kept  the  raf- 
ment  of  them  that  slew  him. 

21  And  he  said  unto  me,  Depart : 
for*  I  will  send  thee  far hence,*unto 
the  Gentiles. 

22  And  they  gave  him  audience 
unto  this  word,  and  t//en  lift  up 
their  voices,  and  said,  Away  with 
s'lch  3.  fellow  from  the  earth  :  for  ■''H 
is  not  fit  that  he  should  live. 

dc.8.1.        e  e.13.2,47.  Rom.1.5;  12.13;  15.16.  Gtl.i 
7,8.  Eph.3.7,8.  lTiitt2.7.       /c.25.24. 


iiu  .i 

he.  cai 


who  were  converted  to  Christianity,  stih 
to  meet  with  the  Jews  in  their  syna 
gogues,  and  to  join  with  them  in  tbeii 
worship. 

20.  The  blood  of  thy  martyr  Stephen 
was  shed.  See  ch.  vii.  .08;  vhi.  1.  If  J 
was  standing  by.  ch.  vii.  58.  IT  And  cm^ 
senting  unto  his  death,  ch.  viii.  1.  IT  And 
kept  the  raiment.  The  outer  robes  oi 
garments  which  were  usually  laid  aside, 
when  they  engaged  in  running  or  labour. 
See  ch.  vii.  58.  All  this  sliowed,  that 
though  Paul  was  not  engaged  in  stoning 
Stephen,  yet  he  was  with  them  in  spirit, 
and  fully  accorded  with  what  they  did. 
These  circumstances  are  mentioned  here 
by  him,  as  reasons  why  he  knew  that  he 
would  not  be  received  by  Christians  aa 
one  of  their  number,  and  why  it  was  ne- 
cessary, therefore,  for  him  to  turn  to  the 
gentile  world. 

21.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Depart.  Bo 
cause  the  Christians  at  Jerusalem  would 

t  receive  him.  11  Far  hence.  Pau 
veiled  far  in  the  heathen  nations.  A 
large  part  of  his  time  in  the  ministry  wa» 
spent  in  remote  countries,  and  in  the 
most  distant  regions  then  known.  See 
Kom.  XV.  19. 

22.  And  they  gave  him  audience.  They 
heard  him  v^ticntly.  If  Ihito  this  word. 
The  word  Gy^ntiles.  If  Away  itith  such  a 
follow.  Gretk,  Take  such  a  man  Irom 
the  tarlli ;  i.  e.  put  him  to  death-  It  is 
language  of  strong  indignation  and  ab- 
horrence. The  reasons  of  tlioir  indigna- 
tion were,  not  that  tliov  supiM)si'd  thai  the 
Gomiles  could  not  be  hrouglil  into  cove- 
nant with  G(kI,  for  tlu-y  would  them- 
selves compa.sH  poa  and  land  to  make  one 
proselyte  ;  Iwit  they  were,  (1.)  'I'liat  thoy 
believed  that  Paul  tauglit  that  they  might 
be  saved  without  ronli)rming  9i  ilio  law 
of  MosoH ;  and,  (2.)  His  speecii  implied 
that  the  Jt-ws  were  more  hardened  than 
the  Gentiles,  and  that  Jio  had  a  grcQtc* 


\.b.  oo.j 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


301 


23  And  as  they  ^ried  out,  and 
sast  off  their  clothes,  and  threw 
dust  into  the  air, 

21  The  chief  captain  command- 
ed him  to  be  brought  into  the  cas- 
tle, and  bade  that  he  should  be 
examined  by  scouriring ;  that  he 
might  know  wherefore  they  cried 
50  against  him. 

25  And  as  they  bound  him  with 
thongs,  Paul  said  unto  the  centu- 
rion that  stood  by,  Is  it  lawful  for 


prospect  of  success  in  bringing  them  to 
God  than  he  had  in  regard  to  the  Jews. 

23.  Cast  off  their  clothes.  Their  outer 
garments.  Probably  they  did  it  now  in- 
tending to  stone  him.  eh.  vii.  58.  IT  And 
threw  dust  into  the  air.  As  expressive  of 
their  abhorrence  and  indignation.  This 
was  a  striking  exhibition  of  rage  and 
vindictive  mabce.  Paul  was  guarded  by 
Roman  soldiers,  so  that  they  could  not 
injure  him ;  and  their  only  way  of  ex- 
pressing their  wrath  was  by  menaces  and 
threats,  and  by  these  tokens  of  furious  in- 
dignation. Thus  Shimei  expressed  his 
mdiguation  against  David  by  cursing  him, 
and  throwing  stones  at  him,  and  casting 
dust.   2  Sam.  xvi.  13. 

2-4.  The  castle.  The  tower  of  Antonia. 
H^KOuld  be  there  removed  entirely 
frdlJPie  wrath  of  the  Jews.  IF  Should 
be  examined.  'AviTi.^i(r^u.i.  The  word 
examine  with  us  commonly  means  to  in- 
quire, to  question,  to  searcn  for,  or  to  look 
carefully  into  a  subject.  The  word  here 
used  is  commonly  applied  to  metals  whose 
nature  is  tested,  or  examined  by  fire;  and 
then  It  means  to  subject  to  torture  or  tor- 
ments, in  order  to  extort  a  confession, 
where  persons  were  accused  of  crime. 
It  was  often  resorted  to  among  the  an- 
cients. The  usual  mode  has  been  by  the 
rack,  but  various  kinds  of  torments  have 
been  invented  in  order  to  extort  confes- 
sions of  guilt  from  those  who  were  accus- 
ed. The  whole  practice  has  been  one  of 
the  most  flagrant  violations  of  justice,  and 
one  of  the  foulest  blots  on  human  nature, 
fn  this  casCv  the  tribune  saw  that  Paul 
was  accused  violently  by  the  Jews;  he 
was  ignorant  of  the  Hebrew  lar.guage, 
and  had  not  probably  understood  the  ad- 
dress of  Paul ;  he  supposed  from  the  ex- 
traordinary excitement  hat  Paul  must 
have  been  guilty  of  some  flagrant  offence, 
ajid  he  therefore  resolved  to  subject  him 
to  torture,  to  extort  from  him  t  confession, 

2  n 


you  to  scourge  i  man  that  is  a  Ro- 
man, "  and  uncondemned  ? 

2G  When  the  centurion  hearri 
that^  he  went  and  told  the  chiei 
captain,  saying,  Take  heed  what 
thou  doest :  for  this  man  is  a  Ro- 
man. 

27  Then  the  chief  captain  came, 
and  said  unto  him.  Tell  me,  art 
thou  a  Roman  1    He  said.  Yea. 

28  And  the  chief  captain  an- 
swered. With  a  great  sum  obtained 


IT  By  scourging.  By  the  scourge  or  whip. 
Comp.  Heb.  xi.  3G.  This  was  one  mode 
of  torture,  in  order  to  extort  a  secret  from 
those  who  were  accused. 

25.  Bound  him  with  thongs.  With 
cords,  preparatory  to  scourging.  IF  Is  it 
law/id,  &c.  It  was  directly  contrary  to 
the  Roman  law,  to  bind  and  scourge  « 
Roman  citizen.  See  Note,  on  ch.  xv. 
36,  37. 

28.  With  a  great  sum  obtained  I  this 
Xfreiedom.  This  freedom,  or  privilege  ol 
Roman  citizenship.  From  this  it  would 
seem,  that  the  privilege  of  being  a  Ro- 
man citizen  might  be  purchased.  Per- 
haps he  refers,  however,  to  the  expenses 
which  were  necessarily  attendant  in  pass- 
ing through  the  proper /orms  of  becom- 
ing a  Roman  citizen.  The  argument  of 
the  tribune  in  this  case  is  this:— '/ob- 
tained this  privilege  at  a  great  price  , 
Whence  did  you  Paul,  thus  poor  and  per- 
secuted, obtain  the  means  of  becoming  a 
Roman  citizen  V  Paul  had  informed 
him  that  he  was  a  native  of  Tarsus  (oh. 
XXI.  39) ;  and  the  chief  captain  supposed 
that  that  was  not  a  free  city,  and  that 
Paul  could  not  have  derived  the  privilege 
of  citizenship  from  his  birth.  IT  Bu'  1 
was  free-born.  I  was  born  a  Roman  lUi- 
zen,  or  I  am  such  in  virtue  of  my  birth 
Various  opinions  have  been  formed  on 
the  question,  in  what  way  or  for  what 
reasons  Paul  was  entitlerf  to  the  privilege 
of  a  Roman  citizen.  Some  have  sup- 
posed that  Tar?U3  was  a  Roman  colony, 
and  that  he  thus  became  a  Roman  oiU- 
zen.  But  of  this  there  does  rot  appear 
to  be  sufficient  proof  Pliny  bays '^S  27) 
that  it  was  a  free  city.  The  city  of  Tar- 
sus was  endowed  with  the  privileges  of  a 
free  city  by  Augustus  Cesar,  after  it  had 
been  greatly  afflicted  and  oppressed  by 
wars.  (Appian.)  Dio  Chrysost.  says  to 
the  people  of  Tarsus,  "  h^.  (Augustus)  has 
conferred  on  you  every  thing  which  an* 


iOS 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  60 


k  this  freedom  And  Paul  said, 
But  I  was  free  born. 

2^  Then  straightway  they  de- 
parted from  him  which  should 
have  '  examined  him  :  and  the 
chief  captain  ^so  was  afraid,  after 
he  knew  that  he  was  a  Roman,  and 
because  he  had  bound  him. 

30  On  the  morrow,  because  "  he 
would  have  known   the   certainty 

1  or,  tortured  him.         a  c  i?  IS. 


one  could  bestow  on  his  friends  and  com- 

f)anions,  a  country  (i.  e.  a  free  country), 
aws,  honour,  authority  over  the  river 
'Cydranus),  end  the  neighbouring  sea." 
Free  cities  were  permitted  in  the  Roman 
empire  to  use  their  own  laws  and  cus- 
toms, to  have  their  own  magistrates,  and 
they  were  free  from  being  subject  to  Ro- 
man guards.  They  were  required  only 
to  acknowledge  the  supremacy  and  au- 
thority of  the  Roman  people,  and  to  aid 
them  in  their  wars.  Such  a  city  was 
T.-  -sus,  and  having  been  born  there,  Paul 
Was  entitled  to  these  privileges  of  a  free 
man.  Many  critics  have  supposed  that 
this  privilege  of  Roman  citizenship  had 
been  conferred  un  some  of  the  ancestors 
of  Paul,  in  consequence  of  some  distin- 
guished military  service.  Such  a  con- 
ferring of  the  rights  of  citizenship  was 
not  unusual,  and  possibly  might  have  oc- 
curred in  this  case.  But  there  is  no  di- 
rect historical  proof  of  it;  and  the  for- 
mer fact,  that  he  was  born  in  a  free  city, 
will  amply  account  for  his  afTirmation 
that  he  was  free-born. 

29.  17ie?i  straightiDaj/.  Immediately. 
They  saw  that  by  scourging  him  they 
would  have  violated  the  Roman  law, 
and  exfKjsed  themselves  to  its  penalty. 
IT  Which  should  have  txamhied  him.  Who 
were  about  to  torture  him  by  scourging 
him.  ver.  24.  IT  Because  he  had  bound 
him.  Preparatory  to  scourging  hini.  The 
act  oCbiridiug  a  Roman  citizen,  with  such 
an  intent,  untried  and  uncondemned,  was 
unlawful  Prisoners  who  were  to  be 
Bcourged  were  usually  b>und  by  the 
Romans  to  a  pillar  or  post;  and  a  sunilar 
custom  prevailed  nmong  tho  Jews.  That 
it  was  unlawful  to  bind  a  man,  with  this 
intent,  who  was  uncondemned,  appears 
Irom  an  express  declaration  in  Cicero 
(against  Verros).  «'  It  is  a  heinc-ris  sin  to 
bind  a  Roman  citizen  ;  it  is  wickedness  to 
benf  him  ;  it  is  next  to  parricide  to  kill  him, 
and  what  shall  I  say  to  crucify  him  ?" 

30.  On  (he  niorr-^u)  After  he  had  ar- 
WBied  Pail).     Pan.  wan  still  n  prisoner; 


wherefore  he  was  accused  of  the 
Jews,  he  loosed  him  from  fiis  bands, 
and  commanded  the  chief  priests 
and  all  their  council  to  appear,  and 
brought  Paul  down,  and  set  hiir 
before  them. 

CHAPTER  XXin. 

A  ND    Paul,  earnestly  beholdinj? 

-^  the    council,    said.    Men   and 

brethren,  I  ^  have  lived  in  all  goo<! 

i  c.24.16.  2Cor.l.l2.  Hcb.13.lS. 


and  if  sutlered  to  go  at  liberty  among  thfe 
Jews,  his  life  would  have  been  ai  dan- 
ger. ^  A7id  commanded  the  chief  priests, 
^c.  Summoned  a  meeting  of  the  sanhe- 
drim, or  great  council  of  the  nation.  He 
did  this,  as  he  was  prevented  from  scourg- 
ing  Paul,  in  order  to  know  what  he  had 
done,  and  that  he  might  learn  frorn  the 
Jews  themselves  the  nature  of  the  charge 
against  him.  This  was  necessary  for  ihe 
safety  of  Paul,  and  for  the  ends  of  jus- 
tice. This  should  have  been  done  with- 
out any  attempt  to  torture  him  in  order  to 
extort  a  confession.  IT  And  brought  Paul 
down.  From  the  elevated  castle  or  towei 
of  Antonia.  The  council  assembled  com 
monly  in  the  house  of  the  high-priest 
II  And  set  him  before  them.  He  brought 
the  prisoner  to  their  bar,  that  they  might 
have  an  opportunity  to  accuse  him,  and 
that  thus  the  chief  captain  might  lenm 
the  real  nature  of  the  charge  dfl|u::it 
him.  ^P 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
1.  And  Paul,  earnesthj  beholding.  At*. 
v'trxg.  Fixing  Ills  eyes  intently  on  the 
council.  The  word  denotes  a  fixed  and 
earnest  gazing;  a  close  observation.  See 
Luke  iv.  20.  Note,  Acts  iii.  4.  Pau. 
would  naturally  look  with  a  keen  and 
attentive  observation  on  the  council 
He  was  arraigned  before  them,  and  he 
would  naturally  observe  the  appearance, 
and  endeavour  to  ascertain  the  char^tei 
of  his  judj^![t"o.  Besides,  it  was  by  thi. 
council  thfit  ho  had  been  formerly  com 
missioned  to  persecute  the  Christians,  ch. 
ix.  1,2.  He  hid  not  seen  thom  since  that 
commission  was  given.  He  would  natu- 
rally, therefore,  regard  them  with  an  at- 
tentive oye.  The  result  shows,  also,  thai 
Paul  looked  at  them  to  see  what  was  the 
character  of  the  men  there  as.sembled, 
and  what  wiis  Ihe  pro]Mjrtion  of  Pharist'es 
and  Saddurcos.  vrr.  fi  H  The  council 
Gr.  Th''  sanhedrim  c.i.  xxii.  30,  It  \\h% 
the  great  council  composed  of  eevciry 
elders,  to  whom  was  intrusted  the  aflaiit 
of  the    nation.     Sco    Note.  Mail.    t.   i 


A.D   60.] 


CHAPTER  XXlIL 


30^ 


conscience    befoie    God    until  this 
day. 

2    And    the    high-priest   A.nani- 


*  ^few  and  bretliren.  Gr.  'Men,  breth- 
ren;' the  usual  form  of  beginning  an 
address  among  the  Jews.  See  ch.  ii.  29. 
He  addressed  them  still  as  his  brethren. 
If  1  have  lived  in  all  good  conscience.  I 
have  conducted  myself  so  as  to  maintain 
a  good  conscience.  I  have  done  what  I 
beheved  to  be  right.  This  was  a  bold 
declaration,  after  the  tumult,  and  charges, 
and  accusations  of  the  previous  day  (ch. 
xxii.);  and  yet  it  was  strictly  true.  His 
persecutions  of  the  Christians  had  been 
conducted  conscientiously.  Acts  xxvi.  9, 
"  I  verily  thought  with  myself,"  says  he, 
"  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary 
to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  Of 
his  conscientiousness  and  fidelity  in  their 
service,  they  could  bear  witness.  Of  his 
conscientiousness  since,  he  could  make  a 
similar  declaration.  And  he,  doubtless, 
meant  to  say,  that  as  he  had  been  consci- 
entious in  persecution,  so  he  had  been  in 
his  conversion,  and  in  his  subsequent 
course.  And  as  they  knew  that  his  for- 
mer life  had  been  with  a  good  conscience, 
they  ought  to  presume  that  he  had  main- 
tained the  same  character  still.  This  was 
a  remarkably  bold  appeal  to  be  made  by 
an  accused  man,  and  it  shows  the  strong 
consciousness  which  Paul  had  of  his  in- 
nocence. What  would  have  been  the 
drift  of  Paul's  discourse  in  proving  this, 
we  can  only  conjecture.  He  was  inter- 
rupted (ver.  2);  but  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  he  would  have  pursued  such  a  course 
of  argument  as  should  tend  to  establish 
his  innocence.  IT  Befor"  God.  Gr.  To 
God.  Ti  Gfc.  He  had  lived  to  God,  or 
with  reference  to  his  ev^mmands,  so  as  to 
keep  a  conscience  pure  in  his  sight.  The 
same  principle  of  conduct  he  states  more 
at  length  in  c\i.  xxiv.  16 :  "  And  herein 
do  I  exercise  myself,  to  have  always  a  con- 
science void  of  offence  toward  God  and 
toward  men.  IF  Until  this  day.  Includ- 
[ng  the  time  before  his  conversion  to 
Christianity,  and  after.  In  both  condi- 
tions he  wa?  conscientious ;  in  one,  con- 
scientious in  persecution  and  error,  though 
he  deemed  it  to  be  right ;  in  the  other, 
conscientious  in  the  truth.  The  mere 
fact,  that  a  man  is  conscientious,  does  not 
prove  that  he  is  right,  or  innocent  See 
Note  on  John  xvi.  2. 

2.  And  the  high-priest  Ananias.  This 
Ananias  was,  doubtlesa,  the  son  of  Nebe- 
4inus  (Jos.  Ant  xx.  ch.  v.  ^  3),  nho  was 


as  commanded  them  that  stood 
by  him  to  smite  hin  <»  on  the 
mouth. 

a  Jno.lS.22. 


high- priest  when  Quadratus,  who  pre- 
ceded Felix,  was  president  of  Syria.  He 
was  sent  bound  to  Rome  by  Quadratus,  at 
the  same  time  with  Ananias,  the  prefect 
of  the  temple,  that  they  might  give  an 
account  of  their  conduct  to  Claudius  Ce- 
sar. Josephus,  Ant.  b.  xx.  ch.  vi.  v)  2.  But 
in  consequence  of  the  intercession  oi 
Agrippa  the  Younger,  they  were  dismiss- 
ed, and  returned  to  Jerusalem.  An.inias, 
however,  was  not  restored  to  the  office 
of  high-priest.  For,  when  Felix  was  go- 
vernor of  Judea,  this  office  vias  filled  by 
Jonathan,  who  succeeded  Ananias.  Jo- 
sephus, Ant.  b.  XX.  ch.  x.  Jonathan  was 
slain  in  the  temple  itself,  by  the  instiga 
tion  of  Felix,  by  assassins  who  had  been 
hired  fcr  the  purpose.  This  murder  ia 
thus  described  by  Josephus  (Ant.  b.  xx. 
ch.  viii.  $  5) :  "  Felix  bore  an  ill-will  to 
Jonathan,  the  high-priest,  because  he  fre- 
quently gave  him  admonitions  about  go- 
verning the  Jewish  affairs  better  than 
he  did,  lest  complaints  should  be  made 
against  him,  since  he  had  procured  of  Ce- 
sar the  appointment  of  Felix  as  procurator 
of  Judea.  Accordingly,  Felix  contrived 
a  method  by  which  he  might  get  rid  of 
Jonathan,  whose  admonitions  had  become 
troublesome  to  him.  Felix  persuaded  one 
of  Jonathan's  most  faithful  friends,  of  the 
name  Doras,  to  bring  the  robbers  upon 
him,  and  to  put  him  to  death."  This 
was  done  in  Jerusalem.  The  robbers 
came  into  the  city  as  if  to  worship  God, 
and  with  daggers,  which  they  had  con- 
cealed under  their  garments,  they  put 
him  to  death.  After  the  death  of  Jona 
than  the  office  of  high-priest  remained 
vacant,  until  king  Agrippa  appointed  Is- 
mael,  the  son  of  Fabi,  to  the  office.  Jo- 
sephus, Ant.  b.  XX.  ch.  viii.  $  8.  It  was 
during  this  interval,  while  the  office  of 
high-priest  was  vacant,  that  the  events 
which  are  here  recorded  took  place. 
Ananias  was  then  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  as 
the  office  of  high-priest  was  vacant,  and 
as  he  was  the  last  person  who  had  borne 
the  office,  it  was  natural  that  he  shoula 
discharge,  probably  by  common  consent, 
its  duties,  so  far  at  least  as  to  preside  in 
the  sanhedrim.  Of  these  facts,  Paul 
would  be  doubtless  apprized ;  and  hence 
what  he  said  (ver.  51  was  strictly  tri.e, 
and  is  one  of  the  ev  dences  that  Luk«f'a 
history  accords  precisely  with  the  piecu 
har  circumstances  vvhieh   then    existed 


iOi 


THE  ALTS. 


A.  D.  60 


3  Then  said  Paul  unto  him,  God 
shall  smite  thee,  iJani  \vhited  wall : 
foi  sittest  thou  to  judo^e  me  after 
the  law,  and  commandest  me  to 
be  smitten  "  contrary  to  the  law  1 

a  Lev.19.35.  Deut.25.1,2.  Jno.7.Sl. 

When  Luke  here  calls  Ananias  "  the 
high-priest,"  he  evidently  intends  not  to 
affirm  that  he  was  actually  such ;  but  to 
use  the  word  as  the  Jews  did,  as  applica- 
ble to  one  who  had  been  in  that  office, 
and  who,  on  that  occasion,  when  the 
office  was  vacant,  performed  its  duties. 
IT  To  smile  him  on  the  mouth.  To  stop 
him  from  speaking ;  to  express  their  in- 
dignation at  what  he  had  said.  The 
anger  of  Ananias  was  excited,  because 
Paul  afiirmed,  that  all  that  he  had  done 
had  been  with  a  good  conscience.  Their 
feelings  had  been  excited  to  the  utmost ; 
they  regarded  him  as  certainly  guilty ; 
they  deemed  him  to  be  an  apostate; 
and  they  could  not  bear  it  that  he,  with 
such  coolness  and  firmness,  declared 
that  all  his  conduct  had  been  under  the 
direction  of  a  good  conscience.  The 
uijustice  of  the  command  of  Ananias 
is  apparent  to  all.  A  similar  instance  of 
violence  occurred  on  the  trial  of  the  Sa- 
viour.   John  xviii.  22. 

3.  God  shall  smite  thee.  God  shall  pun- 
ish thee.  God  is  just;  and  he  will  not 
suffer  such  a  manifest  violation  of  all  the 
laws  of  a  fair  trial  to  pass  unavenged. 
This  was  a  remarkably  bold  and  fearless 
declaration.  Paul  was  surrounded  by 
enemies.  They  were  seeking  his  life. 
And  he  must  have  known  that  such  de- 
clarations would  have  only  excited  their 
wrath,  and  made  them  more  thirsty  for 
his  blood.  That  he  could  thus  address 
the  president  of  the  council,  was  not  only 
Btrongly  characteristic  of  the  man,  but 
was  also  a  strong  proof  that  he  was  con- 
Bcious  of  innocence,  and  that  justice  was 
on  his  side.  This  expression  of  Paul, 
"  God  shall  smite  thee,"  is  not  to  be  re- 
garded in  the  light  of  an  imprecalicri,  or 
as  an  expression  of  angry  feeling,  but  of 
a  prediction,  or  of  a  strong  conviction  on 
the  mind  of  Paul,  that  a  man  so  hypo- 
critical and  unjust  as  Ananias  was,  could 
not  escape  the  vengeance  of  God.  Ana- 
nias wa.'<  slain,  with  Hezekiah  his  brother, 
Juring  the  agitation  that  occurred  in  Je- 
nualem  when  the  robbers,  or  Sirarii, 
under  their  leader,  Manahem,  had  taken 
p08.session  of  the  city.  lie  attempted  to 
conceal  liim.self  in  an  aqueduct,  but  was 
drawn  forth  and  killotl     See  Josej^hus, 


4  And  they  that  stDod  by  said 
Revilost  thou  God's  high-priest] 

5  I'hen  said  Paul,  I  wist  not, 
brethren,  that  he  w^as  the  high- 
priest:    for   it  is  written,  '>  Thou 

b  Ex.22.28.  Eccl.10.20.  2PeU2.10.  Jude  8. 


Jewish  Wars,  b.  ii.  ch.  xvii.  $  8.  Thui 
Paul's  prediction  was  fulfilled.  IT  Thot 
whited  wall.  This  is  evident^y  a  provei 
bial  expression,  meaning  tnuu  hypocrite. 
His  hypocrisy  consisted  in  his  pretending 
to  sit  there  to  do  justice;  and  yet,  in 
commanding  the  accused  to  be  smitten 
in  direct  violation  of  the  law,  he  thus 
showed  that  his  character  was  not  what, 
by  his  sitting  there,  he  professed  it  to  be, 
but  that  of  one  determined  to  carry  the 
purposes  of  his  party,  and  of  his  own 
feelings.  Our  Saviour  used  a  similar 
expression,  to  describe  the  hypocritical 
character  of  the  Pharisees  (Matt,  xxiii. 
27),  when  he  compares  them  to  whited 
sepulchres.  A  whited  wall  is  a  wall  or 
enclosure  that  is  covered  with  lime  or 
gypsum,  and  that  thus  appears  to  be  dif 
ferent  from  what  it  is,  and  thus  aptly 
describes  the  hypocrite.  Seneca  (de  Pro- 
videntia,  ch.  6)  uses  a  similar  figure  tc 
describe  hypocrites:  "They  are  sordid 
base,  and  like  their  walls  adorned  only 
externally."  See  also  Seneca,  Epis.  115 
IT  For  siltest  thou,  «tc.  The  law  required 
that  justice  should  be  done,  and  in  order 
to  that,  it  gave  every  man  an  opportunity 
of  defending  himself  See  JNote,  John 
vii.  51.  Prov.  xviii.  13.  Lev.  xix.  15,  16. 
Ex.  xxiii.  1,  2.  Deut.  xix.  15.  18.  IT  Tc 
judge  me  after  the  lav).  As  a  judge  to 
hear  and  decide  the  case  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  law  of  Moses.  11  Con- 
trary to  the  lau).  In  violation  of  the  law 
of  Moses  (Lc\-.  xix.  35),  "  Ye  shall  do  no 
unrighteousness  in  judgment." 

4.  Kcvi'esl  thou,  ike  Dost  thou  re- 
proach cr  abuse  the  high-priest  of  God  ? 
It  is  reinarksbh;  that  they  who  knew 
that  he  v.  as  not  the  high-priest,  should 
have  olTe/cf]  this  language.  He  was, 
however,  in  the  place  of  the  high-priest, 
and  they  might  have  pretended  that  re- 
spect was  due  to  the  oflifo. 

5.  Then  said  Paul.,  I uii^t  not.  1  know 
not ;  I  was  ignorant  of  the  fact,  that  he 
was  high-priest.  Intorpretors  have  been 
greatly  dvided  f)n  f  lo  meaning  of  thig 
expression.  Some  have  supposed  tliat 
Paul  K»iid  it  in  irovy;  as  it  he  liad  .said 

'  Pardon  me,  brolhrrn,  I  tlid  not  considei 
that  tills  was  the  high-priet;t.  It  did  nof 
occur  to  me,  that  a  man  who  could  con 


i.  D.  60.] 

shalt  not  speak  evil  of  the  ruler  of 
thy  people. 

duct  thus,  could  be  God's  high-priest.' 
Others  have  thought  (as  Grotius)  that 
Paul  used  these  words  for  the  purpose 
of  mitigating  their  wrath,  and  as  an  ac- 
knowledgment that  he  had  spoken  hasti- 
ly, and  that  it  was  contrary  to  his  usual 
babit.  which  was  not  to  speak  evil  of  the 
rJer  of  the  people'.  As  if  he  had  said, 
acknowledge  my  error  and  my  haste. 
I  did  not  consider  that  I  was  addressing 
him  whom  God  bad  commanded  me  to 
respoft.'  But  this  interpretation  is  not 
probable,  for  Paul  evidently  did  not  in- 
tend to  retract  what  he  had  said.  Dr. 
Doddridge  renders  it,  "  I  was  not  aware, 
brethren,  that  it  was  the  high-priest,"  and 
regards  it  as  an  apology  for  having  spoken 
in  haste.  But  the  obvious  reply  to  this 
mterpretation  is,  that  if  Ananias  was  the 
high-priest,  Paul  could  not  but  be  aware 
of  it  Of  so  material  a  point,  it  is  hardly 
possible  that  he  could  be  ignorant.  Others 
suppose,  that  as  Paul  had  been  long  ab- 
sent from  Jerusalem,  and  had  not  known 
the  changes  which  had  occurred  there, 
he  was  a  stranger  to  the  person  of  the 
high-priest.  Others  suppose  that  Ananias 
did  not  occupy  the  usual  seat  which  was 
appropriated  to  the  high-priest,  and  tliat 
he  was  not  clothed  in  the  usual  robes  of 
office,  and  that  Paul  did  not  recognise 
him  the  high-priest.  But  these  interpre- 
tations are  not  probable.  It  is  wholly  im- 
pi'obable  that,  on  such  an  occasion,  the 
high-priest,  who  wa^  the  presiding  officer 
in  the  sanhedrim,  should  not  be  knovm 
to  the  accused.  The  true  interpretation, 
therefore,  I  suppose  is,  that  which  is  de- 
rived from  the  fact  that  Ananias  was  not 
then  properly  the  high-priest ;  that  there 
was  a  vacancy  in  the  otiice,  and  that  he 
presided  by  courtesy,  or  in  virtue  of  his 
having  been  formerly  invested  with  that 
office-  The  meaning  then  will  be  '  I  did 
not  regard  or  acknowledge  him  as  the 
high-priest.  I  did  not  add<-ess  him  as 
such,  since  that  is  not  his  true  character. 
Had  he  been  truly  the  high-priest,  even 
if  he  had  thus  been  guilty  of  manifest 
mjustice,  I  would  not  have  used  thelan- 
guage  which  I  did.  The  office,  if  not  the 
man,  would  have  claimed  respect.  But 
as  he  is  not  truly  and  pr3perly  clothed 
with  that  ofBce,  and  as  he  was  guilty  of 
manifest  injustice,  I  did  not  believe  that 
he  was  to  be  shielded  in  his  injustice  by 
the  law  which  commands  me  to  show 
respect  to  the  proper  ruler  of  the  people.' 
If  this  be  the  true  interpretation,  it  shows 
2c3 


CHAPTER  XX 11 


SOS 


6  But  when  Paul  perceived  thai 
the     one     part    were     Sadducees, 


that  Luke,  in  this  account,  accords  en 
tirely  with  the  truth  of  history.  Tba 
character  of  Ananias,  as  given  by  Jose- 
phus ;  the  facts  which  he  has  stated  in 
regard  to  him,  all  accord  with  the  accotint 
here  given,  and  show  that  the  writer  of 
the  "  Acts  of  the  Apostles"  was  ac« 
quainted  with  the  history  of  that  time, 
and  has  correctly  stated  it.  IT  For  it  is 
written.  Ex.  xxii.  28.  Paul  adduces  this 
to  show  that  it  was  his  purpose  to  observe 
the  law  ;  that  he  would  not  intentionally 
violate  it;  and  that,  if  he  had  known 
Ananias  to  be  high-priest,  he  would 
have  been  restrained  by  his  regard  for 
the  law  from  using  the  language  which 
he  did.  IF  0/  the  rider  of  thy  people. 
This  passage  had  not  any  peculiar  re 
ference  to  the  high-priest,  but  it  incul- 
cated the  general  spirit  of  respect  for 
those  in  office,  whatever  that  office  was 
As  the  office  of  high-priest  was  one  of 
importance  and  authority,  Paul  declares 
here  that  he  would  not  be  guilty  of  show- 
ing disrespect  for  it,  or  of  using  reproach- 
ful language  towards  it. 

6.  But  when  Paid  perceived.  Probably 
by  his  former  acquaintance  with  the  men 
who  composed  the  council.  As  he  had 
been  brought  up  in  Jerusalem,  and  had 
been  before  acquainted  with  the  sanhe- 
drim (ch.  ix.  2),  he  would  have  an  ar- 
quaintance,  doubtless,  with  the  character 
of  most  of  those  present,  though  he  had 
been  absent  from  them  for  fourteen  years. 
Gal.  ii.  1.  Il  The  one  part,  &c.  That  the 
council  was  divided  into  two  parties 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  This  was 
commonly  the  case,  though  it  is  uncer. 
tain  which  had  the  majority.  In  regard 
to  the  opinions  of  these  two  sects,  see 
Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  7.  IT  He  cried  out,  &c. 
The  reasons  why  Paul  resolved  to  take 
advantage  of  xheir  difference  of  opinion 
were,  probably,  (1.)  That  he  saw  that  it 
was  impossible  to  expect  justice  at  their 
hands;  and  he,  therefore,  regarded  it  as 
prudent  and  proper  to  consult  his  safety. 
He  saw,  from  the  conduct  of  Ananias, 
and  from  the  spirit  manifested  (ver.  4), 
that  they,  like  the  other  Jews,  had  pre- 
judged the  case,  and  were  driven  on  by 
blind  rage  and  fury.  (2.)  His  object  was 
to  show  his  innocence  to  the  chief  cap- 
tain. To  ascertain  that,  was  the  purpose 
for  which  he  had  been  arraigned.  Yet 
that,  perhaps,  could  be  most  directly  and 
satisfactorily  shown  by  bringing  out,  as 
he  knew  he  could  do,  the  real  gpirir 


JOb 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  GO 


and  the  ether  JMiarisies,  he  cried 
out  in  the  council,  Men  and  breth- 
ren, "  I  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son  of 

ac.26.5.  rhil.3.5. 


which  actuated  the  whole  council,  as 
a  spirit  of  part)-strife,  contention,  and 
persecution.  Knowing,  therefore,  how 
Bensitive  they  were  on  the  subject  of  the 
resurrection,  he  seems  to  have  resolved 
to  do  what  he  would  not  have  done  had 
they  been  disposed  to  hear  him  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  justice,  to  abandon  ihe 
direct  argument  for  his  defence,  and  to 
enlist  a  large  part,  perha{)S  a  majority  of 
the  council,  in  his  favour.  Whatever 
may  be  thought  of  the  propriety  of  this 
course,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it  was  a 
master-stroke  of  policy,  and  that  it  evinc- 
ed a  profound  knowledge  of  liuman  na- 
ture. IF  /am a  Pharisee.  That  is,  I  was 
of  that  sect  among  the  Jews.  I  was  born 
a  Pharisee,  and  I  ever  continued  while  a 
Jew  to  be  of  that  sect.  In  the  main  he 
agreed  with  them  still.  He  did  not  mean 
to  deny  that  he  was  a  Christian,  but  that 
so  far  as  the  Pharisees  diiTered  from  the 
Sadducees,  he  was  in  the  main  with  the 
former.  He  agreed  with  them,  not  with 
the  Sadducees,  in  regard  to  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection,  and  the  existence  of 
angels  and  spirits.  IT  The  son  of  a  Fhari- 
see.  What  was  the  name  of  his  father  is 
not  known.  But  the  meaning  is,  simply, 
that  he  was  entitled  to  all  the  immuni- 
ties and  privileges  of  a  Pharisee.  He 
had,  from  his  birth,  belonged  to  that  sect, 
nor  had  he  ever  departed  from  the  great 
cardinal  doctrines  which  distinguished 
that  sect — the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  Comp.  Phil.  iii.  5.  IT  Of 
the  nope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
That  is,  of  the  hope  that  the  dead  will 
be  raised.  This  is  the  real  point  of  the 
persecution  and  opposition  to  me.  IT  1 
am  called  in  question.  Gr.  I  am  judged; 
that  is,  I  am  persecuted,  or  brought  to 
trial.  Orobio  charges  this  upon  Paul  as 
an  artful  manner  of  declining  persecu- 
tion, unworthy  the  character  of  an  upright 
and  honest  man.  Chubb,  a  British  Deist 
of  the  neventeenth  century,  charges  it 
upon  Paul  as  an  net  of  gross  "  dissimula- 
tion, as  designed  to  conceal  the  true 
"round  of  all  the  troubles  that  he  had 
Drought  upon  himself;  and  as  designed 
to  deceive  niu'  im'XJso  upon  the  Jews." 
Me  afTirms  also,  that  "  St.  Paid  probably 
mvented  this  pretended  charge  against 
himself,  to  draw  over  a  party  of  the  im- 
believing  Jcwh  unto  him."  Seo  Chubb's 
pvMtiiuauuB  Works  vol  ii  p  238.    D'ow, 


a  Pharisee ;  of  *  the  hope  and  re- 
surrection of  the  dead  I  am  called 
in  question. 

i  0.24.15,21;  26.6}  29.20. 

in  reply  to  this,  we  may  observe,  (1.; 
That  there  is  not  the  least  evidence  that 
Paul  denied  that  he  had  been,  or  wat 
then,  a  Christian.  An  attempt  to  deny 
this,  after  all  that  they  knew  of  him, 
would  have  been  vain ;  and  there  is  not 
the  slightest  hint  that  he  attempted  it 
(2.)  The  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead  was  the  main  and  leadine  doc- 
trine w  hich  he  had  insisted  on,  and^hich 
had  been  to  him  the  cause  of  much  of 
his  persecution.  See  ch.  xvii.  31,  32. 
1  Cor.  XV.'  Acta  xiii.  34 ;  xxvi.  6,  7.  23. 
25.  (3.)  Paul  defended  this  by  an  argu- 
ment which  he  deemed  invincible,  and 
which  constituted,  in  fact,  the  principal 
evidence  of  its  truth — the  fact  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  had  been  raised.  That  fact 
had  given  demonstration  to  the  doctrine 
of  the  Pharisees,  that  the  dead  would 
rise.  As  Paul  had  every  where  pro- 
claimed the  fact  that  Jesus  had  been 
raised  up,  and  as  this  had  been  the  occa 
sion  of  his  being  opposed,  it  was  true 
that  he  had  been  persecuted  on  account 
of  that  doctrine.  (4.)  The  real  ground 
of  the  opposition  which  the  Sadducees 
made  to  him,  and  of  their  opposition  to 
his  doctrine  vias,  the  additional  zeal  v ith 
which  he  urged  this  doctrine,  and  the 
additional  argument  which  he  brought 
for  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  Per- 
haps the  cause  of  the  opposition  of  this 
great  party  among  the  Jews — the  Saddu- 
cees— to  Christianity,  was  the  strong  con- 
firmation  which  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
gave  to  the  doctrine  which  they  so  much 
hated — the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  It  thus  gave  a  triumph  to 
their  opponents  among  the  Pharisees , 
and  Paul,  as  a  leading  and  zealous  advo- 
cate of  thot  doctrine,  would  excite  their 
special  hatred.  (5.)  All  that  Paul  said, 
thereibre,  was  strictly  true.  It  wao  be- 
cause he  advocated  this  doctrine  that  he 
was  opposed.  That  there  were  othe.i 
causes  of  opposition  to  him  might  be 
true  also  ;  but  still  this  was  the  main  and 
prominent  cause  of  the  hostility.  (G.^ 
With  great  nropriety,  therefore  he  might 
address  the  Pharisees,  and  say  Brethren, 
the  great  doctrine  which  hjis  dislinguisli 
ed  you  from  the  Sadducees,  is  nt  stake. 
The  great  doctrine  which  is  at  the  foun- 
dation of  all  our  hopes — the  resii.-rectioD 
of  the  dead,  the  do(  trine  of  our  fathers 
of  the  Scriptures,  of  oui  sect,  is  in  dangei 


D.  60.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


307 


7  And  when  he  had  so  said,  there  |      9  And  there  arose  a  great  cry: 


irose  a  dissension  between  the  Pha- 
risees and  the  Sadducees  :  and  the 
imltitude  was  divided. 

8  For  the  Sadducees  "  say  that 
there  is  no  resurrection,  neither  an- 
gel nor  spirit :  but  the  Pharisees 
confess  both. 

o  Matt.22.23.  Mark  12.18.  Luke  20.27, 


Of  that  doctrine  I  have  been  the  ad- 
vocate. I  have  never  denied  it.  I  have 
endeavoured  to  establish  it,  and  have 
every  where  defended  it,  and  have  de- 
voted myself  to  the  work  of  putting  it  on 
an  imperishable  basis  among  the  Jews 
and  the  Gentiles.  For  my  zeal  in  that,  I 
have  been  opposed.  I  have  excited  the 
ridicule  of  the  Gentile,  and  the  hatred  of 
the  Sadducee.  I  have  thus  been  perse- 
cuted and  arraigned  ;  and  for  my  zeal  in 
this,  in  urging  the  argument  in  defence 
of  it,  which  I  have  deemed  most  irrefra- 
gable— the  resurrection  of  the  Messiah,  I 
have  been  persecuted  and  arraigned,  and 
now  cast  myself  on  your  protection  against 
she  mad  zeal  of  the  enemies  of  the  doc- 
trine of  our  fathers.  Not  only,  therefore, 
was  this  an  act  of  policy  and  prudence  in 
Paul,  but  what  he  affirmed  was  strictly 
true,  and  the  effect  was  as  he  had  antici- 
pated. 

7.  A  dissension.  A  dispute,  or  differ- 
ence. IT  And  the  multitude.  The  coun- 
cil. Comp.  ch.  xiv.  4.  The  Pharisees 
embraced, as  he  desired  and  expected,  his 
side  of  the  question,  and  became  his  ad- 
vocates, in  opposition  to  the  Sadducees, 
who  were  arrayed  against  him. 

8.  For  the  Sadducees  say.  They  believe. 
TT  No  resurrection.  Of  the  dead.  By  this 
doctrine  they  also  understood  that  there 
was  no  future  state,  and  that  the  soul  did 
not  exist  after  death.  See  Note,  Matt, 
xxii.  23.  IT  Neither  angel.  That  there 
are  no  angels.  They  deny  the  existence 
of  good  or  bad  angels.  See  Note,  Matt, 
lii.  7.  IF  Nor  spirit.  Nor  soul.  That 
there  was  nothing  but  matter.  They 
were  materialists,  and  supposed  that  all 
the  operations  which  Vv'e  ascribe  to  mind, 
could  be  traced  to  some  modification  of 
matter.  The  Sadducees,  says  Josephus 
(Jewish  War,  b.  ii.  ch.  viii.  %  14),  "take 
away  the  belief  of  the  immortal  duranon 
Df  the  soul,  and  the  punishments  and  re- 
wards in  Hades."  "  The  doctrine  of  the 
Sadducees  is  this,"  says  he  (Ant.  b.  xviii. 
ch.  i.  $  4),  "  that  souls  die  with  the  bo- 
dies." The  opinion  that  the  so«l  is  ma- 
ierittL  and  that  thero  is  nothing  but  matter 


and  the  scribes  that  were  of  the 
Pharisees'  part  arose,  and  strove, 
saying.  We  find  *  no  evil  in  this 
man  :  but  if  a  spirit "  or  an  angel 
hath  spoken  to  him,  let  us  not  "^  fight 
against  God. 

b  c.25.25:26.31  e  a  22.17,38.         i  e.g3S. 


in  the  universe,  has  been  held  by  many 
philosophers,  ancient  and  modern,  as  well 
as  by  the  Sadducees.  IT  Confess  both. 
Acknowledge,  or  receive  both  as  true; 
i.  e.  that  there  is  a  future  state,  and  that 
there  are  spirits  distinct  from  m|fier,  as 
angels,  and  the  disembodied  soul^wmen. 
The  two  points  in  dispute  were,  (1.)  Whe- 
ther the  dead  would  be  raised  and  exist  in 
a  future  state;  and,  (2.)  Whether  mind  was 
distinct  from  matter.  The  Sadducees 
denied  both,  and  the  Pharisees  believed 
both.  Their  belief  of  the  latter  point  was, 
that  spirits  existed  in  two  forms — that  of 
angels,  and  that  of  souls  of  men  distinct 
from  the  body. 

9.  A  great  cry.  A  great  clamour,  and 
tumult.  IF  The  scribes.  The  learned 
men.  They  would  naturally  be  the  chief 
speakers.  IT  Of  the  Pharisees'  part.  Who 
were  Pharisees ;  or  who  belonged  to  that 
party.  The  scribes  were  not  a  distinct 
sect,  but  might  be  either  Pharisees  or 
Sadducees.  IT  We  find  no  evil  in  this 
man.  No  opinion  which  is  contrary  to 
the  law  of  Moses;  and  no  conduct  in 
spreading  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection 
which  we  do  not  approve.  The  import- 
ance of  this  doctrine,  in  their  view,  was 
so  great  as  to  th>row  into  the  back  ground 
all  the  other  doctrines  that  Paul  might 
hold  ;  and  provided  this  were  propagated 
they  wore  willing  to  vindicate  and  sus- 
tain hini.  A  similar  testimony  was  offered 
to  the  innocence  of  the  Saviour  by  Pi- 
late. John  xix.  6.  IT  But  if  a  spirit  or  an 
angel,  &c.  They  here  referred,  doubtless, 
to  what  Paul  had  said  in  ch.  xxii.  17, 18. 
He  had  declared  that  he  had  gone  among 
the  Gentiles  in  obedience  to  a  command 
which  he  received  m  a  vision  ia  the 
temple.  As  the  Pharisees  held  to  the 
belief  of  spirits  and  angels,  and  to  the 
doctrine  that  the  will  of  God  was  often 
delivered  to  men  by  their  agency,  they 
we-ie  ready  now  to  admit  that  he  had  re- 
cei^  ed  such  a  communication,  and  that 
he  had  gone  among  the  Gentiles  in  obe- 
dience to  it,  to  defend  their  great  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  We  are 
not  to  suppose  that  the  Pharisees  had  be- 


508 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.D.66 


Ift  And  when  there  arose  a  g^reat 
dissension,  the  cliief  captain,  fear- 
ing  lest  Paul  should  have  been 
pulled  in  pieces  of  them,  command- 
ed the  soldiers  to. go  down,  and  to 
take  him  hy  force  from  among 
them,  and  to  bring  him  into  the 
castle. 

11  And  the  night  following,  the 

a  P8.46J.. 7.  c.18.9;  27.23,24.       b  c.2S.30,31.Rom.l. 
a.         c  ver.21.30.  c.25.3. 


come  the  friends  of  Paul,  or  of  Chrisli- 
onitv.  The  true  solution  of  their  conduct 
doubtless  is,  that  they  were  so  inflamed 
withjhatred  against  the  Saddueees,  that 
the3)rj|^ere  willing  to  make  use  of  any 
argument  against  their  doctrine.  As  the 
testimony  of  Paul  might  be  turned  to 
their  account,  they  were  willing  to  vindi- 
cate him.  It  is  remarkable  too,  that  they 
perverted  the  statement  of  Paul  in  order 
to  oppose  the  Saddueees.  Paul  had  stated 
distinctly  (ch.  xxii.  17,  18.)  that  he  had 
been  commanded  to  go  by  the  Lord, 
meaning  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  had  said 
nothing  of  "a  spnit,  or  an  angel."  Yet 
they  would  unite  with  the  Saddueees  so 
far  as  to  maintain  that  he  had  received 
no  such  command  from  the  Lord  Jesus. 
But  they  might  easily  vary  his  statements, 
and  suppose  that  an  "  angel  or  a  spirit" 
had  s{X)ken  to  him,  and  thus  made  use  of 
his  conduct  as  an  argument  against  the 
Saddueees.  Men  are  not  always  very 
careful  about  the  exact  correctness  of 
their  statements,  when  they  wish  to  hum- 
ble a  r-val.  IT  Let  us  not  fpht  against 
God.  See  Note,  ch.  v.  39.  These  words 
are  wanting  in  many  MSS.  and  in  some 
of  the  ancient  versions.  The  Syriac  reads 
it,  "  if  a  spirit  or  an  angel  have  spoken  to 
him,  what  is  there  in  this  ?"  i.  e.  what  is 
there  unusual  or  wrong. 

10.  A  great  dissension.  A  great  tu- 
mult, excitement,  or  controversy.  IT  Into 
the  castle.     Note,  ch.  xxi.  34. 

11.  The  Lord  stood  by  him.  Evidently 
the  Lord  Jesus.  See  Note,  ch.  i.  24. 
Comp.  ch.  xxii.  18.  The  appearance  of 
the  Lord  in  this  case  was  a  proof  that  he 
approved  the  course  which  Paul  had 
taken  before  the  sanhedrim.  H  Jle  of 
g,,nd  cheer.  It  would  not  he  remarkable 
•f  Paul,  by  these  constant  persecutions, 
should  be  somevvliat  dejected  in  mind. 
The  ifwue  of  the  whole  matter  was  as  yet 
doubtful.  In  these  circumstances,  it  muBt 
have  been  peculiarly  consoling  to  him  to 
hear  these  words  of  encouragement  frt)m 
the  I/)rd  Jesus,  and  this  assurance  that 


Lord  stood  "  by  him,  and  said,  Be 
of  good  cheer,  Paul :  for  as  tiiou 
hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem, 
so  must  thou  bear  witness  also  al 
Rome.'' 

12  And  when  it  was  day,  cer- 
tain "^  of  the  Jews  banded  together, 
and  bound  themselves  '  under  a 
curse,    saying,    that    they   would 

1  OT,  with  an  oath  of  execration 


the  jbject  of  his  desires  should  be  grant 
ed.  and  that  he  would  be  permitted  lo 
bear  the  same  witness  of  him  in  Rome. 
Nothing  else  can  comfort  and  sustain  the 
soul  in  trials,  and  persecutions,  but  evi 
dence  of  the  approbation  of  God,  and  the 
promises  of  his  gracious  aid.  H  Bear  wit- 
ness also  at  Rome.  This  had  been  the  ob- 
ject of  his  earnest  wish  (Rom.  i.  10  ;  xv. 
23,  24),  and  this  promise  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  fulfilled,  ch.  xxviii.  30,  31. 
The  promise  which  was  here  made  to 
Paul  was  not  directly  one  of  deliverance 
from  the  present  persecution,  but  it  im 
plied  that,  and  made  it  certain. 

12.  Certain  of  the  Jews.  Some  of  the 
Jews.  They  were  more  than  forty  m 
number,  ver.  13.  IT  Banded  together. 
Made  an  agreement,  or  compact.  They 
conspired  to  kill  him.  IT  And  bound 
themselves  tinder  a  curse.  See  the  margin. 
The  Greek  is, "  they  anathematized  them 
selves;"  that  is,  they  bound  themselves 
by  a  solemn  oath.  They  invoked  a  curse 
on  themselves,  or  devoted  themselves  to 
destruction,  if  they  did  not  do  it.  Light- 
foot  remarks,  however,  that  they  could 
be  absolved  from  this  vow  by  the  Rab 
bins,  if  they  were  unable  to  execute  it 
Under  various  pretences  they  could  easily 
be  freed  from  such  oaths,  and  it  was  com- 
mon to  take  them  ;  and  if  there  was  any 
difficulty  in  fulfilling  them,  they  could 
easily  apply  to  their  religious  teachers 
and  be  absolved.  IT  That  they  would 
neither  eat  nor  drinh.  That  is,  that  they 
would  do  it  as  soon  as  possible.  This 
was  a  common  form  of  an  oath,  or  curse, 
among  the  Jews.  Sometimes  they  only 
vowed  abstinence  from  particular  things, 
as  from  meat,  or  wine.  But  in  this  case, 
to  make  the  oath  more  certain,  and  bind- 
ing, they  vowed  abstinence  from  all 
kinds  of  food  and  drink  till  they  had 
killed  fii^n.  Wlio  these  w<?rc — whelhei 
they  were  Saddueees  or  not— is  not  men 
tioind  by  the  sacred  writer.  It  is  evi 
dent,  liowever,  that  the  minds  of  ih: 
Jews  v\  ere  greatly  inflamed  against  Paul  < 


A  B   GO.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


309 


neither  eat  nor  drink  '^  till  they  had 
killed  Paul. 

13  And  they  were  more  than 
forty  which  had  made  this  con- 
spiracy. 

14  /Ind  they  came  to  the  chief 
''  priests  and  elders,  and  said,  We 
have  bound  ourselves  under  a  great 
curse,  that  we  will  eat  nothing  it|||il 
wti  have  slain  Paul. 

J  5  Now  therefore  ye,  with  the 


and  as  they  saw  him  in  the  custody  of  the 
Roman  tribune,  and  as  there  was  no 
prospect  that  he  would  punish  him,  they 
resolved  to  take  the  matter  into  their  own 
hands.  Michaelis  conjectures  that  they 
were  of  the  number  of  the  Sicarii.,  or 
eut-throats,  with  which  Judea  then 
abounded.  See  Note  on  ch.  xxi.  38.  It 
is  needless  to  remark  that  this  was  a  most 
wicked  oath.  It  was  a  deliberate  purpose 
to  commit  murder ;  and  it  shows  the  des- 
perate state  of  morals  among  the  Jews  at 
that  time,  and  the  infuriated  malice  of  the 
people  against  the  apostle. 

13.  Which  had  made  this  conspiracy. 
This  oath  (irui/jo^oo-iav),  this  agreement,  or 
compact.  This  large  number  of  despe- 
rate men,  bound  by  so  solemn  an  oath, 
would  be  likely  to  be  successful ;  and  the 
life  of  Paul  was  therefore  in  peculiar 
danger.  The  manner  in  which  they  pur- 
posed to  accomplish  their  design  is  stated 
m  ver.  15. 

14.  And  they  came,  &c.  Probably  by 
a  deputation,  fl"  To  the  chief  priests  arid 
elders.  The  members  of  the  great  coun- 
cil, or  sanhedrim.  It  is  probable  that  the 
application  was  made  to  the  party  of  the 
Sadducees,  as  the  Pharisees  had  shown 
their  determination  to  defend  Paul. 
They  would  have  had  no  prospect  of  suc- 
cess had  they  attacked  the  castle,  and 
they,  therefore,  devised  this  ingenious 
mode  of  obtaining  access  to  Paul,  where 
Ihey  might  easily  despatch  him.  ^  Under 
a  great  curse.  Greek,  "  We  have  anathe- 
matized ourselves  with  an  anathema." 
We  have  made  the  vow  as  solemn  as  pos- 
sible. 

15.  Ye.  vnih  the  council.  With  the  con- 
currence or  request  of  the  sanhedrim. 
It  was  only  by  such  a  request  that  they 
had  any  hope  that  the  chief  captain  would 
yemove  Paul  from  the  castle.  IT  Signify 
to  the  chief  captain.  Send  a  message  or 
request  to  him.  IT  That  he  bring  him 
dawn  unto  yon.  That  he  bring  him  from 
the  castle  to  th<i  usual  place  of  the  meefc- 


council,'  signily  to  the  chief  captain 
that  he  bring  him  down  unto  you 
to-m  Drrow,  as  though  ye  would  in- 
quire something  more  perfectly 
concerning  him :  and  we,  or  evei 
he  come  near,  are  ready  "^  to  kill 
him. 

IG  And  when  Paul's  sister's  soo 
heard  of  their  lying  in  wait,  ho 
"^  went  and  entered  into  the  castle, 
and  told  Paul. 

e  Ps.Zl.U:  37.32,33.  a  2bam.l7.17. 


ing  of  the  sanhedrim.  As  this  was  at 
some  distance  fi-om  the  cast.e  or  tower  of 
Anlonia,  where  Paul  was,  they  supposed 
it  would  be  easy  to  waylay  liun,  artd  take 
his  life.  ^  To-morrow.  This  is  wanting 
in  the  Syriac,  Vulgate,  and  Ethiopic  ver- 
sions. It  is,  however,  probably  the  cor- 
rect .reading  of  the  text,  as  it  would  be 
necessary  to  convene  the  council,  and 
make  the  request  of  the  tribune,  which 
might  require  the  whole  of  one  (my. 
IF  As  though  ye  would  inquire,  &c.  This 
request  appeared  so  reasonable  that  they 
did  not  doubt  that  the  tribune  would 
grant  it  to  the  council.  And  though  it 
wis  obviously  a  false  and  wicked  pre- 
tence, yet  these  conspirators  knew  the 
character  of  the  persons  to  whom  th°y 
addressed  themselves  so  well,  that  they 
did  not  doubt  that  they  would  prevail  on 
the  council  to  make  the  request.  Public 
justice  must  have  been  deeply  fallen, 
when  it  was  known  that  sucli  an  iniqui- 
tous request  could  be  made  with  the  cer- 
tain prospect  of  success.  H  Or  ever  he 
come  near.  Before  he  comes  near  to  tne 
sanhedrim.  The  great  council  will  thus 
not  be  suspected  of  being  privy  to  the 
deed.  We  will  waylay  him,  and  murder 
him  in  the  way.  The  plan  was  well  laid  \ 
and  nothing  but  the  interposition  of  Pro- 
vidence could  have  prevented  its  execu- 
tion. 

16.  Paul's  sister's  son.  This  is  all  we 
know  of  the  family  of  Paul.  Nor  do  we 
know  for  what  purpose  he  was  at  Jerusa- 
lem. It  is  possible  that  Paul  might  have 
a  sister  residing  there  ;  though,  as  Paul 
had  been  sent  there  formerly  for  his  edu- 
cation, it  seems  more  probable  that  this 
young  man  was  sent  there  for  the  same 
purpose.  T  Entered  into  the  castle.  Paul 
had  the  privileges  of  a  Roman  citizen, 
and  as  no  well-founded  charge  had  been 
laid  against  him,  it  is  probable  that  he 
was  not  very  closely  confined,  and  thai 
his  friends  might  have  free  a<:cess  to 
him 


ilO 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  60 


17  Then  *  Paul  called  one  of  the 
centurions  unto  Jiirn,  and  said, 
Bring  this  young  man  unt)  the 
chief  captain  ;  for  he  hath  a  certain 
Ihing  to  tell  him. 

18  So  he  took  him,  and  brought 
him  to  the  chief  captain,  and  said, 
Paul  the  prisoner  *  called  me  unto 
hlm^  and  prayed  me  to  bring  this 
young  man  unto  thee,  who  hath 
something  to  say  unto  thee. 

19  Then  the  chief  captain  took 
nim  by  the  hand,  and  went  with 
him  aside  privately,  and  asked  him. 
What  is  that  thou  hast  to  tell  me  % 

20  And  he  said.  The  Jews  have  '^ 
agreed  to  desire  thee  that  thou 
wouldest  bring  down  Paul  to-mor- 
row into   the   council,    as    though 

a  Prov.22.3.  Matt. 10.16.  b  c.28.17.  Eph.3.1;  4.1. 

Phil.9,  c  ver.l2. 


17.  Called  one  of  tke  centurions.  Who 
might  at  that  time  have  had  special 
charge  of  the  castle,  or  been  on  guard. 
Paul  had  the  most  positive  assurance  that 
lis  life  vv'ould  be  spared,  and  that  he 
nould  yet  see  Rome  ;  but  he  always  un- 
derstood the  divine  promises  and  pur- 
poses as  being  consistent  with  his  own  ef- 
forts, and  with  all  proper  measures  of 
prudence  and  diligence  in  securing  his 
own  safety.  lie  did  not  rest  merely  on 
the  divine  promise  without  any  effort  of 
his  own  ;  but  he  took  encouragement 
from  those  promises  to  put  forth  his  own 
exertions  for  security  and  ibr  salvation. 

18.  And  prayed  me.     And  asked  me. 

19.  Took  him  by  tke  haitd.  As  an  ex- 
pression of  kindness  and  civility.  He  did 
it  to  draw  him  aside  from  the  multitude, 
that  he  might  communicate  his  message 
privately. 

20.  And  he  said,  &;c.  In  what  way 
this  young  man  had  received  intelligence 
of  this,  we  can  only  conjecture.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  he  was  a  student  under 
Borne  one  of  the  Jewish  teachers,  »nd  that 
he  might  have  learned  it  of  him.  It  is 
not  at  all  probable  that  the  purpose  of  the 
forVy  rnen  would  be  very  ckiyely  kept. 
Indeed  it  is  evident  that  Ihey  were  not 
themselves  very  anxious  aliouf  oonreal- 
ing  their  oath,  as  tliey  mentioned  it  fully 
to  the  chief  priests  and  elders,   ver  II. 

21.  Wuilinfr  for  a  promise  from  tliee. 
Waiting  for  your  consent  to  bring  him 
down  to  them. 

23.  And  he  called  unto  him  two  ceniw  i- 


they  wo  lid  inquiie  somewhat  of 
him  mor3  perfectly. 

21  Bnt  do  not  thou  yield  ''  unt6 
them  :  for  there  lie  in  wait  for  him 
of  them  more  than  forty  men, 
which  have  bound  themselves  with 
an  oath,  that  they  will  neither  eai 
nor  drink  till  they  have  killed  him  . 
ai^fciow  are  they  ready,  looking  foi 
a  ^omise  from  thee. 

22  So  the  chief  captain  then  let 
the  young  man  depart,  and  charged 
him.,  See  thou  tell  no  man  that 
thou  hast  showed  these  thitigs  to 
me. 

23  And  he  called  unto  him  two 
centurions,  saying.  Make  ready  tw^o 
hundred  soldiers  to  go  to  Cesarea, 
and  horsemen  threescore  and  ten 

d  Ex.23.2. 


ons,  &c.  Each  centurion  had  under  him 
one  hundred  men.  The  chief  captain 
resolved  to  place  Paul  beyond  the  power 
of  the  Jews,  and  to  protect  him  as  became 
a  Roman  citizen.  H  Two  hundred  sol- 
diers. These  foot-soldiers  were  designed 
only  to  guard  Paul  till  he  was  safely  out 
of  Jerusalem.  The  horsemen  only  were 
intended  to  accompany  him  to  Cesarea. 
See  ver.  32.  ^  And  horsemen.  'I'hese 
were  commonly  attached  to  foot-soldiers 
In  this  ease,  however,  they  were  designed 
to  attend  Paul  to  Cesarea.  If  And  spear- 
men.  A;;.o>.i^:u;.  This  word  is  found 
nowhere  else  in  the  J\ew  Testament 
and  occurs  in  no  classic  writer.  It  pro- 
perly means  tho-ie  who  take,  or  apprehend 
by  tke  right  harid ;  and  might  be  applied 
to  those  who  apprehend  prisoiiers,  or  to 
those  who  hold  a  spear  or  dart  in  the 
right  hand  for  the  purpose  of  throwing  it. 
Some  have  conjectured  that  it  should  be 
read  Si^io/Lik^vi — those  who  cast  or  throw 
[a  spear]  with  the  righ'.  hand.  So  the 
Vulgate,  the  Syriac,  and  the  Arabic  un- 
derstand it.  They  were  probably  those 
who  wore  armed  with  .'^pears  or  darts, 
and  who  attended  on  the  tribune  as  a 
guard.  V  At  the  third  hour  of  the  night. 
At  nine  o'clock.  This  was  in  order  that 
it  might  be  done  with  se(  recy,  and  tc 
elude  the  band  of  desperadoes  thai  hac 
resolved  to  murder  Paul.  If  it  shoulo 
seem  that  this  guard  was  very  nnmcroiii 
for  one  man,  it  should  he  remembered 
(1.)  That  the  ninubcr  of  those  who  hatf 
cunfipired  against  hitn  was  also  largo,  attd 


A.  I).  6U.J 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


311 


and  spearmen  two  handred,  at  the 
^hird  hour  of  the  night ; 

24  And  provide  them  beasts, 
that  they  may  set  Paul  on,  and 
firing  him  safe  unto  Fel^x  the 
governor. 

25  And  he  wrote  a  letter  after 
this  manner : 

26  Claudius  Lysias  unto  ths 
most  excellent  governor  Felix  scnd- 
eth  greeting. 

27  This  man  "  was  taken  of  the 
Jews,  and  should  have  been  killed 
of  them  :  then  came  I  with  an 
army,  and  rescued  him,  having  un- 
derstood that  he  v/as  a  Roman. 

28  And  *  when  I  would  have 
known  the  cause  wherefore  they 
accused  him,  I  brought  him  forth 
into  their  council : 

29  Whom  I  perceived  to  be  ac- 

a  c.21.33;  24.7.         t  c.22.30. 


(2.)  That  they  were  men  accustomed  to 
scenes  of  blood,  of  desperate  characters, 
and  who  had  solenmly  sworn  that  they 
would  take  his  life.  In  order,  therefore, 
to  deter  them  effectually  from  attacking 
the  guard,  it  was  made  very  numerous  and 
strong,  and  nearly  five  hundred  men 
were  appointed  to  guard  Paul  as  he  left 
Jerusalem. 

24.  And  provide  them  beasts.  One  for 
Paul,  and  one  for  each  of  his  attendants. 
The  word  translated  beasts  {x-ri-.v/i)  is  of  a 
general  character,  and  may  be  applied 
either  to  horses,  to  camels,  or  to  asses. 
The  latter  were  most  commonly  employ- 
ed in  Judea.  IF  Unto  Felix  the  governor. 
The  governor  of  Judea.  His  place  of 
residence  was  Cesarea,  about  sixty  miles 
from  Jerusalem.  See  Note,  ch.  viii.  40. 
His  name  was  Antonius  Felix,  and  w  as  a 
freedman  of  Antonia,  the  mother  of  the 
emperor  Claudius.  He  was  high  in  the 
favour  of  Claudius,  and  was  made  by 
him  governor  of  Judea.  Josephus  calls 
him  Claudius  Felix.  He  had  married 
three  wives  in  succession  that  were  of 
royal  families,  one  of  whom  was  Dru- 
silla,  afterwards  mentioned  in  ch.  xxiv. 
24.  who  was  sister  to  king  Agrippa.  Ta- 
citus (Hist.  v.  9)  says,  that  he  governed 
with  all  the  authority  of  a  king,  and  the 
baseness  and  insolence  of  a  slave.  "  He 
was  an  unrighteous  governor,  a  base, 
•nercenary,  and  bad  man."   (ClarJie.)  'So.e 


cused  of  questions  of  ^heir  law 
but  to  have  nothing  '^  laid  to  hia 
charge  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds 

30  And  when  ^  it  was  told  me 
how  that  the  Jews  laid  wait  for  the 
man,  I  sent  straightway  to  thee; 
and  gave  ■''  commandment  to  his  ac 
cusers  also,  to  say  before  thee  what 
they  had  against  him.     Farewell. 

31  Then  the  soldiers,  as  it  wag 
commanded  them,  took  Paul,  and 
brought  him  by  night  to  Antipatris. 

32  On  the  morrow  they  left  the 
horsemen  to  go  with  him,  and  re- 
turned to  the  castle  : 

33  Who,  when  they  came  to  Ce- 
sarea, and  delivered  the  epistle  s  to 
the  governor,  presented  Paul  alsc 
before  him. 

34  And  when  the  governor  had 
read  the  letter,  he  asked   of  what 

cc.lS.15;  25.19.       rf  c.26.31.        e  ver.  20,21.       fH, 
8;  25.6.        s  ver.25-30. 


his  character  further  described  in  the 
Note  on  ch.  xxiv.  25. 

26.  Unto  the  most  excdlent  governor  Fe- 
lix. The  most  honoured,  &c.  This  was 
a  mere  title  of  office  *!i  Greeting.  A  term 
of  salutation  in  an  epistle  wishing  health, 
joy,  and  prosperity. 

27.  Should  have  been  killed  of  them 
Was  about  to  be  killed  by  them.  The 
life  of  Paul  had  been  twice  endangered 
in  this  manner,  ch.  xxi.  30;  xxiii.  10 
IT  Vyith  an  army.  With  a  band  of  sol 
diers.  ver.  10. 

29.  Questions  of  their  law.  So  he  un 
derstood  the  whole  controversy  to  be. 
IT  Worthy  of  death.  By  the  Roman  law. 
He  had  been  guilty  of  no  crime  against 
the  Roman  people.  ^  Or  of  bonds.  Of 
chains,  or  of  confinement. 

31.  To  Antipatris.  This  to WTi  was  an- 
ciently called  Cafar-Saba.  Josephus  sayt 
(Antiq.  xiii.  23.),  that  it  was  about  seven 
teen  miles  from  Joppa.  It  was  aboui 
twenty-six  miles  from  Cesarea,  and  oi 
course  about  thirty-five  from  Jerusalem 
Herod  the  Great  changed  its  name  to  An 
tipatris,  in  honour  of  his  father  Antipater 
It  was  situated  in  a  fine  plain,  and  watei 
ed  with  many  springs  and  fountains. 

32.  They  left  the  horsemen.  As  thej 
were  then  beyond  the  danger  of  tlu 
conspirators,  the  soldiers  wlio  had  gua»a 
ed  them  thus  far  returned  to  Jerus^eir 

31.  Of  what  province  he  was.    Greek 


ft  12 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  J^.  ^.0 


province  he  was.  And  when  he 
understood  that  he  was  o[  Cilicia  ;  •* 
35  I  will  hear  thee,  said  he,  when 
thine  accusers  '  are  also  come.  And 
he  commanded  him  to  be  kept  in  <^ 
Herod's  judgment-hall. 

CHAPTER  XXIV 

A  ND  after  five  days,  Ananias  ^ 
-^  the  high-priest  descended  with 
the  elders,  and  with  a  certain  orator 

fcc.21.39.  ic.2J.l,&c.  25.16.  c  Matt.27.27. 

Jt  c.Za.'JjZS  i. 

Of  what  eparchy  {i-xe-^Ui)  he  was. 
He  knew  from  the  letter  of  Lysias  that 
he  was  a  Roman,  but  he  was  not  inform- 
ed of  what  place  or  province  he  was. 
This  he  doubtless  did  in  order  to  ascer- 
tain whether  he  properly  belonged  to  his 
jurisdiction.  Roman  provinces  were  dis- 
tricts of  country  which  were  intrusted 
to  the  jurisdiction  of  procurators.  How 
far  the  jurisdiction  of  Felix  extended  is 
not  certainly  known.  It  appears,  how- 
ever, that  it  included  Cilicia.  IF  Was  of 
Cilicia.  Tarsus,  the  birth-place  of  Paul, 
was  in  this  province,  ch.  xxi.  39. 

35.  In  Herod's  judgment-hall.  Greek, 
In  the  pretorium  of  Herod.  The  word 
here  used  denoted  formerly  the  tent  of  the 
Roman  prstor;  and  as  that  was  the  place 
where  justice  was  administered,  it  came 
to  be  applied  to  halls,  or  courts  of  justice. 
This  had  been  reared  probably  by  Herod 
the  Great  as  his  palace,  or  as  a  place  for 
administering  justice.  It  is  probable  also, 
that  prisons,  or  places  of  security,  would 
oe  attached  to  such  places. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

1.  And  after  five  days.  This  time  was 
occu|iied,  doubtless,  in  their  receiving  trie 
command  to  go  toCesarca,  and  in  rnaking 
the  necessary  arrangements.  This  was 
the  twelfth  day  after  his  arrival  at  Jeru- 
salem. See  ver.  11.  IT  Ananias,  the  high- 
priest.  See  Note,  ch.  xxiii.  2.  IT  Descend- 
ed. ('an»e  down  from  Jerusalem.  This 
was  the  usual  language  when  a  departure 
from  Jerusalem  was  spoken  of  See 
Note,  ch.  xv;.  1.  IT  With  a  certain  orator 
named  Tcrttdlus.  ApfMjinted  to  accuse 
Paul.  This  is  a  Roman  name,  and  this 
man  was  doubtless  a  Roman.  As  the 
Jowf  were,  to  a  "great  extent,  ignorant  of 
the  Roman  ciiHtoms  and  laws,  and  of  their 
mode  of  administering  justice,  it  is  not 
imi)r)liahlo  that  thoy  wore  in  the  hal)it  of 
employing  Rmnan  lawyers  to  plead  their 
causes.  H  Whn  inftirtnrd  the  f^overtio' 
against  Pud.   Whoucled  an  the  accuser 


named  Tertullus,   who    informed 
the  governor  against  Panl. 

2  And  when  he  was  called  forth, 
Tertullus  began  to  accuse  him,  say- 
ing. Seeing  that  by  thee  we  enjoy 
great  quietness,  and  that  very  worthy 
deeds  -^are  done  unto  this  nation  by 
thy  providence, 

3  We  accept  it  always,  and  u.  iW 
places,  most  noble  Felix,  with  all 
thankfulness. 

ePs.11.2.  /Pa.  12.2. 


or  who  managed  their  cause  before  the 
governor.  ^ 

2.  And  xihen  he  was  called  forth.  When 
Paul  was  called  forth  from  prison.  See  ch 
xxiii  35.  H  We  enjoy  great  quietness.  This 
was  said  in  the  customary  style  of  flatterers 
and  orators,  to  conciliate  his  favour,  and  is 
strikingly  in  contrast  with  the  more  honest, 
and  straightforward  introduction  in  the 
reply  of  Paul.  ver.  10.  Though  it  was 
said  for  flattery,  and  though  Felix  was  in 
many  respects  an  unprincipled  man,  yet 
it  was  true  that  his  administration  had 
been  the  means  of  producing  much  peace 
and  order  in  Judea,  and  that  he  had 
done  many  things  that  tended  to  pro- 
mote their  welfiire.  In  particular,  he 
had  arrested  a  band  of  robbers,  with  Ele- 
azar  at  their  head,  whom  he  had  sent 
to  Rome  to  be  punished  (Jos.  Ant.  b  xx 
ch.  viii.) ;  he  had  arrested  the  Egyptian 
false  prophet,  who  had  led  out  four  thou 
sand  men  into  the  wilderness,  and  who 
threatened  the  peace  of  Judea  (see 
Note,  ch.  xxi.   38) ;  and  he  had  represseu 

j  a  sedition  which  arose  l)etween  the  in- 
habitants of  Cesarea  and  of  Syria.  Jos. 
Jewish  Wars,  b.  ii.  ch.  xiii.  $  2.  IT  Very 
worthy  deeds.  Acts  that  tended  much  to 
pron^ote  the  peace  and  security  of  the 
people.  He  referred  to  those  which  have 
just  been  mentioned  as  having  been  ac; 
complished  by  Felix,  particularly  his  suc- 
cess in  suppressing  riots  and  seditions, 
and  as,  in  the  view  of  the  Jews,  the  case 
of  Paul  WvOs  another  instance  of  a  sinu.ar 
kind,  he  appealed  to  him  with  the  moro 
confidence  that  he  would  suppress  that 
also.  T  By  thy  providence.  By.  thy  fi)re- 
eight,  Bkill,  vigilance,  prudence. 

3.  We  accept  it  always.  We  admit  that 
11  is  owing  to  your  vigilance,  and  we  ac 
(rept  your  interposition  to  promote  peace, 
with  gratitude.  !T  Always,  and  in  nU 
pl3crs.  Not  merely  in  your  pre.°rtKP,  hut 
we  always  acknowledge  that  it  is  owinai 
to  your  vigilance  that  the  laud  is  seciirp^ 


\   D.GO.\ 


CHAPTER  XXiV. 


3U 


4  Notwitnstanding-,  that  I  be  not 
further  tedious  unto  thee,  I  pray 
thee  that  thou  wouldest  hear  us  of 
thy  clemency  a  few  words. 

5  Foi  we  have  found  this  man  a 
pestilent  felloiv,  "  and  a  mover  of 
sedition  among  all  the  Jews  through- 
out the  world,  and  a  ringleader  of 
the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes. 

6  Who  also  hath  gone  about  to 
profane   ^  the   temple :    whom  we 

a  Luke  23.2.  c.6.13;  16.20;  17.6;  21.2S.    lPet.2.12,19. 
b  C.19.3-:  21.28. 


'  What  we  now  do  in  your  presence,  we 
Jo  also  in  your  absence  ;  we  do  not  com- 
mend you  merely  when  yo  j  are  present." 
( Welsteiii.)  ^  Most  noble  Felix.  This  was 
the  title  of  office.  IF  With  thankfulness. 
In  this,  there  was  probably  sincerity,  for 
there  was  no  doubt  that  the  peace  of 
Judea  was  owing  to  Felix.  But  at  the 
same  time  that  he  was  an  energetic  and 
vigilant  governor,  it  was  also  true  that  he 
was  proud,  and  avaricious,  and  cruel. 
Josephus  charges  him  with  injustice  and 
cruelty  in  the  case  of  Jonathan,  the  h^gh- 
priest  (Ant.  b.  xx.  ch.  viii.  $  5) ;  and  Taci- 
tus fHist.  b.  v.  ch.  9),  and  Suetonius 
(Life  of  Claudius,  ch.  28),  concur  in  the 
charge. 

4.  Be  not  further  tedious  unto  thee.  By 
taking  up  your  time  with  an  introduction, 
and  with  commendation. 

5.  We  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent 
fellow.  Aoi/ibv.  This  word  is  commonly 
applied  to  a  plague,  or  pestilence,  and 
then  to  a  man  who  corrupts  the  morals  of 
others,  or  who  is  turbulent,  and  an  exciter 
of  sedition.  Our  translation  somewhat 
weakens  the  force  of  the  original  expres- 
sion. Tertullus  did  not  say  that  he  was  a 
pestilent  fellow,  but  that  he  was  the  very 
pestilence  itself.  In  this  he  referred  to  their 
belief,  that  he  had  been  the  cause  of  exten- 
Bive  disturbances  every  where  amon^  the 
Jews.  IT  And  a  mover  of  sedition.  An 
exciter  of  tumult.  This  they  pretended 
he  did  by  preaching  doctrines  contrary  to 
the  laws  and  customs  of  Moses,  and  ex- 
citing the  Jews  to  tumult  and  disorder. 
IT  Throughout  the  world.  Throughout  the 
Roman  empire,  and  thus  leading  the 
Jews  to  violate  the  laws,  and  to  produce 
tumults,  riots,  and  disorder.  IT  And  a 
ringleader.  ncj^TnTrkx-^v.  This  word  oc- 
curs nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. It  is  properly  a  military  word,  and 
denotes  one  who  stards  first  in  an  army, 
a  standard-bearer,  a  ^eader,  or  command- 
er.   The  meaning  h,  that  Paul  had  been 

Q   D 


took,  and  would  have  judged  ^  ac- 
cording to  our  law  : 

7  But  the  chief  '^  captain  Lysias 
came  upon  us,  and  with  great  vio 
lence  took  him  away  out  of  oui 
hands, 

8  Commanding  his  accusers  ®  lo 
come  unto  thee :  by  examining  of 
whom,  thyself  mayest  take  know- 
ledge of  all  these  things  wherea^ 
we  accuse  him. 


so  active,  and  so  prominent  in  preaching 
the  gospel,  that  he  had  been  a  leader  or 
the  principal  person  in  extending  the  sect 
of  the  Nazarenes.  "if  Of  the  sect.  The 
original  word  here  (=crfsa-.'j.s)  is  the  word 
from  which  we  have  derived  the  term 
heresy.  It  is.  however,  properly  translated 
sect,  or  party,  and  should  have  been  so 
translated  in  ver.  14.  See  Note,  ch.  v.  17. 
IT  Of  the  Nazarenes.  This  was  the  name 
usually  given  to  Christians  by  way  of 
contempt.  They  were  so  called  because 
Jesus  was  of  Nazareth. 

6.  Who  also  hath  gone  about.  Who  has 
endeavoured.  H  To  profane  the  temple. 
This  was  a  serious,  but  unfounded  charge 
It  arose  from  the  gross  calumny  of  the 
apostle,  when  they  pretended  that  he  had 
introduced  Greeks  into  that  sacred  place, 
ch.  xxi.  28.  To  this  charge  the  ap<jstle 
replies  in  ver.  18.     IT   Arid  would  have 

judged.  That  is,  would  have  condemned 
and  punished.  IT  According  to  our  law. 
Their  law,  which  forbade  the  introduc 
tion  of  strangers  into  the  temple. 

7.  But  the  chief  captain,  &c.  I'ertullus 
pretends  that  they  v/ould  have  judged 
Paul  righteously,  if  Lysias  had  not  inter- 
posed ;  but  the  truth  was,  that  without 
regard  to  law  or  justice,  they  would  have 
murdered  him  on  the  spot. 

8.  Commanding  his  accusers,  &c  ch. 
xxiii.  30.  IT  By  examining  of  whom.  That 
is,  the  Jews  who  were  then  present.  Ter- 
tullus presented  them  as  his  witnesses  of 
the  truth  of  what  he  had  said.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  we  have  here  only  the  summa- 
ry or  outline  of  the  speech  which  Ter- 
tullus made.  It  is  incredible  that  a  Roman 
rhetorician  would  have,  on  such  an  oc- 
casion, delivered  an  address  so  brief,  so 
meagre,  and  so  destitute  of  display  as  this. 
But  it  is  doubdess  a  correct  summary  of 
his  address,  and  contains  the  leading 
points  Cif  the  accusation.  It  is  customary 
for  the  sacred  writers,  as  for  other  wait- 
ers, to  give  only  the  outline  of  discourses 


»J4 


THE  ACTS. 


[A    I).  60 


9  And  the  Jews  also  assented, 
«ayinor  that  these  thing's  were  so. 

10  Then  Paul,  after  that  the  ' 
governor  had  beckoned  unto  him  to 
speak,   answered,  Forasmuch  as  I 

'  Feltx,  made  Procurator  over  Judea,  A.  D.  53 


and  arguments.  Siu^h  a  course  was  in- 
evitable, unless  the  J\'ew  Testament  had 
been  swelled  to  wholly  undue  propor- 
tions. 

9.  And  the  Jews  also  assented.  The 
Jews  who  had  accompanied  Tertullus  to 
Cesarea.  They  had  gone  as  the  accusers 
of  Paul,  and  they  bore  testimony,  when 
called  u[x>n,  to  the  truth  of  all  that  the 
orator  had  said.  Whether  they  were 
examined  individnall}'  or  not,  is  not  de- 
clared. In  whatever  way  their  testimony 
was  arrived  at,  they  confirmed  unani- 
mously the  accusation  which  he  had 
brought  against  Paid. 

10.  Had  beckoned  unto  him  to  speak. 
Either  by  a  nod  or  by  the  hand.  IF  Ha?i 
been  of  many  t/ears.  Felix  and  Cumanus 
had  been  joint-governord  of  Judea;  but 
alter  Cumanus  had  been  condemned  for 
his  bad  administration  of  the  affairs,  the 
government  fell  entirely  into  the  hands 
of  Felix.  This  was  about  seven  years 
before  Paul  was  arraigned  before  him, 
and  might  be  called  7nany  years,  as  he 
had  been  long  enough  there  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  customs  and 
habits  of  the  Jews;  and  it  might  also  be 
called  lon^  in  comparison  with  the  short 
time  which  any  of  his  immediate  prede- 
cessors had  held  the  oflice.  See  Jose- 
phus,  Ant.  b.  xx.  ch.  vi,  vii.  ^  A  judge. 
This  word  is  evidently  used  here  in  the 
sense  of  magistrate,  or  one  apjwinted  to 
administer  the  aflairs  of  government.  To 
determine  litigated  matters  was,  however, 
one  part  of  his  oftlce.  It  is  remarkable 
that  Paul  did  not  begin  his  speech  as 
Tertullus  had  done,  by  any  flattering 
address,  or  by  any  of  the  arts  of  rhetoric. 
II«  founded  his  jdea  on  the  justice  of  his 
cause,  and  on  the  fact,  that  Felix  had 
had  so  much  ex|)erienco  in  the  affairs  of 
Judea  that  he  was  well  qualified  to  un- 
derstand the  merits  of  the  case,  and  to 
jtid^e  impartially.  Paul  was  well  ac- 
qiiauited  with  his  character  (see  Note, 
«h.  xxiv  25),  and  would  not  by  flattering 
words  declare  tliat  vv'j'/-^"  " ':*>  'ut  strictly 
Iruo.  H  /  do  tlie  more  cneei fully,  &c. 
Since  you  are  ko  well  a«-quainted  with 
llio  customs  and  habits  of  the  Jews,  I 
the  more  readily  submit  llio  case  to  your 
disposal.  Thi.-!  address  indi<mtcd  great 
confuJenro  in    the  iustice  of  his  caune; 


know  that  thou  hast  been  of  inanj 
years  a  judge  unto  this  nation,  1 
do  the  more  cluierfully  answer  *  foi 
myself: 

1  •    Because    that   thou    mayes* 


and  was  the  language  of  a  man,  bold 
fearless,  and  conscious  of  his  inno»ence 
11.  Because  that  thou  viayest  under 
stand.  Gr.  'Thou  being  able  to  know. 
That  is,  he  could  understand  or  know,  by 
taking  the  proper  evidence.  Paul  does 
not  mean  to  say  that  Felix  could  under- 
stand the  case,  because  he  had  been  many 
years  a  judge  of  that  nation.  That  fact 
would  qualify  him  to  judge  correctly,  or 
to  understand  the  customs  of  the  Jews. 
But  the  fact,  that  he  had  been  but  twelv« 
days  in  Jerusalem,  and  had  been  orderly 
and  peaceable  there,  Felix  could  ascer- 
tain only  by  the  proper  testimony.  The 
first  part  of  Paul's  defence  (ver.  11 — 13) 
consists  in  an  express  denial  of  what  they 
alleged  against  him.  ^  Are  yet  but  twelve 
days.  Beza  reckons  these  twelve  days 
in  this  manner:  The  first  v.as  that  on 
which  he  came  to  Jerusalem,  ch.  xxi.  15 
The  .second  he  spent  with  James  and 
the  apostles,  ch.  xxi.  18.  Six  days  were 
spent  in  fulfilling  his  vow.  ch.  xxi.  21.  26 
On  the  ninth  day  the  tumult  arose,  l>eing 
the  seventh  day  of  his  vow,  and  on  this 
day  he  was  rescued  by  Lysias.  ch.  xxi 
27 ;  xxii.  29.  The  tenth  day  he  Wf  s  be- 
fore the  sanhedrim,  ch.  xxii.  30;  xxiii.  10. 
On  the  eleventh  the  plot  was  laid  to  take 
his  life,  and  on  the  same  day,  at  evening, 
he  was  removed  to  Cesarea.  The  days 
on  which  he  was  confined  nt  Cesarea  are 
not  enumerated,  since  his  design  m  men- 
tioning  the  number  of  days  was,  to  show 
the  improbability  that,  in  that  time,  he 
had  been  engaged  in  producing  a  tumult, 
and  it  would  not  be  pretended  that  he 
had  been  so  engaged  while  confined  in 
a  prison  at  Cesarea.  The  defence  of  Paul 
here  is,  that  but  twelve  days  occurred 
from  the  time  that  he  went  to  Jcrusaicui 
tiii  he  was  put  under  the  custody  of 
Felix;  and  that  during  .w  short  a  time 
it  was  wholly  improl)ahle  tliat  he  would 
have  been  ai)le  to  excite  sedition.  II  For 
to  vorship.  This  farther  shows  thai  llm 
desijju  of  Paul  was  not  to  produce  scdi- 
liou.  lie  had  gone  uji  fiir  the  peaceful  pur 
pMs<!  of  devotion,  and  not  to  j)roduce  riot 
and  disorder,  'fliat  this  was  his  design 
in  <:uinfT  to  Jerusalem,  or  at  least  a  imr 
of  !iiH  purfH>se,  is  uulicated  by  the  pat^ 
sage  in  Acts  xx.  46.  It  should  be  olwerv 
fd.   iiovvever.  that    our   tramdaluv)    inti 


A.  D.  GO.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


3i{j 


understand  that  there  are  yet  but 
twelve  days  since  I  went  up  to  * 
Jerusalem  for  to  worship. 

12  And  they  neither  ''  found  me 
in  the  temple  disputing  with  any 
man,  neither  raising  up  the  people, 
neither  in  the  synagogues,  nor  in 
the  city. 

ac.21.15.  ic.25  8;28.17. 


veys  an  idea  which  is  not  necessarily  in 
the  Greek — that  this  was  the  design  of 
Ids  going  to  Jerusalem.  The  original  is, 
'  Since  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  worship- 
ping' (5r§o<rx.uv>io-ujv);  i.  e.  he  was  actually 
engaged  in  devotion  when  the  tumult 
arose.  But  his  main  design  in  going  to 
Jerusalem  was,  to  convey  to  his  suffering 
countr3-men  there  the  benefactions  of  the 
Gentile  churches.  See  ver.  17.  Rom.  xv. 
25,  28. 

12.  And  they  neither  found  me,  &c. 
The  first  charge  of  TertuUus  against 
Paul  was  (ver.  5),  that  he  was  "  a  pesti- 
lent fellow,  and  a  mover  of  sedition." 
The  charge  of  his  being  a  pest  was  so 
general,  that  P&ul  did  not  think  it  neces- 
sary to  attempt  to  refute  it.  To  the  spe- 
cification,  that  he  was  a  mover  of  sedi- 
tion, he  replies  by  a  firm  denial,  and  by 
a  solemn  declaration  that  they  had  not 
found  him  in  any  synagogue,  or  in  the 
city,  or  in  the  temple,  either  disputing  or 
exciting  a  tumult.  His  conduct  there 
had  been  entirely  peaceable ;  and  they 
had  no  right  to  suppose  that  it  had  been 
otherwise  any  where. 

13.  Neither  can  they  prove  the  things, 
&c.  That  is,  that  1  am  a  mover  of  sedi- 
tion, or  a  disturber  of  the  peace  of  the 
people.  This  appeal  he  boldly  makes; 
he  challenges  investigation  ;  and  as  they 
did  not  offer  to  specify  any  acts  of  disor- 
der or  tumult  excited  by  him,  this  charge 
falls  of  course. 

14.  But  this  I  confess,  &c.  The  next 
specification  in  the  charge  of  Tertullus 
was  (ver.  5),  that  he  was  "  a  ringleader 
of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes."  To  this, 
Paul  replies  in  this,  and  the  two  follow- 
ing verses.  Of  this  reply  v.e  may  ob- 
serve, (1.)  That  he  does  not  stoop  to  notice 
the  contempt  implied  in  the  use  of  the 
word  Nazarenes.  He  was  engaged  in  a 
more  important  business  than  to  contend 
aiwnt  the  name  which  they  chose  t^ive 
fo  Christians.  (2.)  He  admits  thatiie  be- 
longed to  that  sect  or  class  of  people. 
That  he  was  a  Christian,  he  neither  de- 
nied, nor  was  disposed  lu  duny.     ijj.)  He 


13  Neither  can  they  prove  <=  the 
things  whereof  they  now  accuse  me 

14  But  this  I  confess  unto  thee, 
that  after  the  way  which  they  calJ 
heiesy,  so  '^  worship  I  the  God  of 
'  my  fathers,  believing  all  things 
which  are  ^  written  in  the  law  and 
«  the  prophets  ; 

clPet.3.16.  rfMic.4.5.  e2Tim.l.3.  /luk» 
24.27.  c.26.22;  2S.23.  g  Matt.22  40.  Luke  16.16 

Jno.1.45.  c.13.15.  Rom.3.21. 


maintains  that  in  this  way  he  is  still  wor 
shipping  the  God  of  his  fathers.  Of  this, 
the  fact  that  he  was  engaged  in  worship 
in  the  temple,  was  sufficient  proof  (4.)  He 
shows  them  that  he  believed  only  what 
was  written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets ; 
that  this  involved  the  main  doctrine  of 
their  religion — the  hope  of  tlie  resurrec 
tion  of  the  dead  (ver.  15) ;  and  that  it 
was  his  constant  and  earnest  desire  to 
keep  a  pure  conscience  in  all  things,  ver 
16.  These  are  the  points  of  his  defence 
to  this  second  charge,  and  we  shall  see 
that  they  fully  meet  and  dispose  of  the 
accusation,  if  After  the  way.  After  the 
manner  or  mode  of  worship.  ^  Which 
they  call  heresy.  This  translation  does 
not  express  to  us  the  force  of  the  original 
We  have  attached  to  the  word  heresy  ar.. 
idea  which  is  not  conveyed  by  the  Greek 
word,  and  now  commonly  understand  by 
it,  error  of  doctrine.  In  Paul's  answei 
here,  there  is  an  explicit  reference  to 
their  charge,  which  does  not  appear  in 
our  version.  The  charge  of  Tertullus 
was,  that  he  was  the  ringleader  of  the 
sect  fjrj?  «i>6o-£a.s)  of  the  Nazarenes.  ver. 
5.  To  this,  Paul  replies,  '  After  the  way 
which  they  call  sect  (iifso-n',  not  erroi 
of  doctrine,  but  after  a  way  which  they 
maintain  is  producing  divisio7i  or  schism) 
so  worship  I  the  God  of  my  fathers. 
Paul  was  not  ashamed  to  be  called  a  fol- 
lower of  that  sect  or  party  among  the 
Jewish  people.  Nor  should  we  be  asham 
ed  to  worship  God  in  a  mode  that  is  called 
heresy  or  schism,  if  we  do  it  in  obedience 
to  conscience  and  to  God.  IT  So  worship 
I.  I  continue  to  worship.  I  have  not  An 
parted  from  the  characteristic  of  the  Jew 
ish  people,  the  proper  and  public  acknow 
ledgment  of  the  God  of  the  Jews.  11  Tht 
God  of  my  fathers.  My  fathers'  God , 
Jehovah ;  the  God  whom  my  Jewish  an 
cestors  adored.  There  is  something  very 
touching  in  this,  and  fitted  to  find  its  way 
to  the  heart  of  a  Jew.  He  had  introduced 
no  new  object  of  worship  (comp.  Dent 
xiii.  1 — i5);  he  had  not  become  a  foUovvei 
of  fi    fiibe   oi-  iliieigii  (Jud;  and  </t«s  faci 


<16 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D  60 


15  And  have  hope  **  toward  God, 
^hich  they  themselves  also  allow, 
ihat  there  shall  be  a  resurrection 
'■  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and 
unjust. 

16  And  herein  do  I  exercise  my- 

«  c.23.6,&c.  26.6,7;  28.20,&c.  b  Daji.12.2.  Jno.5. 

18,29.  lCor.l5  M-Zl.  Rom.20.6,13. 


Aas  really  a  reply  to  their  charge,  that 
16  was  setting  up  a  new  sect  in  religion. 
The  same  thing  Paul  afTirms  of  himself 
m  2 Tim.  i.  3 ;  "I  thank  God,  whom  I 
Berve  from  my  forefathers  with  a  pure 
conscience."  IT  Believing  all  thijigs,  &c. 
Particularly  respecting  the  Messiah.  So 
he  more  fully  explains  his  meaning  in 
his  speech  before  king  Agrippa.  ch.  xxvi. 
23.  i  In  the  law  and  iji  the  prophets.  Com- 
manded in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  fore- 
told by  the  prophets.  That  Paul  had 
ever  disbelieved  any  of  these  things,  they 
could  not  prove;  and  his  whole  course 
had  shown  that  he  fully  credited  the 
Bdcred  records.  Most  of  his  arguments 
m  defending  Christianity  had  been  drawn 
from  the  Jewish  writings. 

15.  Ajid  have  hope  toward  God.  Hav- 
ing a  hope  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  which  arises  from  the  promises  of 
God.  ^  Which  they  themselves,  &c.  That 
is,  the  Pharisees.  Perhaps  he  designated 
in  this  remark  the  Pharisees  who  were 
present  He  held  nothing  in  this  great 
cardinal  {Kjint,  which  they  did  not  also 
hold.  For  the  reasons  why  Paul  intro- 
duced this  point  so  prominently,  and  the 
Buccess  of  thus  introducing  it,  see  Wote 
on  ch.  xxiii.  1 — 9.  IT  Both  of  the  just,  and 
of  the  unjust.  Of  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  ;  that  is,  of  all  the  race.  As  they 
Held  thi.'^,  they  could  not  arraign  him  for 
holding  it  also. 

16.  A7id  herein.  In  this,  or  for  this  pur- 
pose. ^  JJo  I  exercise  myself.  'Ao-xi.  1 
accustom  or  employ  myself;  I  make  it 
my  constant  aim  and  endeavour.  It  is 
the  purjxjse  of  my  constant  study.  Paul 
often  appeate  to  his  conscientiousness  as 
the  leading  habit  of  his  life.  Even  before 
his  conversion  he  endeavoured  to  act  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  conscience. 
See  Act-s  xxvi.  9.  Comp.  Phil.  iii.  5,  6. 
IT  To  have  alu-aijs  a  conscience,  &c.  To 
do  that  which  is  right,  so  that  my  con- 
icience  shall  approve  of  it,  and  never 
reproucii  me.  II  Void  of  offence.  'Att^o- 
r%''-7Tov.  That  which  is  inolfensivc,  or 
which  docs  not  cause  one  to  stumble  or 
full.  He  means,  that  he  endeavoured  to 
keep  his  conscience  so  eidiglitenod  and 
•)UiG  ia  regard  to  duty,  uwA  that  he  acf-ed 


self,  to  have  "  'always  a  conscience 
void  of  offence  toward  God  and 
toward  men. 

17  Now  after  man}  years,  J 
came  "^  to  bring  alms  to  my  nat*  ^n, 
and  offerings. 

c  c.23.1.  i  c.U.29,30;  20.16.  Rom.15.25 


according  to  its  dictates  in  such  a  way 
that  his  conduct  should  not  be  displeasing 
to  God,  or  injurious  to  matt  To  have 
such  a  conscience  implies  two  things  •. 
(1.)  That  it  be  enlightened  or  properly 
informed  in  regard  to  truth  and  duty  ; 
and,  (2.)  That  that  which  is  made  knowr. 
to  be  right  should  be  honestly  and  laith- 
fqlly  performed.  Without  these  two 
things,  no  man  can  have  a  conscience 
that  shall  be  inoffensive  and  harmless. 
IT  Toward  God.  In  an  honest  endeavour 
to  discharge  all  the  duties  of  public  and 
private  worship,  and  to  do  constantly 
what  he  requires.  In  believing  all  that 
he  has  spoken  ;  doing  all  that  he  requires ; 
and  offering  to  him  the  service  which 
he  approves.  IT  Toward  men.  In  endea- 
vouring to  meet  all  the  demands  of  jus- 
tice and  mercy;  to  advance  their  know 
ledge,  happiness,  and  salvation ;  so  that 
I  may  look  back  on  my  life  with  the 
reflection  that  I  have  done  all  that  I 
ought  to  have  done,  and  all  that  I  could 
do,  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  whole 
human  family.  What  a  nuble  principle 
of  conduct  was  this!  How  devoted,  and 
how  pure  !  How  unlike  the  conduct  of 
those  who  live  to  gratiiy  debasing  sen- 
sual appetites,  or  for  gold  or  honour  ;  and 
who  j)ass  their  lives  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  offer  the  grossest  offence  to  God, 
and  to  do  the  most  injury  to  man!  The 
great  and  noble  aim  of  Paul  was  to  be 
pure  ;  and  no  slander  of  his  enemies,  no 
trials,  persecutions,  or  perils,  and  no  paina 
of  dying  could  take  away  the  approving 
voice  of  conscience.  Alike  in  his  travels, 
and  in  his  persecutions ;  among  friends 
and  foes ;  when  preaching  in  the  syna- 
gogue, the  city,  or  the  desert ;  or  when 
defending  him.self  bcfi)re  governors  and 
kings,  he  had  thi.=!  testimony  of  a  sell- 
approving  mind.  Happy  they  who  thus 
frame  their  lives.  Ami  happy  will  bo 
the  end  of  a  life  whore  this  has  been  the 
grand  object  of  the  journey  through  thic 
world. 

n^Aow  after  many  years.  After  man- 
year^i^cnVo.  Paul  )iere  commences  u 
"reply  to  tlie  charges  of  Tertullus,  »hal  he 
ha<l  endeavoured  to  profane  the  temple, 
vir    <■'     !I  •    l;.p,.'-.    I  ,    f-.yiiii;    fh'it    liw 


A..  D,  GO.] 


CHAPTER  XXiy. 


31', 


18  "Whereupon  certain  Jews  from 
Asia  found  me  purified  in  the  tem- 
ple, neither  with  multitude,  nor 
with  tumult : 

19  Who  ought  to  have  been  here 
before   thee,   and   object,  if  they 

tiad  aught  against  me. 

20  Or  else  let  these  same  here 
H^l^i^  they  have  found  any  evil- 

^^  a  r.2S.lG. 


des/;gn  in  coming  up  to  Jerusalem  was, 
to  bring  to  tiiem  needed  aid  in  a  time  of 
distress.  It  would  be  absurd  to  suppose, 
therefore,  that  his  object  in  coming  was 
to  violate  the  customs  of  the  temple,  and 
to  defile  it.  IF  /  came  to  bring.  See  ch. 
xi.  29,  30.  Note,  Rom.  xv.  25,  26.  ^\Alms. 
Charities ;  the  gift  of  the  churches.  IT  To 
my  nation.  Wot  to  all  the  nation ;  but  to 
the  poor  saints  or  Christians  who  were 
m  Judea,  and  who  were  suffering  much 
by  persecutions  and  trials.  H  And  offer- 
ings. The  word  used  here  properly  de- 
notes an  offering  or  gift  of  any  kind  ;  but 
it  is  usually  applied  to  an  oblation,  or 
offering  made  to  God  in  the  temple— a 
thank-offering,  a  sav-'rifice.  This  is  proba- 
bly its  meaning  here.  He  came  to  bring 
aid  to  his  needy  countrymen,  and  an  offer- 
nig  to  God;  and  it  was,  therefore,  no  part 
of  his  purpose  to  interfere  with,  or  to  pro- 
fane the  worship  of  the  temple. 

18.  Certain  Jews  from  Asia.  ch.  xxi.  27. 
IT  Found  me  purified  in  the  temple,  ch.  xxi. 
26,  27.  They  found  me  engaged  in  the 
sacred  service  of  completing  the  observ- 
ance of  my  vow.  IF  Neither  with  multi- 
tude. Not  having  introduced  a  multitude 
with  me — in  a  quiet  and  peaceful  man- 
ner. 

1 9.  Who  ougJit  to  have  been  here,  &c. 
They  were  the  proper  witnesses ;  as  they 
had  stayed  away,  it  showed  that  they 
were  not  prepared  to  undergo  a  strict 
examination,  Paul,  therefore,  justly  com- 
plains that  the  very  persons  who  alone 
could  testify  against  him  were  absent, 
and  showed  that  there  was  really  no 
well-founded  charge  against  him.  They 
alone  could  testify  as  to  any  thing  that 
occurred  in  the  temple ;  and  as  they 
were  not  present,  that  charge  ought  to 
be  dismissed. 

20.  Or  else.  Since  they  are  lot  here 
to  witness  against  me  in  regard  to  what 
occurred  in  the  temple,  let  these  here 
present  bear  witness  against  me,  if  they 
can,  in  regard  to  any  other  part  of  my 
conduct.  This  was  a  bold  appeal,  and 
i  showed  his  full  consciousness  of  inno- 

9d2 


doing  in  me,  while  I  stood  before 
the  council ; 

21  Except  it  be  for  this  one  voice, 
that  I  cried  standing  among  tliem, 
Touching  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  I  am  called  in  question  by 
you  this  day. 

22  And  when  Felix  heard  thes« 
things,  having  more  perfect  know 


cence.  IT  Let  these  same  here  say.  The 
Jews  who  are  here  present.  IT  Any  evii- 
ddng.  Any  improper  conduct,  or  any 
violation  of  the  law.  ^  While  I  stood 
before  the  council.  The  sanhedrim,  ch 
xxiii.  1 — 10.  As  they  were  present  there 
Paul  admits  that  they  were  competent 
to  bear  witness  to  his  conduct  on  that 
occasion  ;  and  calls  upon  them  to  testify, 
if  they  could,  to  any  impropriety  in  his 
conduct. 

21.  Except  it  be  for  this  one  voice.  For 
this  one  expression,  or  declaration.  This 
was  what  Paul  had  said  before  the  coun- 
cil— the  ?nain  thing  on  which  he  had 
insisted,  and  he  calls  on  them  to  testify- 
to  this,  and  to  show,  if  they  could,  that  in 
this  declaration  he  had  been  wrong. 
Chubb,  and  other  infidels  have  supposed 
that  Paul  here  acknowledges  that  he  w  as 
v"-ong  in  the  declaration  which  he  made, 
when  he  said,  that  he  was  called  in 
question  for  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  (ch.  xxiii.  6),  and  his  con- 
science reproached  him  for  appearing  to 
be  time-serving,  and  for  concealing  the 
true  cause  of  offence  against  him;  and 
for  attempting  to  take  advantage  of  thei 
divisions  of  sentiment,  and  endeavouring 
to  produce  discord  in  the  council.  Bu 
against  this  interpretation  we  may  urge 
the  following  considerations :  (1.)  Paul 
wished  to  fix  their  attention  on  the  main 
thing  which  he  had  said  before  the  conn- 
ed. (2.)  It  was  true,  as  has  been  shown 
on  the  passage  (xxiii.  1 — 10),  that  this 
was  the  principal  doctnne  which  Paul 
had||pien  defending.  S.)  If  they  were 
prepared  to  witness  against  him  for  hold- 
ing and  teaching  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  as  a  false  or  evil  doctrine,  he  called 
on  them  to  do  it.  As  this  had  been  the 
only  thing  which  they  had  witnessed  be- 
fore the  council,  he  calls  on  them  to  te.n 
tify  to  what  they  knew  only,  and  to  show 
if  they  could,  that  this  was  wrong. 
IT  Touching  the  resurrection,  &c.  Re- 
specting the  resurrection,  ch.  xxiii.  6. 

22.  Having  more  perfect  knowledge  of 
that  wav    Our  transladou  -^f  this  versp 


MS 


THE  ACTS. 


1_A.  D.  G(» 


ledge  of  t/tat  way,  he  deferred 
tliem,  and  said,  When  Lysias  "  the 
chief  captain  shall  come  down,  I 
will  know  the  uttermost  of  your 
matter. 

23  And  he  commanded  a  centu- 


«  very  obscure,  and  critics  are  divided 
about  the  proper  interpretation  of  the 
original.  Rlany  ^Erasmus,  Luther,  Mi- 
chaelis,  Morus,  <kc.)  render  it, '  although 
he  had  a  more'  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  than  Paul's  accusers 
had,  yet  he  deferred  the  hearing  of  the 
cause  tiil  Lysias  had  come  down.'  They 
observe  that  he  might  have  obtained  this 
knowledge,  not  only  from  the  letter  of 
Lysias,  but  from  public  rumour,  as  there 
were  doubtless  Christians  at  Cesarea. 
They  suppose  that  he  deferred  the  cause, 
either  with  the  hope  of  receiving  a  bribe 
from  Paul  (comp.  ver.  2G),  or  to  gratify 
the  Jews  with  his  being  longer  detained 
as  a  prisoner.  Others,  among  whom  are 
Beza,  Grotius.  KosenmuUcr,  and  Dod- 
dridge, suppase  that  it  should  be  ren- 
dered, '  he  deferred  them,  and  said,  after 
I  have  been  more  accurately  informed 
'•oncerning  this  way,  when  Lysias  has 
come  down,  I  will  hear  the  cause.'  This 
is  doubtless  the  true  interpretation  of  the 
passage,  and  it  is  rendered  more  probable 
by  the  fact  that  Felix  sent  for  Paul,  and 
heard  him  concerning  the  faith  of  Christ 
(ver.  24),  evidently  with  a  design  to  make 
himself  better  acquainted  with  the 
charges  against  him,  and  the  nature  of 
his  belief  IT  0/  that  way.  Of  the 
Christian  religion.  This  expression  is 
repeatedly  used  by  Luke  to  denote  the 
Christian  doctrine.  Note,  ch.  ix.  2.  IT  He 
deferred  them.  He  put  them  ofl",-  he 
f)ostfK)ned  the  decision  of  the  case ;  he 
adjourned  the  trial.  If  When  Lysias,  &c. 
Lysias  had  been  ar-quainted  with  the  ex- 
citement and  its  causes,  and  Felix  regard- 
ed him  as  an  important  witness  in  regard 
to  the  true  nature  of  the  charges  ^flainst 
Paul.  IT  /  vhH  hum)  the  vltermWl,  &c. 
I  Khali  be  fully  informed  and  prepared  to 
decide  the  cause. 

23.  And  he  commanded,  «^'C.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  this  verse,  that  F'elix  was  dis- 
rxmed  to  show  Paul  all  the  favours  that 
were  ((iiiHisUnt  with  his  safe  keeping. 
He  estrenu'fl  liirn  to  bo  a  persrcuted 
man,  and  douhticss  regarded  the  charges 
BgiiinHt  him  as  entirely  malicious.  What 
was  Felix's  mative  in  this  cannot  be  cer- 
tainly known.   It  is  not  improbable,  how- 


rk)n  to  keep  Paul,  and  to  let  kim 
have  liberty,  ''  and  that  he  should 
forbid  none  of  his  acquaintance  to 
minister  or  to  come  unto  him. 

24  And  after  certain  days,  when 
Felix  came  with  his  wife  Drusilla, 

ic.27.3:28.16. 


ever,  that  he  detained  him,  (1.)  Tog|^||fe 
the  Jews  by  keeping  him  in  custoJ^p^ 
if  he  were  guilty;  and,  (2  )  That  he  hoped 
the  friends  of  Paul  would  give  liini 
money  to  release  him.  Perhaps  it  waa 
for  this  purpose  that  he  ga-ve  orders  that 
his  friends  should  have  free  access  to 
him,  that  thus  Paul  might  be  furnished 
with  the  means  of  purchasing  his  free- 
dom. 

24.  Felix  came,  with  his  wife  DrusiUa, 
Drusilla  was  the  daughter  of  Herod 
Agrippa  the  elder,  and  was  engaged  to 
be  married  to  Epiphanes,  the  son  of  king 
Antiochus,  on  condition  that  he  would 
embrace  the  Jewish  religion ;  but  as  ho 
afterwards  refused  to  do  inat,  the  con- 
tract was  broken  off.  Afterwards  she 
was  given  in  marriage,  by  her  brother 
Agrippa  the  younger,  to  Azizus  king  of 
Emesa,  upon  his  consent  to  be  circum- 
cised. When  Felix  was  governor  of  Ju- 
dea,  he  saw  Drusilla,  and  fell  in  love 
with  her,  and  sent  to  her  Simon,  one  of 
his  friends,  a  Jew,  by  birth  a  Cyprian, 
who  pretended  to  be  a  magician,  to  en- 
deavour to  persuade  her  to  forsake  her 
husband,  and  to  rnarry  Felix.  According- 
ly, in  order  to  avoid  the  envy  of  her  sis- 
ter Bernice,  who  treated  her  ill  on  ac- 
count of  her  beauty,  "  she  was  prevailed 
on,"  says  Josephus,  "  to  transgress  the 
laws  of  her  forefathers,  and  to  marry 
Felix."  Josephus,  Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch.  vii. 
$  1,  2.  She  was,  therefore,  living  in 
adultery  with  him,  and  this  was  probably 
the  reason  why  Paul  dwelt  in  his  dis- 
course before  Felix  particularly  on  "  tem- 
perance," or  chastity.  Note,  ver.  2.5. 
IT  lie  sent  for  Paul,  and  heard  him.  Pcr- 
ha|is  he  did  this,  in  order  to  be  more  fully 
acquainted  with  the  case  which  was  sub- 
milted  to  him.  It  is  po.ssible  also  that  it 
might  have  been  to  gratify  his  wife,  who 
was  a  Jewess,  and  who  doubtless  Jiad  a 
desire  to  be  actiuainled  with  the  princi- 
ples of  this  new  seel.  It  is  certain 
also  that  one  dbjcc  I  which  Felix  liad 
in  this,  was  to  Id  Paul  see  how  de 
pendent  he  was  on  him,  and  to  induce 
iiim  to  purchase  his  liberty.  H  Concern 
in[T  the  fait'i  in  Christ.  Concerning  the 
Ciiristian  lehgicn.      Fiith  in  Chrifll  i* 


D   60  J 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


119 


R^hicli  was  a  Jewess,  he  sent  for 
Paul,  and  heard  him  concerning  the 
faith  in  Christ. 

a  Prov.16.12.Jer.22.15-   7.  DaD.4.2T.  Jno.16.8. 
b  Prov.3l.4,8.  Dan.5.1-4.  Uos.7.5.  lPet.4.4, 


often  used  to  denote  the  whole  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  it  is  the  leading  and  character- 
istic feature  of  the  religion  of  the  gospel. 
25.  And  as  he  reasoned.  Greek,  "  And 
he  discoursing."  Aiaxsyo/^lvoo  6s  avrov. 
No  argument  should  be  drawn  from  the 
word  that  is  used  here,  to  prove  that  Paul 
particularly  appealed  to  reason,  or  that 
his  discourse  was  argumentative.  That  it 
was  so  is,  indeed,  not  improbable,  from  all 
that  we  know  of  the  man,  and  from  the 
topics  on  which  he  discoursed.    But  the 


word  used  here  means  simply,  as  he  dis- 
coursed, and  is  applied  usnfe^  to  making 
a  public  address,  to  preaching,  &c.  in 


whatever  way  it  is  done.  Acts  xvii 
xviii.  4.  19;  xix.  8,  9;  xjciv.  12.  Felix 
and  Drusilla  intended  this  as  a  matter 
of  entertainment  or  amusement.  Paul 
readily  obeyed  their  summons,  as  it  gave 
him  an  opportunity  to  preach  the  gospel 
to  them ;  and  as  they  desired  his  senti- 
ments in  regard  to  the  faith  in  Christ,  he 
selected  those  topics  which  were  adapted 
to  their  condition,  and  stated  those  princi- 
ples of  the  Christian  religion  which  were 
fitted  to  arrest  their  attention,  and  lead 
them  to  repentance.  Paul  seized  every 
opportunity  of  making  known  the  gospel; 
Bnd  whether  a  prisoner  or  at  liberty; 
whether  before  princes,  governors,  kings, 
or  common  people,  was  equally  prepared 
to  defend  the  pure  and  holy  doctrines  of 
the  cross.  His  boldness  in  this  instance 
13  the  more  remarkable  as  he  was  de- 
nendent  on  Felix  for  his  pardon.  A  time- 
server  or  an  impostor  would  have  chosen 
Ruch  topics  as  would  have  conciliated  the 
favour  of  the  judge,  and  procured  his  par- 
uon.  He  would  have  flattered  his  vanity 
or  palliated  his  v'ces.  But  such  an  idea 
never  seems  to  have  occurred  to  Paul. 
His  aim  was  to  defend  the  truth  ;  and  to 
save,  if  possible,  the  souls  of  Drusilla 
and  of  Felix.  '^  Of  righteousness.  Ui^l 
SiKXiorvvi}?.  Of  justice.  Not  of  the  justice 
of  God  particularly,  but  of  the  nature 
and  requirements  of  justice  in  the  rela- 
tions of  life,  the  relations  which  we  sustain 
to  God  and  to  man.  This  was  a  proper 
topic  with  which  to  introduce  his  dis- 
course, as  it  was  the  office  of  Felix  to 
dispense  justice  between  man  and  man ; 
and  as  his  administration  was  not  reraark- 
»ble  for  the  exercise  of  that  virtue.  It  is 
evidfarit  that  he  could  be  influenced  by  a 


25  And  ds  he  reasoned  of  "  right- 
eousness, temperance,  ^  and  'yadg- 
ment  "  to  come,  Felix  trembled,  "^ 

c  F8.50.3,4.  DaB.12.2.  Matt.25.3l-46.  2Cor.5.10.  Rey. 
20.12.  dP3.99.1.   Is.32.Il.   Hab.3.18.    Heb.4.1,I8. 

bribe  (ver.  26),  and  it  was  proper  for  Paul 
to  dwell  on  this  as  designed  to  show  him 
the  guilt  of  his  life,  and  his  danger  of 
meeting  the  justice  of  a  Being  who  can- 
not be  bribed,  but  who  will  dispense 
equal  justice  alike  to  the  great  and  he 
mean.  That  Paul  dwelt  also  on  the  jus 
tice  of  God,  as  the  moral  governor  of  the 
world,  may  also  be  presumed.  The  ap- 
prehension  of  that  justice,  and  the  re 
membrance  of  his  own  guilty  life,  tended 
to  produce  the  alarm  of  Felix,  and  to 
make  him  tremble.  ?  Temperance.  ly*.^A- 
rsixg.  The  word  temperance  we  nov^  use 
commonly  to  denote  moderation,  or  re- 
straint in  regard  to  eating  and  drinking, 
particularly  to  abstinence  from  the  use  of 
ardent  spirits.  But  this  is  not  its  meaning 
here.  There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  thai 
Feli^was  intemperate  in  the  use  of  intoxi- 
cating liquors.  The  original  word  here  de- 
notes a  restraint  of  all  the  passions  and  evil 
inclinations ;  and  may  be  applied  to  pru 
dence,  chastity,  and  moderation  in  gene 
ral.  The  particular  thing  in  the  life  of 
Felix  which  Paul  had  probably  in  view, 
was  the  indulgence  of  licentious  desires, 
or  incontinence.  He  was  living  in  adul- 
tery with  Drusilla ;  and  for  this,  Paul 
wished  doubtless  to  bring  him  to  repent- 
ance. IT  And  judgment  to  come.  Tlie 
universal  judgment;  the  judgment  that 
was  to  come  on  all  transgressors.  On 
this  topic  Paul  also  dwelt  when  he 
preached  before  the  Areopagus  at  Athens. 
Acts  xvii.  31.  These  topics  were  admi- 
rably adapted  to  excite  the  alarm  of  both 
Felix  and  Drusilla.  It  evinced  great  bold- 
ness and  faithfulness  in  Paul  to  selec* 
them ;  and  the  result  showed  that  he  cor 
rectly  judged  of  the  kind  of  truth  which 
was  adapted  to  alarm  the  fears  of  his 
guilty  auditor.  ^  Felix  trembled.  In  view 
of  his  past  sins,  and  in  the  apprehension 
of  the  judgment  to  come.  The  Greek 
(?,u;?o3!),-)  does  not  denote  that  his  bodj 
was  agitated  or  shaken,  but  only  that  he 
was  alarmed,  or  terrified.  That  such  fear 
usually  shakes  the  frame,  we  know ;  but 
it  is  not  certain  that  the  body  of  Felix 
was  thus  agitated.  He  was  alarmed  and 
terrified  ;  and  looked  with  deep  apprehen- 
sion to  the  coming  judgment.  This  was 
a  remarkable  instance  of  the  effect  of 
truth  on  the  mind  of  a  man  unaccustomed 
to  such  alarms,  and  unused  Xo  hear  sucr 


i20 


and   answered,   Go  •  thy  way  for 
th's    time ;    when   I  have   a  con- 

o  Prov.l .24-32.  Matt.22.5;  25.1-10. 

truth.  It  shows  the  power  of  conscience, 
when  thus  under  the  preacliing  of  a  jpri- 
toner,  the  judge  should  be  thrown  into 
violent  alarm.  IT  And  answered.  Go  thy 
way,  <tc.  How  different  is  this  answer 
from  that  of  the  jailor  of  Philippi  when 
alarmed  in  a  similar  manner,  he  asked, 
"  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  and  was 
directed  to  him  in  whom  iie  found  peace 
from  a  troubled  conscience.  Acts  xvi. 
30,  31.  Felix  was  troubled  ;  but  instead 
of  asking  what  he  should  do,  he  sent  the 
messenger  of  God  away.  He  was  evi- 
dently not  prepared  to  break  off  his  sins, 
and  turn  to  God.  He  sought  peace  by 
sending  away  his  reprover ;  and  mani- 
festly intended  then  to  banish  the  subject 
from  his  mind.  Yet,  like  others,  he  did 
not  intend  to  banish  it  altogether.  He 
looked  forward  to  a  time  when  he  should 
be  more  at  leisure;  when  the  cares  of 
office  should  press  less  heavily  on  his  at- 
tention ;  or  when  he  should  be  more  dis- 
jioscd  to  attend  to  it.  Thus  multitudes, 
when  they  are  alarmed,  and  see  their 
guilt  and  danger,  resolve  to  defer  it  to  a 
more  convenient  time.  One  man  is  en- 
gaged in  a  career  of  pleasure,  and  it  is 
not  now  a  convenient  time  to  attend  to 
his  soul's  salvation.  Another  is  pressed 
with  business;  with  the  cares  of  life ; 
with  a  plan  of  gain  ;  with  the  labours  of 
office,  or  of  a  profession,  and  it  is  not  now 
a  convenient  time  for  him  to  attend  to  re- 
ligion. Another  supposes  that  his  time 
of  life  is  not  the  nuist  convenient.  His 
youth  he  desires  to  spend  in  pleasure,  and 
waits  for  a  more  convenient  time  in  mid- 
dle age.  His  middle  life  he  spends  in 
bii.'^iness,  and  the  toils  of  the  world,  and 
this  is  not  a  convenient  time.  Such  a 
period  he  expects  then  to  find  in  old  age. 
But  as  age  advances,  he  finds  an  increas- 
ing disposition  to  defer  it ;  he  is  still  indis- 
posed to  attend  to  it;  still  iu  love  with 
the  world.  Even  old  ago  is  seldom  found 
to  be  a  convenient  time  to  prepare  for 
lifrivcn ;  and  it  is  deferred  from  one  pe- 
riod af  life  to  another,  till  death  closes 
the  scene. — It  hns  been  commonly  sup- 
|»ofied  and  said  that  Fe\ix  never  found 
that  tioro  convenient  time  to  call  fur 
Fail..  That  he  did  not  embrace  the 
(?hr;slinn  religion,  and  forsake  his  sins,  is 
probable,  nay,  almost  fcrlain.  But  it  ^ 
not  true  that  he  did  not  take  an  o[)porlr 
nity  of  hearing  Paul  Oirihcr  on  tlio  snl;- 
wct;  for  it  is  said  that  he  sent  for  him 


THK  ACTS  [A.D.  6t 

ve*»ient  season,  1  wil  call  for  thee 
26  He  hoped  also  that  money 

b  EX.23.S. 

often,  and  communed  with  him.  But 
though  Felix  found  this  opportunity,  yet 
(1.)  We  have  no  reason  to  suppose  thai 
the  main  thing — the  salvation  of  his  soul 
ever  again  occupied  his  attention.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  he  was  again  alarmed 
or  awakened,  or  that  he  had  any  furthei 
solicitude  on  the  subject  of  his  sins.  He 
had  passed  for  ever  the  favourable  time , 
the  golden  moments  when  he  might  have 
secured  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  (2.) 
Others  have  no  right  to  suppose  that  ttieii 
lives  will  be  lengthened  out  that  they 
may  have  any  further  opportunity  to  at 
tend  to  the  ^^ect  of  religion.  (3.)  When 
a  sinner  is  |H|^{ened,  and  sees  his  past 
sins,  if  he  rejects  the  appeal  to  his  con- 
science theii,  and  defers  it  to  a  more  con- 
venient opportunity,  he  has  no  reason  to 
expect  that  his  attention  will  ever  be 
again  called  with  deep  interest  to  the 
subject.  He  may  live  ;  but  he  may  live 
without  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
When  a  man  has  once  deliix  lately  reject- 
ed the  offers  of  mercy;  when  he  has 
trifled  with  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  he  has  no  ri^ht  or  reason  to  expect 
that  that  Spirit  will  ever  strive  with  him 
again.  Such,  we  have  too  much  reason 
to  fear,  was  the  case  with  Felix.  Though 
he  often  saw  Paul  again,  and  "  communed 
with  him,"  yet  there  is  no  account  iha 
he  was  again  alarmed  or  awakened 
And  thus  sinners  often  attend  on  the 
means  of  grace  after  they  have  grieved 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  they  listen  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  gosp'  ,  they  hear  its  appeals, 
and  its  warnings,  but  they  have  no  feel- 
ing, no  interest;  and  die  in  their  sins. 
^A  more  convenient  time-  Greek,  'Taking 
time.'  I  will  fake  a  time  for  thi.s.  IT  /  will 
call  for  thee.  To  hear  thee  further  on  this 
subject.  This  he  did.  ver.  2G.  It  is  re- 
markable that  Drusilla  was  not  alarmed 
She  was  as  much  involved  in  guilt  at 
Felix  ;  but  she,  being  a  Jewess,  had  beer, 
accustomed  to  hear  of  a  future  judgment, 
until  it  caused  in  her  mind  no  alarm. 
Perhaps  also  she  depended  on  the  rile.« 
and  ceremonies  of  her  religion  n.s  a  suffi- 
cient expiation  for  her  sins.  She  might 
have  neen  resting  on  those  false  dejien 
dcncies  whirh  go  to  free  the  conscienre 
from  .'.  sense  of  guilt,  and  which  thus  be 
guile  and  destroy  the  soul. 

yt).  Jh'  ho])(d  also.  Wo  though*  ihat  by 
giving  iiim  access  to  his  frirnds,  and  by 
often  meeting  him  himself,  and  showiiif 


4..D.  62.] 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


32  J 


should  have  been  given  him  of 
Paul,  that  he  might  loose  him  : 
wherefore  he  sent  for  him  the 
oftener,  and  communed  with 
him. 
27  But  after  two  years,  Porcius 


kindness^  Paul  might  be  induced  to  at- 
tempt to  purchase  his  freedom  with  a 
bribe.  IT  That  money  should  have  been 
given  him  of  Paul.  That  Paul  would 
give  him  money  to  procure  a  release. 
This  shows  the  character  of  Felix.  He 
was  desirous  of  procuring  a  bribe.  Paul 
had  proved  his  mnocence,  and  should 
have  been  at  once  released.  But  Felix 
was  influenced  by  avarice ;  and  he  there- 
fore detainedPaul  m  custody,\viththehope 
that,  wearied  with  confinement,  he  would 
seek  his  release  by  a  bribe.  But  Paul 
offered  no  bribe.  He  knew  what  was 
justice ;  and  he  would  not  be  guilty, 
therefore,  of  attempting  to  purchase  what 
was  his  due,  or  of  gratifying  a  man  who 
prostituted  his  high  office  for  the  purpose 
ni  gain.  The  Roman  governors  in  the 
provinces  were  commonly  rapacious  and 
avaricious,  like  Felix.  They  usually  took 
the  office  for  the  purpose  of  its  pecuniary 
advantage,  and  they  consequently  usually 
disregarded  justice,  and  made  the  pro- 
curing of  money  their  leading  object. 
H  He  sent  for  him  the  oftener.  It  may  seem 
remarkable  that  he  did  not  fear  again  be- 
ing alarmed.  But  the  hope  of  money 
overcame  all  this.  And  having  once  re- 
sisted the  reasoning  of  Paul,  and  the  striv- 
ings of  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  seems  to  have 
had  no  further  alarm  or  anxiety.  He 
could  again  hear  the  same  man,  and  the 
same  truth,  unaffected.  When  sinners 
have  once  grieved  God's  Spirit,  they  often 
sit  with  unconcern  under  the  same  truth 
which  once  alarmed  them,  and  become 
entirely  hardened  and  unconcerned.  IF 
And  communed  with  him.  And  conversed 
with  him. 

27.  tut  after  two  years.  Paul  was  un- 
justly  v]etained  during  all  this  time.  The 
hope  of  Felix  seems  to  have  been  to 
weary  nis  patience,  and  induce  him  to 
purchase  his  freedom.  IT  Came  into  Fe- 
lix's room.  As  governor.  IT  Aiid  Felix 
willing  to  show  the  Jews  a  pleasure.  De- 
sirous of  pleasing  them,  even  at  the  ex- 
pense of  justice.  This  shows  the  princi- 
ple on  which  he  acted.  ^  Left  Paul 
bound.  Left  him  in  custody  to  the  charge 
)f  his  successor.  His  object  in  this  was 
o  conciliate  th i  Jews  ;  that  is,  to  secure 
.heir  favour,  and  to  prevent  t'    rn,  if  pos- 


Festus  came  into  Felix's  room : 
and  Felix,  willing  to  shew  "  the 
Jews  a  pleasure,  left  Paul  bound. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
IVTOW   when   Festus  was   ccme 
-'-^    into  the  province,  after  three 


a  Mark  15.15.  c.25.! 


sible,  from  accusing  him  for  the  evils  o{ 
his  administration  before  the  emperor. 
The  account  which  Luke  gives  here 
coincides  remarkably  with  that  whicti 
Josephus  has  given.  He  says,  that  Por 
cius  Festus  was  sent  as  successor  to  Fe 
lix  by  Nero.  He  does  not  indeed  men 
tion  Paul,  or  say  that  Felix  sought  to  con- 
ciliate the  favour  of  the  Jews.  But  he 
gives  such  an  account  as  to  make  the 
statement  by  Luke  perfectly  consistent 
with  his  character  while  in  office.  He 
informs  us  that  Felix  was  unpopular,  and 
that  there  was  reason  to  apprehend  that 
the  Jews  would  accuse  him  before  the 
emperor  ;  and,  therefore,  the  statement  in 
the  Acts,  that  he  would  be  willing  to  show 
the  Jews  a  favour,  is  in  perfect  keeping 
with  his  character  and  circumstances 
and  is  one  of  those  undesigned  coinci 
deuces,  which  show  that  the  author  of  the 
Acts  was  fully  acquainted  with  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  time,  and  that  his  his- 
tory is  true.  The  account  in  Josephus  is, 
that  "  when  Porcius  Festus  was  sent  as 
successor  to  Felix  by  Nero,  the  principal 
inhabitants  of  Cesarea  went  up  to  Rome 
to  accuse  Felix ;  a8d  he  had  been  cer- 
tainly brought  to  punishment,  unless 
Nero  had  yielded  to  the  importunate  soli- 
citations of  his  brother  Palias,  who  was 
at  that  time  had  in  the  greatest  honour 
by  him."  Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch.  viii.  $  9.  The 
plan  of  Felix,  therefore,  in  suppressing 
the  enmity  of  the  Jews,  and  conciliating 
their  favour  by  injustice  to  Paul,  did  not 
succeed  ;  and  is  one  of  those  instances,  so 
numerous  in  the  v^'orld,  where  a  man 
gains  nothing  by  wicke'dness.  He  sought 
money  from  Paul  by  iniquity,  and  failed , 
he  sought  by  injustice  to  obtain  the 
favour  of  the  Jews,  and  failed  in  that 
also.  And  the  inference  from  the  whole 
transaction  is,  that  "  honesty  is  th'^  best 
policy,"  and  that  man  in  any  office  snould 
pursue  a  course  of  firm,  and  constant,  and 
undeviating  integritv. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
1.  Now  when  Festits  was  come.  Note, 
ch.  xxiv  27.  IT  Info  the  province.  The 
province  of  Judea ;  for  Judea  at  thai 
time  Mas  a  Roman  province.  IT  Af^ 
three  days.  Having  remained  three  dayi 
at  Ce-sarr a.    ^  He  ascended.    This  wnf 


322 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  tiii 


days  he  dscendtd  from  Cesarea  to 
Tern  sal  em. 

2  Then  the  high-pr'est  and  the 
chief  of  the  Jews  informed  "Sim 
ag-ainst  Paul,  and  besounrht  him, 

3  And  desired  favour  ao^ainst 
him,  that  he  would  send  for  him 
to  Jerusalem,  laying  *  wait  in  the 
way  to  kill  him. 


Che  tisual  language  which  described  a 
journey  to  Jerusalem.  Thus  tlie  Eng- 
ish  people  speak  of  goin£  up  to  London, 
because  it  is  the  capita  See  Note,  ch. 
XV.  1.  ^  To  Jerusalem.  The  governors 
of  Judea  at  this  time  usually  resided  at 
Cesarea ;  but  as  Jerusalem  had  been  the 
former  capital ;  as  it  was  still  the  seat  of 
the  religious  solemnities ;  as  the  sanhe- 
drim  held  its  meetings  there;  and  as  the 
great,  and  rich,  and  learned  men,  and  the 
priests  resided  there,  it  is  evident  that  a 
full  knowledge  of  tJie  state  of  the  pro- 
vince could  be  obtained  only  there.  Fes- 
tus  therefore,  having  entered  on  the  du- 
ties of  his  office,  early  went  to  Jerusalem 
to  make  himself  acquainted  with  the  af- 
fairs of  the  nation. 

2.  Then  the  high-priest.  The  high- 
priest  at  this  time  was  Ismael,  the  son  of 
Fabi.  lie  had  been  promoted  to  that 
office  by  Agrippa.  Josephus'  Antiq.  b. 
XX.  ch.  viii.  $  8.  It  j<il|)robable,  however, 
that  the  person  here  intended  was  Ana- 
nias, who  liad  been  liigh-priest,  and  who 
would  retain  the  name.  Notes,  ch.  xxiii. 
2.  Some  MSS.  read  high-priests  here  in 
the  plural  numl)er,  and  this  reading  is  aj)- 
proved  by  Mill  and  Griesbach.  There 
rs,  however,  no  improbability  in  suppos- 
ing that  the  high-priest  Ismael  might 
have  been  also  as  much  enraged  against 
Paul  as  the  others.  IT  Informed  him 
against  Paul.  Informed  him  of  the  accu- 
sation against  hirn ;  and  doubtle.ss  en- 
deavoured to  prejudice  the  mind  of  Fcs- 
tus  against  him.  They  thus  showed  their 
uiirtlenting  dispfJsition.  It  might  have 
been  supposed  that  after  two  years  this 
unijHl  prosecution  would  bo  abandoned 
and  forgotten.  But  malice  does  not  thus 
forget  its  ohject;  and  the  spirit  of  perse- 
cution in  not  thus  satisfied.  It  is  evident 
that  there  was  liere  every  probability 
Ihnt  injustice  would  be  done  to  raul,an<i 
that  the  mind  of  F^cstus  would  be  bia.'^ed 
against  him.  lie  was  n  stranger  to  Paul, 
tiid  !«•  the  er.ibittered  feelings  of  the 
Iewu.h   tharac.'er.     He   would    wish   to 


4  But  Festus  answered,  thai 
Paul  should  be  kept  at  Cesarear 
and  that  he  himseU'  would  depart 
shortly  thither. 

5  Let  them  therefore,  said  le, 
w^hich  among  you  are  able,  gc 
uown  with  we,  and  accuse  this 
man,  if  there  be  any  wickedness 
in  him. 


conciliate  their  favour  on  entering  on  the 
duties  of  his  office.  And  a  strong  repre- 
sentation therefore,  made  by  the  chief 
men  of  the  nation,  would  be  likely  to 
prejudice  him  violently  against  Paul,  and 
to  unfit  him  for  the  exercise  of  impartial 
justice. 

3.  And  desired  favour  against  him. 
Desired  the  favour  of  Festus,  that  they 
might  accomplish  their  wicked  purpose 
on  Paul.  IT  Wotdd  send  for  him  to  Jeru- 
salem. Probably  under  a  pretence  that 
he  might  be  tried  by  the  sanhedrim;  or 
perhaps  they  wished  Festus  to  hear  the 
cause  there,  and  to  decide  it  while 
he  was  at  Jerusalem.  Their  real  motive 
is  immediately  stated.  IT  Lying  wail  in 
the  way  to  hilt  him.  That  is,  they  would 
lie  in  wait,  or  they  would  employ  a  band 
of  Sicarii,  or  assassins,  to  take  his  life  on 
the  journey.  See  Notes,  ch.  xxi.  38: 
xxiii.  12.  it  is  altogether  probable  that  it 
this  request  had  been  granted,  Paul 
would  have  been  killed.  But  God  had 
promised  him  that  he  should  bear  wiinos.« 
to  the  truth  at  Home  (<  h.  xxiii.  11),  and 
his  providence  was  remarkable  in  thus 
influencing  the  mind  of  the  Roman  gover- 
nor, and  defeating  the  plans  of  the  Jew- 
ish council. 

4.  But  Festus  ansivered,  <tc.  What  in- 
duced Festus  to  refuse  their  reijiiest,  is 
not  known.  It  is  probable,  liowever,  that 
he  was  apprized  that  Paul  was  a  Koman 
citizen,  and  that  his  case  could  not  come 
before  the  Jewish  sanhrdrim,  IjuI  must 
be  heard  by  himself  As  Cesarea  was 
also  at  that  time  the  residence  of  the  Ro- 
man governor,  and  the  place  of  holding 
the  courts,  and  as  Paul  was  lodged  ihero 
safely,  there  did  not  appear  any  suflicienl 
rea.son  I()r  removing  him  to  Jerusalem  for 
trial.  Festus,  however,  granted  them  all 
that  they  could  reasonably  ask,  and  ns- 
sured  them  that  he  should  have  n  speedy 
trinl. 

5.  Wliirh  among  you  are  afle.  Krijoy 
all  the  advantages  of  just  trinl.  and  ox 
hil)i(  voi;r  accusntions  with  all  tin*  loam 


i   D.  62.1 


CHAPTER  XX^ 


323 


G  And  when  he  had  tarried 
Among  them  '  more  than  ten  days, 
he  went  down  unto  Cesarea ;  and 
the  next  day  sitting  in  the  judg- 
ment-seat, commanded  Paul  to  be 
brought. 

7  And  when  he  was  come,  the 
Jews  which  came  down  from  Jeru- 
salem stood  round  about,  and  laid 
laany  and  grievous  complaints 
igainst  Paul,  which  "they  could 
not  prove.  ^Hj^ 

1  or,  as  Boue  copies  reid,  no  mafJI^^Ktsht  or  ten 
day*.  ^^^^ 


lug  and  talent  in  your  power.  This  was 
all  that  they  could  reasonably  ask  at  his 
hands. 

6.  xMore  than  ten  days.  See  the  margin. 
The  Syriac  reads  it,  '  eight  or  ten.'  The 
Vulgate,  '  not  more  than  eight  or  ten.' 
The  Coptic,  '  eight  or  ten.'  Griesbach 
supposes  this  to  be  the  true  reading,  and 
has  admitted  it  into  the  text.  IT  Sluing 
in  ike  judgment-seat.  On  the  tribunal; 
or  holding  a  court  for  the  trial  of  Paul. 
^  Commanded  Paul  to  he  brought.  To  be 
brought  up  for  trial.  He  had  been  secur- 
ed, but  was  placed  in  the  care  of  a  sol- 
dier, who  w-as  commanded  to  let  him 
have  all  the  freedom  that  was  consistent 
with  his  security. 

7.  Grievous  complaints.  Heavy  accu- 
sations. Doubtless  the  same  with  which 
they  had  charged  him  before  Felix,  ch. 
zxiv.  5,  6.  Comp.  ch.  xxv.  19.  ^  Which 
they  could  not  prove,   ch.  xxiv.  13.  19. 

8.  While  he  answered,  &c.  See  this 
answer  more  at  length  in  ch.  xxiv. 
10 — 21.  As  the  accusations  against  him 
were  the  same  now  as  then,  he  made  to 
»hem  the  same  reply. 

9.  But  Festus,  willing  to  do  the  Jews  a 
ykasure.  Desirous  of  securing  their  fa- 
•our,  as  he  had  just  entered  on  his  ad- 
ministration. Comp.  ch.  xxiv.  27.  In 
this  he  evinced  rather  a  desire  of  popu- 
larity than  an  inclination  to  do  justice. 
Had  he  been  disposed  to  do  right  at  once, 
lie  would  have  immediately  discharged 
Paul.  Festus  perceived  that  the  cas^ 
was  one  that  did  not  come  fairly  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  a  Roman  magistrate; 
ihat  it  pertained  solely  to  the  customs  and 
questions  among  the  Jews  (ver.  18 — 20) ; 
and  he  therefore  proposed  that  the  case 
should  be  tried  before  him  at  Jerusalem. 
It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  he  had 
3uch  a  sense  of  jistice,  and  law,  as  not  to 
suffer   the   case   to  go  out  of  his  own 


8  While  he  answered  ior  him 
self,  Neither  against  the  laws  of 
the  Jews,  neither  against  the  tem- 
ple, nor  yet  against  Cesar,  have  ] 
offended  any  thing  at  ail. 

9  But  Festus,  willing  to  do  the 
Jews  a  pleasure,  answered  Paul, 
and  said,  Wilt  thou  go  up  to  Jeru- 
salem, artd  there  be  judged  of  these 
things  before  meT 

10  Then  said  Paul,  I  stand  U 
Cesar's    judgment-seat,    Y>?here    I 

a P8.35.il.  Matt.5.11,12.  c.24.5,13. 


hands.  He  proposed  still  to  hear  the 
cause,  but  asked  Paul  whether  he  was 
willing  that  it  should  be  tried  at  Jerusa- 
lem ?  As  the  question  which  he  asked 
Paul,  was  one  on  which  he  was  at  liberty 
to  take  his  own  course,  and  as  Paul  had 
no  reason  to  expect  that  his  going  to  Jeru- 
salem would  facilitate  the  cause  of  jus- 
tice, it  is  not  remarkable  that  he  declined 
the  offer,  as  perhaps  Festus  supposed  he 
would. 

10.  Tlien  said  Paul,  &c.  The  reasons, 
why  Paul  declined  the  propx)sal  to  be 
tried  at  Jerusalem  are  obvious.  He  had 
experienced  so  much  violent  persecution 
from  his  countrymen,*  and  their  minds 
were  so  full  of  prejudice,  misconcep- 
tions, and  enmity,  that  he  had  neither 
justice  nor  favour  to  hope  at  their  hands. 
He  knev/  too  that  they  had  formerly 
plotted  against  his  life,  and  that  he  had 
been  removed  to  Cesarea  for  the  purpose 
of  safety.  It  would  be  madness  and 
folly  to  throw  himself  again  into  theit 
hands,  or  to  give  them  another  opportu- 
nity to  form  a  plan  against  his  life.  As 
he  was,  therefore,  under  no  obligation  to 
return  to  Jerusalem ;  and  as  Festus  did 
not  propose  it  because  it  could  be  sup- 
posed that  justice  would  be  promoted  by 
it,  but  to  gratify  the  Jews,  Paul  prudently 
declined  the  proposal,  and  appealed  to 
the  Roman  emperor.  IT  Island  at  Cesar's 
judgment-seat.  The  Roman  emperors 
after  Julius  Cesar  were  all  called  Cesar 
thus,  Augustus  Cesar,  Claudiu.s  Cesar. 
&c.,  as  all  the  kings  of  Egypt  were  called 
Pharaoh,  though  they  had  each  his  pro- 
per name,  as  Pharaoh  Necho,  &c.  The 
emperor  at  this  time  (a.  d.  60)  was  N«?- 
ro,  one  of  the  most  cruel  and  impious 
men  that  ever  sat  on  a  throne.  It  was 
under  him  that  Paul  was  afterwards 
beheaded.  When  Pau'  says,  "  I  stand 
i  at  Cesar's  judgment-seat,'  he  means  tc 


i'iii 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  Gi 


ought,  to  be  judged:  to  the  Jews 
'lave  1  done  no  wrong,  as  thou  very 
well  knowest. 

11  For  if  I  be   an   offender,  or 

iay  that  he  regarded  the  tribunal  be- 
fore which  he  then  stood,  and  on  which 
Fesfus  sat,  as  really  the  judgment-seat 
of  Cesar.  The  procurator,  or  governor, 
ncld  his  commission  from  the  Koman 
emperor,  and  it  was,  in  fact,  his  tribu- 
nal The  reason  why  Paul  made  this 
Je<?Iaration,  may  be  thus  expressed :  '  I 
am  a  Koman  citizen.  I  have  a  right 
to  justice.  I  am  under  no  obligation  to 
put  myself  again  in  the  hands  of  the 
Jews.  I  have  a  right  to  a  fair  and  im- 
partial trial ;  and  I  claim  the  protection 
and  privileges  which  all  Roman  citizens 
have  before  their  tribunals  ;  the  right  of 
a  fair  and  just  trial.'  It  was,  therefore, 
a  severe  rebuke  of  Festus  for  proposing 
to  depart  from  the  known  justice  of  the 
Koman  laws ;  and,  for  the  sake  of  popu- 
larity, proposing  to  him  to  put  him.self  jn 
the  hands  of  his  enemies.  H  Where  1 
ought  to  be  judged.  Where  I  have  a  right 
to  demand  and  cspect  justice.  I  have 
a  right  to  be  tried  where  courts  are 
usually  held,  and  according  to  all  the 
forms  of  equity  which  are  usually  ob- 
served. ^  I  have  done  no  wrong.  I  have 
not  injured  their"  persons,  property,  cha- 
racter, or  religion.  This  was  a  bold  ap- 
peal which  his  consciousness  of  inno- 
cence, and  the  whole  course  of  proceed- 
ings enabled  him  to  make,  without  the 
fM^ssibility  of  their  gainsaying  it  IT  Af 
thou  very  veil  knowest.  Festus  knew, 
probably,  that  Paul  had  been  tried  by 
Felix,  and  that  nothing  was  proved 
against  him.  He  had  now  seen  the 
spirit  of  the  Jews,  and  the  cause  why 
they  arraigned  him.  He  had  given  Paul 
a  trif' .,  and  had  called  on  the  Jews  to 
adduce  their  "able"  men  to  accuse  him, 
and  after  all,  nothing  had  been  proved 
against  him.  Festus  knew  therefore  that 
lie  was  innocent.  This  abundantly  ap- 
pears also  from  his  own  confession,  ver. 
18,  19.  As  he  knew  this,  and  as  Festus 
'vas  prfypfjsing  to  depart  from  the  regular 
course  of  justice  for  the  sake  of  |K)pu- 
larity,  itwas  proper  f;)r  Paul  to  use  the 
Htntng  Innpuagc  of  rebuke,  and  lo  claim 
what  he  knew  Festus  did  not  dare  to 
deny  him,  the  protection  of  the  Roman 
laws*.  Conscious  innocence  may  be  bold  ; 
and  Christians  have  a  right  tr)  insist  on 
impartial  jii«ti.'o,  ihkI  the  j)rolection  of 
ihe  laws.  Alas,  how  numy  magistrates 
•Juno  have  been  like  KeKtu.<.  'vlio,  wher 


have  committed  any  ining  worthj 
of  death,  1  refuse  not  to  die;  but 
if  there  be  none  of  these  things 
whereof  these  accuse  me,  no  man 


Christians  have  been  arraigned  before 
them,  have  been  fully  satisfied  of  their 
innocence,  but  w  ho,  for  the  sake  of  popu 
larity,  have  departed  from  all  the  rules 
of  law,  and  all  the  claims  of  justice 

11.  For  if  I  be  an  oj'ender.  If  I  have 
injured  the  Jews  so  as  to  deserve  death. 
If  it  can  Ja|f  roved  that  I  have  done  in- 
jury to  aj^^Be.  1i  Ire/use  not  to  die.  I 
have  n<^P|p  to  escape  justice.  I  do 
not  wish  to  evade  the  laws,  or  to  take 
advantage  of  any  circumstances  to  screen 
me  from  just  punishment.  Paul's  w  hole 
course  showed  that  this  was  the  noble 
spirit  which  actuated  him.  JN'o  true 
Christian  wishes  to  escape  from  the  laws 
He  will  honour  them,  and  not  seek  to 
evade  them.  But,  like  other  men,  he 
has  rights;  and  he  may  and  should  in^ 
sist  that  justice  should  be  done.  H  Na 
man  may  deliver  me  unto  them.  J\o  man 
shall  be  allowed  to  do  it.  This  bold 
and  confident  declaration  Paul  could 
make,  because  he  knew  what  the  law 
required,  and  he  knew  that  Festus  would 
not  dare  to  deliver  him  up  contrary  to 
the  law.  Boldness  is  not  incompatible 
with  Christianity ;  and  innocence,  w  hen 
its  rights  are  invaded,  is  always  bold. 
Jesus  firmly  as.serted  his  rights  when  on 
trial  (John  xviii.  23),  and  no  man  is  under 
obligation  to  submit  to  be  trampled  on 
by  an  unjust  tribunal  in  violation  of  the 
laws.  H  /  ap]}eal  unto  Cesar.  I  appeal 
10  the  Roman  emperor,  and  carry  my 
cause  directly  before  him.  By  tlie  Vale- 
rian, Porcian,  and  iSempronian  laws,  it 
had  been  enacted,  that  if  any  magistrate 
should  be  about  to  beat,  or  to  put  to 
death  any  Roman  citizen,  the  accused 
could  appeal  to  the  Roman  people,  and 
this  appeal  carried  the  cause  to  Rome 
The  law  was  so  far  changed  under  the 
emperors,  that  the  cause  shoula  oe  car 
ried  before  the  emperor,  instead  of  the 
people.  Every  citizen  had  the  ripht  of 
^his  appeal ;  and  when  it  was  made,  the 
ac(;use(l  was  sent  to  Rome  lor  trial.  Thur 
Pliny  (Fp.  10.  97)  says,  that  those  Chri*^ 
tiaiis  who  were  accused,  and  who,  t«in| 
Roman  citizens,  appealed  lo  C?sar,  he 
sent  to  Rome  to  .lo  tried.  The  reasoi, 
why  Paul  made  ibis  appeal  was,  ihal  he 
saw  that  justice  would  not  bo  done  him 
by  the  Koman  governor.  He  bad  beeP 
tried  by  Felix,  antl  justice  had  been  de 
nied  him.  and  he  was  dctiiined  a  pri^onei 


1.  D.  tJ2.J 


(rh AFTER  XXV 


325 


ap- 


may  deliver  me  unto  them 
peal  "■  unto  Cesar. 

12  Then  Festus,  when  he  had 
conferred  with  the  council,  answer- 
ed. Hast  thou  appealed  unto  Ce- 
sar 1  unto  Cesar  shalt  thou  go. 


m  violation  of  law,  to  gratify  the  Jews  ; 
ae  had  now  been  tried  by  Festus,  and 
mw  that  he  was  pursuing  the  same 
course;  and  he  resolved,  therefore,  to 
assert  his  rights,  and  remove  the  cause 
far  from  Jerusalem,  and  from  the  preju- 
diced men  in  that  city,  at  once  to  Rome. 
It  was  in  this  mysterious  way  that  Paul's 
long  cherished  desire  to  see  the  Roman 
church,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  there, 
Was  to  be  gratified.  Corap.  Note  on 
Rom.  i.  9 — 11.  For  this  he  had  prayed 
long  (Rom.  i.  10 ;  xv.  23,  24),  and  now  at 
I&ngth  this  purpose  was  to  be  fulfilled. 
God  answers  prayer ;  but  it  is  often  in  a 
Way  which  we  little  anticipate.  He  so 
orders  the  train  of  events  ;  he  so  places 
us  amidst  a  press  of  circumstances,  that 
the  desire  is  granted  in  a  way  which  we 
could  never  have  anticipated,  but  which 
shows  in  the  best  manner  that  he  is  a 
hearer  of  prayer. 

12.  When  he  had  conferred  with  the 
council.  With  his  associate  judges,  or 
with  those  who  were  his  counsellors  in 
the  administration  of  justice.  They  were 
made  up  of  the  chief  persons,  probably 
military  as  well  as  civil,  who  were  about 
him,  and  who  were  his  assistants  in  the 
administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  pro- 
vince. IF  Unto  Cesar  shalt  thou  go.  He 
was  willing  in  this  way  to  rid  himself 
of  this  trial,  and  of  the  vexation  attend- 
ing it.  He  did  not  dare  to  deliver  him 
to  the  Jews  in  violation  of  the  Roman 
laws  ;  and  he  was  not  willing  to  do  jus- 
tice to  Paul,  and  thus  make  himself  un- 
popular with  the  Jews.  He  was,  there- 
fore, probably  rejoiced  at  the  opportunity 
of  thus  freeing  himself  from  all  the  trou- 
ble in  the  case,  in  a  manner  against  which 
none  could  object. 

13.  And  after  certain  days,  king  Agrip- 
Da.  This  Agrippa  was  the  son  of  Herod 
Agrippa  (Acts  xii.  1),  and  great  grandson 
w  Herod  the  Great.  His  mother's  name 
was  Cypros.    Josephus'  Jewish  Wars,  b. 

i.  ch.  xi.  $  6.  When  his  father  died,  he 
was  at  Rome  with  the  emperor  Claudius 
.'^osephus  says  that  the  emperor  was  in- 
clined to  bestow  upon  him  all  his  father's 
dominions,  but  was  dissuaded  by  his  min- 
sters Tho  reason  of  this  was  that  it 
2  E 


13  And  after  certain  uajs,  king 
Agri)pa  and   Bernice    came   unta 

Cesarea,  to  salute  Festus. 

14  And  when  they  had  been 
there  many  days,  Festus  declared 
Paul's  cause  unto  the  king,  saying, 


was  thought  imprudent  to  bestow  so 
large  a  kingdom  on  so  young  a  man,  and 
onir  so  inexperienced.  Accordingly, 
Claudius  sent  Cuspius  Fadus  to  be  Pro- 
curator of  Judea,  and  of  the  entire  king- 
dom. Josephus'  Antiq.  b.  xix.  ch.  ix.  §  2. 
When  Herod,  the  brother  of  his  father 
Agrippa  the  Great,  died  in  the  eighth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Claudius,  his  king- 
dom — the  kingdom  of  Chalcis,  was  be- 
stowed by  Claudius  on  Agrippa.  Jose- 
phus' Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch.  v.  §  2.  Afterwards 
he  bestowed  on  him  the  tetrarchy  of 
Philip  and  Batanea,  and  added  to  it  Tra- 
chonitis  with  Abila.  Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch 
vii.  §  1.  After  the  death  of  Claudius, 
Nero  his  successor  added  to  his  domin- 
ions Julias  in  Perea,  and  a  part  of  Gali- 
lee. Agrippa  had  been  brought  up  at 
Rome ;  and  was  strongly  attached  to  the 
Ro.mans.  When  the  troubles  commenced 
in  Judea  vihich  ended  in  the  destruction 
«f  Jerusalem,  he  did  all  that  he  could  to 
preserve  peace  and  order,  but  in  vain 
He  afterwHds  joined  his  troops  with 
those  of  j^Hkmans,  and  assisted  them 
at  the  d^MH^ion  of  Jerusalejn.  After 
the  captivity  of  that  city,  he  went  to 
Rome  with  his  sister  Bernice,  where  he 
ended  his  days.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years,  about  A.  D.  90.  His  man 
ner  of  living  with  his  sister,  gave  occa- 
sion to  reports  respecting  him  very  little 
to  his  advantage.  IT  And  Bernice.  She 
v^s  sister  of  Agrippa.  She  had  been 
married  to  Herod,  king  of  Chalcis,  hei 
own  uncle  by  her  father's  side.  After 
his  death,  she  proposed  to  Polemon  king 
of  Pontus  and  part  of  Cilicia,  that  if  he 
would  become  circumcised  she  would 
marry  him.  He  complied,  but  she  did 
not  continue  long  with  him.  After  she 
left  him,  she  returned  to  her  brother 
Agrippa  with  whom  she  lived  m  a  man- 
ner such  as  to  excite  scandal.  Josephus 
directly  charges  ner  with  incest  with  her 
brother  Agrippa.  Antiq.  b.  xx.  ch.  vii. 
$3.  IT  To  salute  Festus.  To  show  hm> 
respect  is  the  governor  of  Judea. 

14.  Feztus  declared  Paul .<(  cause.  He 
did  this,  probably,  because  Agrippa  being 
a  Jew  vvould  be  supposed  to  be  interest 
cd  \is  *ho  casf>.     It  w.'is  ratural  tnat  thw 


THE  ACTS. 


[  A.  1>.  09 


There  is  a  certain  man  left  in  bonds 
by  Felix. 

15  About  'Aho'a,  when  "  I  was 
at  Jerusalem,  tl»e  chief  priests  and 
the  elders  of  the  Jews  informed 
me,  desiring  to  have  judgment 
against  him. 

IG  To  whom  I  answered,  It  is 
not  the  manner  of  the  Romans  to 
deliver  any  man  to  die,  beforj^^at 
he  which  is  accused  have  tnHpc- 
cusers  face  to  face,  and  have  li- 
cense  to   answer  for  himself  con- 

o  ver.2,3. 


trial  should  be  a  topic  of  conversation, 
and  perhaps  Festus  might  be  disposed  to 
ask  what  wan  proper  to  be  done  in  such 
cases.  IT  Jje/l  in  bonds.  Greek,  "  a 
prisoner."  iia-fno;.  He  was  left  in  custo- 
dy, probably  in  the  keepmg  of  a  soldier, 
ch.  xxiv.  2.3.  27. 

15  About  whom,  &c.  See  ver.  1—5 
H  7't»  have  judgment  against  him.  To 
huve  him  condemned. 

ir».  It  is  not  the  manner,  &c.  He  here 
states  the  reasons  which  he  gave  to  the 
.Jews  for  not  delivering  I'aul  into  their 
hands.  In  ver.  4,  5.  we  have  an  account 
of  the  fact  that  he  would  not  accede  to 
the  requests  of  the  Jews;  and  he  here 
fitates  that  the  reason  cf^i|||^usal  was, 
that  it  was  contrary  to  ^^^Bnan  law. 
Appian  in  liis  Roman  hil^UPKys,  "  it  is 
not  their  custom  to  condemn  men  before 
they  are  heard."  Plnlo  de  Prajsi.  Kom. 
says  the  same  thing.  In  U'acitus  (Annal. 
i.),  it  is  said,  "a  defendant  is  not  to  be 
iirohibit'id  from  adducing  all  tilings,  by 
ivhi<hhis  innocence  may  be  estabhsiied." 
't  was  for  this,  that  llie  equity  of  the 
Koman  jurisprudence  was  celebralfd 
throughout  the  world.  We  may  remark 
that  it  is  a  sulyect  of  sincere  gratitude  to 
the  (Jod  of  our  nation,  that  tiiis  privilege 
.8  enjoyed  in  the  higliest  perfection  in 
this  land.  It  is  the  privilege  of  every 
man  here  to  bo  heard ;  to  know  tlie 
charges  against  him;  to  he  confronted 
with  the  witnesses ;  to  make  his  delience  ; 
and  to  be  tried  by  the  laws,  and  not  by 
the  imssions  and  caprices  oimni.  In  this 
resjiect  our  jurisprudencte  surpasses  all 
that  Itonie  ever  cnjoye.1  ;  and  is  not  in- 
ferior to  that  of  the  most  favoured  nation 
of  the  ea:th.  IT  To  deliver.  To  give 
him  \)\\  as  1  favouf  (xxf.;^  .o-irai),  to  popu- 
lar claniitur  and  c-jpri< «(.  Yet  <iur  Sa- 
fioiif,  in  violation  of  the  Roman  laws,  was 
ih'jH  given    up   bv  ''-lalo.     Matt,   xxvii 


cerning    the     crime    laid    againsl 
him. 

17  Therefore  when  *  they  were 
come  hither,  without  any  delay  on 
the  morrow  I  sat  on  the  judgment- 
seat,  and  commanded  the  man  to  be 
brought  forth. 

18  Against  whom,  when  the 
accusers  stood  up,  they  brought 
none  accusation  of  such  tilings  as  1 
supposed : 

19  But  '^  had  certain  questions 
against  him  of  their  own  supersti- 


18 — 25.  H  Have  the  accusers  face  to  fact 
That  he  may  know  who  they  are,  and 
hear  their  accusations,  and  refute  them 
Nothing  contributes  more  to  justice  than 
tills.  Tyrants  suffer  men  to  be  accused 
without  knowing  who  the  accusers  are, 
and  without  an  opportunity  of  meeting 
the  charges.  It  is  one  great  principle  of 
modern  jurisprudence,  that  the  accused 
may  know  the  accusers,  and  be  permitted 
to  confront  the  witnesses,  and  adduce  all 
the  testimony  possible  in  his  own  de- 
fence. ^  And  have  license.  Greek, 'place 
of  apology,'  may  have  the  liberty  of  de- 
fending himself 

17.  Therefore  when  (hey  were  come 
hither,  &c.     See  ver.  6. 

18.  None  accusation,  &c.  No  charge  as 
I  expected  of  a  breach  of  tiie  peace  ;  of 
a  violation  of  the  Roman  law ;  of  atro- 
cious crime.  It  was  natural  that  Festus 
should  suppose  that  they  would  accuse 
Paul  of  some  such  offence.  lie  had  been 
arraigned  before  Felix  ;  had  been  two 
years  in  custody  ;  and  the  Jews  were  ex- 
ceedingly violent  against  him.  All  this, 
Festus  would  presume,  must  have  ari.sen 
from  some  flagrant  and  open  violation  of 
the  laws. 

ly.  But  had  certain  qiiestiojts.  Certain 
inquiries,  or  litigated  and  disputed  sub- 
jects ;  certain  points  of  dispute  in  which 
tiiey  differed.  z^itifiaTHTivx.  H  Of  their 
own  sujierstilion.  &'-i<rt^xifiov!ui.  This 
word  properly  denotes  the  worship,  oi 
fear  of  demons ;  but  was  applied  by  the 
Greeks  and  Romans  to  the  worship  of 
their  gods.  It  is  the  same  word  whith  it 
used  in  Acts  xvii.  22.  where  it  is  used  mo 
good  senr**:.  See  Note  on  that  place 
Tliero  are  two  reasons  fiir  thinking  thai 
Festus  used  the  word  horc  in  a  good  sen.se, 
and  not  in  the  sense  in  which  v\e  use  the 
word  KUi)erKtition.  (1./  It  was  the  v  ord 
by  whicli  the  worship  of  the  Greeks  and 


.4.  D.  62. 


(CHAPTER  X.XV 


32- 


tioi ,  and  of  one  Jesus,  which  was 
dead,  whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be 
alive. 

20  And  because  '  I  doubted  of 
such  manner  of  questions,  I  asked 
kirn  whether  he  would  go  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  there  be  judged  of  these 
matters. 

21  But  when  Paul  had  appealed 
to  be  reserved  unto  the  ^  hearing 
of  Augustus,  I  commanded  him  to 
be  kept  till  I  might  send  him  to 
Oesar. 

»  or,  I  too*  doubtful  how  to  inquire  hereof.         *  or, 
udgmetit. 


Romans,  and,  therefore,  of  Festus  him- 
jelf,  was  denoted,  and  he  would  naturally 
ise  it  in  a  similar  sense  in  applying  it  to 
the  Jews.  He  would  wish  simply  to  de- 
(cribe  their  worship  in  such  language  as 
le  was  accustomed  to  use  when  speaking 
)f  religion.  (2.)  He  knew  that  Agrippa 
\'as  a  Jew.  Festus  would  not  probably 
ipeak  of  the  religion  of  his  royal  guest  as 
mperstUion,  but  would  speak  of  it  with 
espect.  He  meant,  therefore,  to  say 
♦imply,  that  they  had  certain  inquiries 
bout  their  own  religion  ;  but  accused 
dm  of  no  crime  against  the  Roman  laws. 
f  And  of  one  Jesus,  which  was  dead.  Gr. 
Of  one  dead  Jesus.'  It  is  evident  that 
•  estus  had  no  belief  that  Jesus  had  been 
aised  up ;  and  in  this  he  would  expect 
hat  Agrippa  would  concur  with  him. 
Paul  had  admitted  that  Jesus  had  been 
put  to  death;  but  he  maintained  that  he 
had  been  raised  from  the  dead.  As  Fes- 
tus did  not  believe  this,  he  spoke  of  it 
with  the  utmost  contempt.  '  They  had  a 
dispute-  about  one  dead  Jesus,  whom 
Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive.'  In  this  man- 
ner a  Roman  magistrate  could  speak  of 
the  glorious  truth  of  the  Christian  reli- 
arion;  and  this  shows  the  spirit  with  which 
the  great  mass  of  philosophers  and  states- 
men regarded  its  doctrines. 

20.  A?id  because  I  doubted  of  such  man- 
ner of  questions.  See  the  margin.  Be- 
cause I  hesitated  about  the  right  way  of 
disposing  of  them ;  because  1  was  igno- 
rant of  their  nature  and  bearing,  I  pro- 
posed to  go  to  Jerusalem,  that  the  matter 
might  be  there  rno/e  ful.y  investigated. 
{t  is  obvious,  that  if  Paul  was  not  found 
guilty  of  any  violation  of  the  laws,  he 
should  have  been  at  once  discharged. 
Some  interpreters  understand  this  as  af- 
'irmingthat  he  was  not  satisfied  about  tlie 
question  of  Paul  s  innocence,  or  certain 
'jhethej  he  ought  to  be  set  at  libertv  or  not. 


22  Then  Agrippa  said  unco  Fes- 
tus, I  would  also  hear  the  man  my 
self.  To-morrow,  said  he,  the  u  shalJ 
hear  him. 

23  And  on  the  morrow,  when 
Ao-rippa  was  come,  and  Bernice, 
with  great  "  pomp,  and  was  entered 
into  the  place  of  hearing,  with  the 
chief  captains,  and  principal  men 
of  the  city,  at  Festus'  command- 
ment Paul  *  was  brought  forth. 

24  And  Festus  said.  King  Agrip- 
pa, and    all   men  wiiich    are  here 

o  Ezek.7.24.  b  c.9.15. 

21.  But  v:hen  he  had  appealed,  ver.  II. 
T  To  be  reserved.  To  be  kept;  not  to  be 
tried  at  Jerusalem,  but  to  be  sent  to  Rome 
for  trial.  H  Unto  the  hearing.  Margm,  "  the 
judgment."  That  Augustus  might  hear 
and  decide  the  cause.  H  Of  Augustus. 
The  reigning  emperor  at  this  time  was 
Nero.  The  name  Augustus  (^ii.-iTTOi) 
properly  denotes  that  which  is  vener- 
able, or  worthy  of  honour  and  reverence. 
It  was  first  applied  to  Cesar  Octavia- 
nus,  who  was  the  Roman  emperor  in  the 
time  when  our  Saviour  was  born,  and 
who  is  usually  called  Augustus  Cesar 
But  the  title  continued  to  be  useil  of  hia 
successors  hi  office,  as  denoting  the  vene- 
ration or  reverence  which  was  due  to  the 
rank  of  emperor. 

22.  The?i  Agrippa  said,  &c.  Agrippa 
doubtless  had  heard  much  of  the  fame 
of  Jesus,  and  of  the  new  sect  of  Chris 
tians ;  and  probably  he  was  induced  by 
mere  curiosity  to  hear  what  Paul  could 
say  in  explanation  and  defence  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christianity.  This  wish  of 
Agrippa  gave  occasion  to  the  noblest  de- 
fence which  was  ever  made  before  any 
tribunal,  and  to  as  splendid  eloquence  as 
can  be  found  any  where  in  any  language 
See  ch.  xxvi. 

23.  With  great  pomp.  Gr.  "  With  much 
phantasy"  (cpavTacrt;*?) ;  with  much  show, 
parade,  and  splendour.  It  was  an  occa- 
sion on  which  he  could  exhibit  much  of 
the  splendour  of  royalty,  and  he  chose  to 
do  it.  IT  Into  the  place  of  hearing.  The 
court-room ;  or  the  place  where  the  judges 
heard  and  tried  causes.  S  V/ith  the  chief 
captains.  Gr.  The  chi.jarchs  ;  the  com- 
manders of  a  thousand  men.  It  means 
here,  that  the  military  officers  were  as- 
sembled IT  The  principal  men  of  (he 
city.  The  civil  officers,  or  the  men  of 
reputation  and  influence- 

24.  Have  dealt  with  me.  Have  appeart» 


328 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  U.  6i 


pieseut  with  us:,  ye  see  this  man, 
about  whom  all  "  the  multitude  of 
the  Jews  have  dealt  vith  me,  both 
at  Jerusalem,  and  alau  here,  crying- 
that  *  he  ouo-ht  not  to  live  any 
longer. 

25  But  when  1  found  that  he  had 
committed  nothing  '=  worthy  of 
death,  and  t'iiat  he  himself  hath 
appealed  '^  to  Augustus,  I  have  de- 
termined to  send  liim. 

■  ver.3,7.  b  c.22.22.  c  c.23.9,29;  26.3  , 

iver.1',12. 

before  me,  desiring  nie  to  try  him.  They 
have  urged  me  to  condemn  him,  IT  Cri/- 
ivff  out,  &c.  Comp.  eh.  xxii.  22.  They 
liad  sought  that  he  should  be  put  to  death. 

2G.  Of  whom.  Respecting  his  charac- 
ter, opinions,  manner  of  life ;  and  re- 
specting tlie  charges  agamst  him.  IT  A^o 
certain  thing.  Nothing  definite,  and  well 
established.  They  had  not  accused  Paul 
of  any  crime  against  the  Roman  laws  ; 
and  Festus  professes  himself  too  ignorant 
of  the  customs  of  the  Jews  to  inform  the 
emperor  distinctly  of  the  nature  of  the 
charges,  and  the  subject  of  trial.  1i  Unto 
my  Lord.  To  the  emperor ;  to  Cesar. 
This  name  Lord,  the  emperors  Augustus 
and  Tiberius  had  rejected,  and  would 
not  suffer  it  to  be  applied  to  them.  Sue- 
tonius (Life  of  Augustus,  v.  53.)  says  "  the 
appellation  of  Lord  he  always  abhorred 
as  alx)minable  and  execrable."  See  also 
Suetonius'  Lite  of  Tiberius,  v.  27.  The 
emperoi^  that  succeeded  them,  however, 
admitted  the  title,  and  suffered  themselves 
to  be  called  by  this  name.  Nothing  would 
be  more  satisfactory  to  Nero,  the  reigning 
emoeror,  than  this  title.  IT  I  might  have 
somewhat  to  ivnte.  As  Agrippa  was  a  Jew, 
and  was  acquainted  with  the  customs  and 
doctrine  of  the  Jews,  Festus  supposed  that 
after  hearing  Paul,  he  would  be  ai)le  to 
infjrm  him  of  the  exact  nature  of  these 
charges,  so  that  he  could  present  the  case 
intelligibly  to  the  emperor. 

27.  For  it  scemeth  to  me  unreasonahle. 
Festus  felt  that  he  was  placed  in  an  em- 
barrassing situation,  lie  was  about  to  send 
a  j)riHOMor  to  Rome  to  be  tried,  who  had 
been  tried  by  himself,  and  who  had  ap- 
pealed from  his  jtiri-sdiction  ;  and  yet  he 
was  Ignorant  of  the  charges  against  him, 
and  of  the  nature  of  his  oflences,  if  any 
had  been  conunitiod.  When  prisoners 
were  thus  setU  to  Rome  to  be  tried  be/Jire 
the  emperor,  it  would  ho  proper  that  the 
chargesshoiild  !)e  nil  spcf  ificd.and  thcevi- 
dence  utaled  bv  wiil'.ti  Ihcn  wore  Hii)ii)orl- 


26  Of  whom  1  have  no  certain 
ihinG^  to  write  unto  my  lord.  Where- 
fore thave  brought  him  forth  before 
you,  and  specially  before  thee,  O 
kiuir  Agrippa,  that,  after  examina- 
tion had,  1  might  have  somewhat  to 
write. 

27  For  « it  seemeth  to  me  utirea 
sonable,  to  send  a  prisoner,  and  not 
withal  to  signify  the  crimes  laid 
against  him. 

e  Prov.lS.13.  Jiio.7.51. 


ed.  Vet  Fes'.us  could  do  neither  ;  and  it 
is  not  wonderful  that  he  felt  himself  per- 
plexed and  embarrassed ;  and  that  ho 
was  glad  to  avail  himself  of  the  desire 
which  Agrippa  had  expressed  to  hear 
Paul,  that  he  might  be  able  to  specify 
the  charges  against  him.  IT  Withal.  Also; 
at  the  same  time.  IT  To  signify.  To  spe- 
cify, or  make  them  know,  hi  concluding 
this  chapter,  we  may  observe: 

(1.)  That  in  the  case  of  Agrippa,  we 
have  an  instance  of  the  reasons  which 
induce  many  men  to  hear  the  gospel. 
He  had  no  belief  in  it ;  he  had  no  con- 
cern for  its  truth  or  its  promises ;  but  he 
was  led  by  curiosity  to  desire  to  hear  the 
minister  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Curi 
osity  thus  draws  multitudes  to  the  sane 
tuary.  In  many  instances,  they  remain 
unaffected  and  unconcerned  in  regard  tn 
its  provisions  of  mercy.  They  listen,  and 
are  unmoved,  and  die  in  their  suis.  In 
many  instances,  like  Agrii>pa,  they  are 
almost  persuadeil  to  be  Christians,  oh. 
xxvi.  28.  Rut,  like  him,  they  resist  the 
appeals  ;  and  die  uninterested  in  the  plan 
of  salvation.  In  some  instances,  they  are 
converted ;  and  their  curiosity,  like  thai 
of  Zaccheus,  is  made  the  means  of  theii 
embracing  the  Saviour.  Luke  xix.  1 — 9 
Whatever  may  he  the  motive  which  in 
duces  men  to  dcMre  to  hear,  it  is  tlieduty 
of  the  ministry  cheerfully  and  thankfujly 
like  Paul,  to  state  the  truth,  and  to  defend 
the  Christian  religion. 

(2.)  In  F'estus  we  have  a  specimen  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  great  men,  and 
the  rich,  and  the  proud,  iisimllv  regard 
Christianity.  They  esteem  it  to  be  a  siih- 
ject  of  inquiry,  in  which  they  have  no 
interest ;  a  question  about  "  one  dead  Je- 
sus," whom  Christians  afnrm  to  be  alive 
Whether  he  be  alive  or  not;  whether 
Chri.'^lianily  be  true  or  false,  ttiey  sup[Mm«f 
is  an  inquiry  whi<h  <ioos  not  pertain  to 
thom.  Strange  that  it  did  not  occur  to 
Fe.stus  that  il  ht^  was  alivo  h.*  re  igitr 


\.  D.  62.] 


CHAPTER  XX Y I. 


32b 


CHAPTER  XXV]. 

THEN  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul, 
Thou  art  permitted  to  speak  for 
thyself.  Then  Paul  stretched  forth 
the  hand,  and  answered  for  him- 
self: 


was  true ;  and  thll^it  was  possible  that 
t  might  be  from  God.  And  strange  that 
tbc  men  of  this  world  regard  the  Chris- 
tian religion  as  a  subject  in  which  (hey 
nav3  no  personal  interest,  but  as  one  con- 
cerning which  Christians  only  should  in- 
quire, and  in  which  they  alone  should  fee 
any  concern. 

(3.)  In  Paul  we  have  the  example  of  a 
roan  unlike  both  Festus  and  Agrippa. 
He  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  subject — a 
subject  which  pertained  as  much  to  them 
as  to  him.  He  was  willing  not  only  to 
look  at  it  with  curiosity,  but  to  stake  his 
life,  his  reputation,  his  all,  on  its  truth. 
He  was  willing  to  defend  it  every  where, 
and  before  any  class  of  men.  At  the 
same  time  that  he  urged  his  rights  as  a 
Roman  citizen,  yet  it  was  mainly  that  he 
might  preach  the  gospel.  At  the  same 
time  that  he  was  anxious  to  secure  justice 
to  himself,  yet  his  chief  anxiety  was  to 
declare  the  truth  of  God.  Before  any 
tribunal ;  before  any  class  of  men ,  in  the 
presence  of  princes,  nobles,  and  kings ; 
f  Romans  and  of  Jews,  he  was  ready  to 
pour  forth  irresistible  eloquence  and  ar- 
gument in  defence  of  th^  truth.  Who 
would  not  rather  be  Paul  than  either 
Festus  or  Agrippa  ?  Who  would  not 
rather  be  a  prisoner  like  him,  than  invest- 
ed with  authority  like  Festus,  or  clothed 
in  splendour  like  Agrippa  ?  And  who 
would  not  rather  be  an  honest  and  cordial 
believer  of  the  gospel  like  Paul,  than,  like 
them,  to  be  cold  contemners  or  neglecters 
of  the  God  that  made  them,  and  of  the 
Saviour  that  died,  and  rose  asain. 
CHAPTER  XXVI. 
1.  TTien  Paul  stretched  forth  the  hand. 
See  Note,  ch.  xxi.  40.  This  was  the  usual 
posture  of  orators  or  public  speakers. 
The  ancient  statues  are  commonly  made 
m  this  way,  with  the  right  hand  extended. 
The  dress  of  the  ancients  favoured  this. 
The  long  and  loose  robe,  or  outer  gar- 
ment, was  fastened  usually  with  a  hook 
or  clasp  on  the  right  shoulder,  and  thus 
left  the  arm  at  full  liberty.  IT  And  an- 
swered for  himself  It  cannot  be  sup- 
posed that  Paul  expected  that  his  defence 
would  be  attended  with  a  release  from 
confinement ;  for  he  had  himself  appeal- 
ed to  the  Roman  emperor,  ch.  xxv.  11. 
This  design  in  speaking  before  Agrippa 
3  B  2 


3  I   think   myself  happy,   king 
Agrippa,    because  I    shall  answer 
for   myself  this    day  before   thee, 
touching  all  the  things  whereof 
am  accused  of  the  Jews  : 

3  Especially,  because  I  know  thee 


was,  doubtless,  (1.)  To  vindicate  his  cha 
racter,  and  obtain  Agrippa's  attestation  to 
his  innocence,  that  thus  he  might  allay 
the  anger  of  the  Jews;  (2.)  To  obtain  a 
correct  representation  of  the  case  to  the 
emperor,  as  Festus  had  desired  this  in 
order  that  Agrippa  might  enable  him  to 
make  a  fair  statement  of  the  case  (ch. 
xxv.  26,  27; ;  and,  (3.)  To  defend  his  own 
conversion,  and  the  truth  of  Christianity, 
and  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  hearing 
of  Agrippa  and  the  attendants,  with  a 
hope  that  their  minds  might  be  improved 
by  the  truth,  and  that  they  might  be  con- 
verted to  God. 

2.  /  think  myself  happy.  I  esteem  it 
a  favour  and  a  privilege  to  be  permitted 
to  make  my  defence  before  one  acquaint- 
ed with  Jewish  customs  and  opinions. 
His  defence,  on  former  occasions,  had 
been  before  Roma?i  magistrates,  Avho  had 
little  acquaintance  with  the  opinions  and 
customs  of  the  Jews,  who  were  not  di.s« 
posed  to  hsten  to  the  discussion  of  the 
points  of  difference  between  him  and 
them,  and  who  looked  upon  all  their 
controversies  vi'ith  contempt.  See  ch. 
xxiv.  xxv.  They  were,  therefore,  little 
qualified  to  decide  a  question  which  was 
closely  connected  with  the  Jewish  cus- 
toms and  doctrines;  and  Paul  now  re- 
joiced to  know  that  he  was  before  one 
who,  from  his  acquaintance  with  the 
Jewish  customs  and  belief  would  be  able 
to  appreciate  his  arguments  and  motives. 
Paul  was  not  now  on  his  trial ;  but  ha 
was  to  defend  himself,  or  state  his  cause 
so  that  Agrippa  might  be  able  to  aid 
Festus  in  transmitting  a  true  account  of 
the  case  to  the  Roman  emperor.  It  was 
his  interest  and  duty,  therefore,  to  defend 
himself  as  well  as  possible ;  and  to  put 
him  in  possession  of  all  the  facts  in  tiie 
case.  His  defence  is,  consequently,  made 
up  chiefly  of  a  most  eloquent  statement 
of  the  facts  just  as  they  had  occurred. 
^  I  shall  ansiver.  I  shall  be  permitted  to 
make  a  statement,  or  to  defend  myself 
IF  Touching,  &c.  Respecting.  IT  Where 
of  I  am  accused  of  the  Jems.  By  the 
Jews.  The  matters  of  the  accusation 
were,  his  being  a  mover  of  sedition,  « 
ringleader  of  the  Christians,  and  a  pro 
faner  of  the  temple,  ch.  xxiv.  5,  6. 
3    To  he  expext.    To  be  skilled,  or  vreU 


i30 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  O.  02 


to  be  e;  pert  "in  all  customs  and 
qnestions  which  are  among  the 
Jews:  wherefore  I  heseech  thee  to 
hear  *  me  patiently. 

4  My  manner  of  life  from  my 
y  juth,  vvlilch  was  at  the  first  among 
mine    own    nation    at    Jerusalem, 

•  Deul. 17.18  fcc.24.4.  c2Tini.3.H0. 

icquainted.  IT  In  all  customs.  Rites,  in- 
Btitutions,  laws,  &c.  Every  thing  per- 
taining to  the  Mosaic  ritual,  <i:c.  IT  Arid 
qitesiioris.  Subjects  of  debate,  and  of 
various  opinions.  The  inquiries  which 
had  existed  between  the  Pharisees,  Sad- 
ducees,  scribes,  &,c.  Paul  could  say  this 
of  Agrippa  without  falsehood  or  flattery. 
Agrip[)a  was  a  Jew ;  and  had  pa.'^sed 
much  of  his  time  in  the  kingdom  over 
which  he  presided ;  and  tliough  he  had 
passed  the  early  part  of  his  life  chiefly 
at  Rome,  yet  it  was  natural  that  he  should 
make  himself  acquainted  with  the  reli- 
gion of  iiis  lathers.  Paul  did  not  know 
now  to  flatter  men ;  but  he  was  not  un- 
wiUing  to  state  the  simple  truth,  and  to 
commend  men  as  far  as  truth  would 
permit.  IT  Where/ore.  On  this  account; 
because  you  are  acquainted  with  those 
customs.  The  Romans,  who  regarded 
those  customs  as  superstitious,  and  those 
questions  as  matters  to  be  treated  with 
contempt,  could  not  listen  to  their  dis- 
cussion with  patience.  Agrippa,  wiio 
knew  their  real  importance,  v.'ould  be  dis- 
posed to  lend  to  all  inquiries  respecting 
them  a  patient  attention. 

4.  My  manner  of  life.  My  opinions, 
principles,  and  conduct.  ^  From  my 
youth.  Paul  wa.s  born  in  Tarsus  ;  but  at 
an  early  period  he  had  been  sent  to  Je- 
rusalem for  the  purfxise  of  education 
in  the  school  of  Gamahel.  on-  x.xii.  3. 
f  Wliich  was  at  the  first.  Which  was 
from  the  l>cginniiig ;  the  early  part  of 
which  ;  the  time  when  ihe  opmions  and 
hal)it3  are  formed.  II  Know  all  the  Jews. 
It  is  not  at  all  improbable  that  Paul  was 
ihatinguished  in  the  school  of  Gamaliel 
for  zeal  in  the  Jewish  religion.  The 
fact  that  he  was  early  intrusted  with  a 
cocimisHion  against  the  Christians  (ch.  ix.), 
shows  that  he  was  known.  Comp.  Phil, 
iii. 4  —0.  lie  migh<  ;ippoal  to  them,  there- 
fore, in  rceard  to  the  early  part  of  his  life; 
Sirid,  doubtlc.s.«f,  to  the  very  men  who  had 
been  his  violent  accusora. 

5.  Which  hneu)  me.  Who  were  well 
acquainted  with  me.  IT  From  the  l>epin- 
uiui^.  ''Av:«5iv.  Formf-rly ;  or  from  the 
wry  commons  emeiU  of  my  career.    Who 


know  all  the  Jews  ; 

5  Which  kirew  me  from  the  bft 
ginning,  if  they  would  testify,  that 
after  the  most  straitest  sect  of  oui 
religion,  I  lived  a  Pharisee.  * 

6  And  now  *  I  stand  and  am 
judged  for  the  j^e  of  the  pro- 

d  c.23.3.  FbihiV        e  c.23.6. 


were  perfectly  apprized  of  my  whole 
course.  IT  If  tney  would  testify.  If  thoy 
would  bear  witness  to  what  they  knew. 
^  That  after  the  most  straitest.  'J'he  moat 
rigid  ;  the  most  strict ;  not  only  in  regard 
to  the  w  ritten  law  of  God,  but  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  elders.  Paul  himself  else- 
where testifies  (Phil.  iii.  4 — 6),  that  he 
had  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  of  birth 
and  training  in  the  Jewish  religion,  and 
that  he  had  early  distinguished  himself 
by  his  observance  of  its  rites  and  ens 
toms.  H  Sect.  Division,  or  party.  IT  1 
lived  a  Pharisee.  I  lived  in  accordance 
with  the  rules  and  doctrines  of  the  Phan 
sees.  See  Note,  Matt.  iii.  7.  The  rea 
sons  why  Paul  here  refers  to  his  early 
life  are,  (1.)  As  he  had  lived  during  the 
early  period  of  his  life  without  crime;  as 
his  principles  had  been  settled  by  the 
instruction  of  the  most  able  of  their 
teachers,  it  was  to  be  presumed  that  his 
subsequent  life  had  been  of  a  similar 
character.  (2.)  As  he,  at  that  period  of 
his  life,  evinced  the  utmost  zcai  for  the 
laws  and  customs  of  his  country',  it  waa 
to  be  presumed  that  ho  would  not  be 
found  opposing  or  reviling  them  at  any 
subsequent  period.  From  the  strictness 
and  conscientiousness  of  his  past  life,  he 
supposed  that  Agrippa  might  argue  fa- 
vourably respecting  his  subsequent  con- 
duct A  virtuous  and  religious  course 
in  early  life  is  usually  a  sure  pledge  of 
virtue  and  integrity  in  subsequent  years 
fi.  And  now  I  stand.  I  stand  before  the 
tril)unal.  I  am  arraigned.  IT  And  am 
pidged.  Am  tried  with  reference  to  be- 
ing judged.  I  am  undergoing  a  ^noi  on 
the  point  in  which  all  my  nation  are 
agreed.  H  For  the  hope.  On  account  of 
the  hope ;  or  because,  in  common  with 
my  countrymen.  I  had  enlertninrd  this 
hope,  and  now  iielieve  in  its  fulfilment. 
IT  Of  the  promise,  ii:c.  See  the  roferencet 
in  the  margin.  It  is  not  quite  certain 
whether  Paul  refers  here  to  the  promise 
of  tiie  Messiah,  or  to  the  hope  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead.  Whr-n  he  stood 
before  the  Jewisli  Kanhcdrim  (ch.  xxiii. 
r>),  lie  said  that  he  was  called  in  ques- 
tion on  account  ol  noldintj  Uio  doctrine 


\.  D.  62.] 


raise  *  made  of  God  unto  our 
thers : 

■  7  Unto  which  promise  our  twelve 
tribes,  instantly  serving  '>  God  '  day 

o  Gen  3.15;  22.13-  49.10.  Deut.18.I5.  2Sam.7.!2.  P.s. 
132.11.  Isa.4.2,  "  If  9.6/  Jer.23. 5;  33.14-16.  Ezek.34. 
83.  D»n.9.24.  Mic.7.20.  Zech.l3  1,7.  Mal.3.1.  c.13.32. 
Gal.4.4. 

• m 

yt  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  But  it 
nay  be  observed,  that  in  Paul's  view, 
the  two  things  were  closely  united.  He 
hoped  that  the  Messiah  would  come,  and 
he  hoped  tJierefore  for  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  He  believed  that  he  had 
come,  and  had  risen;  and  therefore  he 
believed  that  the  dead  would  rise.  He 
argued  the  one  from  the  other.  And  as 
he  believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah, 
and  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  and 
had  thus  furnished  a  demonstration  that 
the  dead  would  rise,  it  was  evident  that 
the  subject  of  controversy  between  him 
and  the  Jews  involved  every  thing  that 
was  vital  to  their  opinions  and  their 
iiopes.  See  ver.  8.  IT  Made  of  God. 
Made  by  God.  See  the  marginal  re- 
ferences. The  promises  had  been  made 
to  the  fathers  of  a  Messiah  to  come,  and 
that  embraced  the  promise  of  a  future 
state,  or  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
It  will  help  us  to  understand  the  stress 
which  Paul  and  the  other  apos'^les  laid 
on  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrect'on  of  the 
dead,  to  remember  that  it  involved  the 
whole  doctrine  of  the  separate  existence 
of  the  soul,  and  of  a  future  state.  The 
Sadducees  denied  all  this;  and  when  the 
Pharisees,  the  Saviour,  and  the  apostles 
opposed  them,  they  did  it  by  showing  that 
there  would  be  a  future  state  of  rewards 
and  punishments.  See  the  argument  of 
the  Saviour  with  the  Sadducees  explain- 
ed in  the  Notes.Matt.xxii.  23-32.11  Unto 
our  fathers.  Our  ancestors,  the  patri- 
archs, &c. 

7.  Unto  which  promise.  To  the  fulfil- 
ment of  which  promise,  they  hope  to 
come  :  i.  e.  they  hope  and  believe  that 
the  promise  will  be  fulfilled,  and  that 
they  will  partake  ot  ite  benefits.  IT  Our 
twelve  tribes.  This  was  the  name  by 
which  the  Jews  were  designated.  The 
ancient  Jewish  nation  had  hoped  to  come 
to  that  promise;  it  had  been  the  hope 
and  expectation  of  th^  nation.  Long 
before  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  ten 
of  the  twelve  tribes  had  been  carried 
captive  to  Assyria,  and  had  not  returned, 
leaving  but  the  two  tribes  of  Benjamin 
and  Judah.  But  the  name,  •  the  twelve 
*ribes,'  to  designate  the  Jewish  people 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

fa 


331 


and  night,  hope  to  come.  Foi 
Vv^hich  hope's  sake,  king  Agrippa, 
I  am  accused  of  the  Jews. 

8  Why  "=  should  it  be  thought  a 

b  Luke  2.37.  lThess.3.10  i  nigM  diui  iea) 

e  lCor.15.12,20. 


would  be  still  retained.  Comp,  Jarneg  i 
1.  Paul  here  says  that  the  hope  had 
been  that  of  the  Jewish  nation.  Except 
the  comparatively  small  portion  of  the 
Sadducees,  the  great  mass  of  the  iiatioi 
had  held  to  the  doctrine  of  a  future  state. 
This  Agrippa  would  well  know.  ^  In- 
s!antli/.  Constantly  ;  ivith  intensity  ;  with 
an  eflbrt  (sv  (/.Tivix);  with  zeal.  This 
was  true  ;  for  amidst  all  the  sins  of  the 
nation,  they  observed  with  punctuality 
and  zeal  the  outward  forms  of  the  wor- 
ship of  God.  ^  Serving  God.  In  the  - 
ordinances  and  observances  of  the  tem- 
ple. As  a  nation,  they  did  not  serve  him 
in  their  hearts  ;  but  they  kept  up  the  out- 
ward form  of  religious  worship.  II  Day 
and  night.  With  unwearied  zeal ;  with 
constancy  and  ardour.  Luke  ii.  37.  The 
ordinay  J:>''vish  services  and  sacrifices 
were  in  the  morning  and  evening,  and 
might,  be  said  lo  be  performed  day  and 
nig'ni-  Some  t.i  their  services,  as  the 
paschal  supper,  were  prolonged  usually 
till  late  at  night.  The  main  idea  is,  that 
they  kept  up  the  worship  of  God  with 
constant  and  untiring  zeal  and  devotion. 
IT  For  v:hich  hope's  sake.  On  account  of 
my  cherishing  this  hope  in  common  with 
the  great  mass  of  my  countrymen.  See 
ch.  xxiii.  6.  If  Paul  could  convince 
Agrippa  that  the  main  point  of  his  of- 
fence was  that  which  had  been  the 
common  belief  of  his  countrymen,  it 
would  show  to  his  satisfaction  that  he 
was  innocent.  And  on  this  ground  Paul 
put  his  defence ;  thai  he  held  only  that 
which  the  mdfc-of  the  nation  had  believ- 
ed ;  and  that  he  maintained  this  in  the 
only  consistent  and  defensible  manner — 
that  God  had,  in  fact,  raised  up  the  Mes- 
siah, and  had  thus  given  assurance  that 
the  dead  should  rise. 

8.  Why  should  it  be  thought,  &c.  The 
force  of  this  question  w'ill  be  better  seen 
by  an  exclamation  point  after  v>hy  (t<'> 
'  What !  is  it  to  be  thought  a  thing  in 
credible  ?'  &;c.  It  intimates  surprise  tha» 
it  should  be  thought  incredible ;  or  im 
plies  that  no  reason  could  be  given  whj 
such  a  doctrine  should  be  unworthy  of 
belief  IT  A  thing  incredible.  A  doctrine 
which  cannot  be  credited  or  believed 


3S 


'JTIE  ACTS. 


LA.  D.  62 


thi'  f^  incredible  with  you,  that  God 
shruid  raise  the  dead  1 

9  1"  verily  thought  with  niysplf, 
that  I  ought  to  do  many  things 
conti-ary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth. 

a  lTiin.1.13. 


Why  should  it  be  regarded  as  absurd. 
!:  \Vi(i\  you.  This  is  in  the  plural  num- 
ber ;  and  it  is  evident  that  Paul  here  ad- 
dressed not  Agrippa  alone,  but  those  who 
were  with  him.  There  is  no  evidence 
that  Agrippa  doubted  that  the  dead  could 
be  raised ;  but  Festus,  and  those  who 
were  with  him,  probably  did  ;  and  Paul, 
in  the  ardour  of"  his  speech,  turned  and 
addressed  the  entire  assembly.-  It  is  very 
evident  that  we  have  only  an  outline  of 
this  argument,  and  there  is  every  reason 
to  suppose  that  Paul  would  dwell  on 
*  each  part  of  the  subject  at  greater  length 
than  is  here  recorded.  IT  'Fliat  God  should 
raise  the  dead.  Why  should  it  be  re- 
garded as  absurd  that  God — who  has  all 
poner;  who  was  the  creator  of  all ;  who 
was  the  author  of  the  human  frame — 
should  again  restore  man  to  life,  and  con- 
tinue his  future  existence.  The  resur- 
rection is  no  more  incredible  than  the 
original  creation  of  the  human  body,  and 
it  is  attended  with  no  greater  difficulti'^s. 
And  as  the  perfection's  of  God  will  be 
illustrated  by  his  raising  up  the  dead  ;  as 
the  future  state  is  necessary  to  the  pur- 
poses of  justice  in  vindicating  the  just, 
and  punishing  the  unjusf ;  and  as  God  is 
a  righteous  moral  governor,  it  should  not 
be  regarded  as  an  absurdity  that  he  will 
raise  up  those  who  have  died,  and  bring 
them  to  judgment. 

9.  I  verily  thought.  I  indeed  (m'iv^  sup- 
posed. Paul  here  commences  the  ac- 
count of  his  conversion,  and  states  the 
evidence  on  which  he  judged  that  he 
was  called  of  God  to  t^what  he  had 
done.  He  begins  +)y  s^ffig  that  it  was 
not  because  he  was  originally  disposed 
to  be  a  Christian,  but  that  he  was  vio- 
lently and  conscientiously  opposed  to  Je- 
5iiis  of  Nazareth,  and  had  been  converted 
when  in  the  lull  career  of  opposition  to 
him  and  his  cause  IT  With  miiHvlf.  1 
thought  to  myself;  or,  I  myself  thought. 
He  liad  before  stated  the  hojKJS  and  ex- 
pectations of  his  countrymen,  ver.  C — 8. 
lie  .row  Bponks  of  his  own  views  and 
nurr>o«es.  '  p'->r  myself.  I  thought,'  <fec 
tI  'Ihat  I  ought  to  do.  That  I  was  tMiund, 
UT  that  it  was  n  duty  incumlK'nt  on  me. 
A»iv.  'I  thought  that  I  uwcti  it  to  my 
«)untrv,  to  my  religion,  and  to  my  f  jod 


10  Which  thing  1  also  did  in  ' 
Jerusalem  :  and  many  of  the  saints 
did  I  shut  up  in  prison,  having  re 
ceived  authority  '^  from  the  cliiel 
priests  ;  and  when  they  were  put  tc 
death,  I  gave  my  voice  againat  them. 

&C.8  3.  Gal.l.l3.  cc.19.14. 


to  oppose  in  ^ery  manner  the  claims  of 
Jesus  of  Is'azarelh  to  be  the  Messiah. 
We  here  see  that  Paul  was  conscientious, 
and  that  a  man  may  be  conscientioui 
even  when  engaged  in  enormous  wick- 
edness. It  is  no  evidence  that  a  man  ia 
right  because  he  is  conscientious.  No 
small  part  of  the  crimes  against  human 
laws,  and  almost  all  the  cruel  persecu- 
tions against  Christians,  have  been  car- 
ried on  under  the  plea  of  conscience, 
Paul  here  refers  to  his  conscientiousness 
in  persecution,  to  show  that  it  was  no 
slight  matter  which  could  have  changed 
his  course.  As  he  was  governed  in  per 
secution  by  conscience,  it  could  have 
been  only  by  a  force  of  demonstration, 
and  by  the  urgency  of  conscience  equally 
clear  and  strong,  that  could  ever  have 
induced  him  to  abandon  this  course,  and 
become  a  friend  of  that  Saviour  w  hom  he 
had  thus  persecuted.  ^  Many  things.  As 
much  as  possible.  lie  was  not  satisfied 
with  a/ew)  things — a  few  word-s,  or  pur- 
poses, or  arguments;  but  he  felt  bound 
to  do  as  much  as  possible  to  put  down 
the  new  religion.  II  Contrary  to  the  name, 
&c.  In  opposition  to  Jesus  himself,  or  to 
his  claims  to  be  the  Messiah  The  name 
is  often  used  to  denoie  the  person  kirn- 
self  ch.  iii.  6. 

10.  Which  thing  I  did,  &c.  ch.  viii.  3. 
And  many  of  the  saiiits,  &c.  Many  Chris 
tians.  ch.  viii.  3.  ^  Arid  when  they  wert 
put  to  death.  In  the  history  of  those 
transactions  there  is  no  account  of  any 
Christian  being  put  to  death,  except  Ste- 
phen. Acts  vii.  But  there  is  no  impro- 
bability in  supposing  that  the  same  thing 
which  had  happened  to  Stephen,  had 
occurred  in  other  cases.  Stephen  was 
the  first  martyr,  and  as  he  was  a  promi- 
nent man,  his  case  is  particularly  record- 
ed. ^  I  gave  my  voice.  Paul  was  not  a 
member  of  the  sanhedrim,  and  this  does 
not  mean  that  he  voted,  but  simply  that 
he  joined  in  the  persecution;  he  approv 
ed  it;  he  assented  to  the  putting  of  the 
saints  to  death.  Comp.  ch.  xxii.  20.  The 
Syriac  renders  it,  "I  joined  with  those 
who  contlomncd  whom."  It  is  evident 
also  thai  Paul  instigated  thorn  in  ihii 
Iiorsectilion,  and  urged  them  on  to  deedi 
of  blooJ  and  cruelly. 


k.  D.  62.J 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


HSi 


1 1  And  1  punished  them  oft  in  ° 
♦very  synagogue,  and  compelled 
*hem  to  blaspheme ;  and  being  ex- 
Jseedingly  mad  against  them,  1  per- 
secuted them  even  unto  strange 
rities. 

12  Whereupon  as  I  wert  *  to 
Damascus,  with  authority  and 
ecmmission  from  the  chief  priests, 

13  At  mid-day,  O  king,  I  saw  in 
•he  way  a  light  from  heaven,  above 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining 
round  about  me,  and  them  which 
journeyed  with  me. 


14  And  when  we  weie  are  all 
fallen  to  the  earth,  1  heard  a  voice 
speaking  unto  me,  and  saying  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue,  Saul,  Saal, 
why  pcrsecutest  thou  me  1  it  is 
hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  tha 
piicks. 

15  And  I  said,  Who  art  thou, 
Jtord"?  And  he  said,  I  am  Jesus 
^Rpm  thou  persecutest. 

16  But  rise,  and  stand  upon  thy 
feet :  for  I  have  appeared  unto  thee 
for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a 
minister  '  and  a  witness  ^  both  of 

c  Eph  3.7.  Col.l.23,25.  d  c.22.15. 


11.  And  I  punished  them  of  t,  &c.  See 
■■;h.  xxii.  19.  11  And  compelled  them  to 
blaspheme.  To  blaspheme  the  name  of 
Jesus,  by  denying  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah, and  by  admitting  that  he  was  an 
impostor.  This  was  the  object  which 
they  had  in  view  in  the  persecution.  It 
was  not  to  make  them  blaspheme  or  re- 
proach God,  but  to  deny  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah,  and  to  reproach  him  as  a 
deceiver  and  an  impostor.  It  is  not  ne- 
cessarily implied  in  the  expression,  "  and 
compelled  them  to  blaspheme,"  that  he 
succeeded  in  doing  it;  but  that  he  vio- 
lently endeavoured  to  make  them  aposta- 
tize from  the  Christian  religion,  and 
deny  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  certainly  not 
impossible  that  a  few  might  thus  have 
been  induced  by  the  authority  of  the  san- 
hedrim, and  by  the  threats  of  Paul  to  do 
It ;  but  it  is  certain  that  the  great  mass 
of  Christians  adhered  firmly  to  their  be- 
lief that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  IT  And 
being  exceedingly  mad.  Nothing  could 
more  forcibly  express  his  rage  and  vio- 
lence against  the  Christiaiis.  lie  raged 
like  a  madman ;  he  was  so  indignant  that 
he  laid  aside  all  appearance  of  reason  ; 
and  with  the  fury  and  violence  of  a  ma- 
niac, he  endeavoured  to  exterminate  them 
from  the  earth.  None  but  a  madman 
will  persecute  men  on  account  of  their 
religious  opinions  ;  and  all  persecutions 
have  been  conducted  like  this,  with  the 
violence,  and  fury,  and  ungovernable 
temper  of  maniacs.  IT  Unto  strange  cities. 
Unto  foreign  cities;  cities  out  of  Judea. 
The  principal  instance  of  this  was  his 
going  to  Damascus ;  but  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  did  not  intend  also  to  visit 
3ther  cities  out  of  Judea,  and  bring  the 
Christians  there,  if  he  found  any,  to  Jeru- 
salem. 


12 — 15.  See  this  passage  explained  u 
the  Notes  on  ch.  ix.  5,  &c. 

16.  But  rise,  &c.  The  particulars  men 
tioned  in  this  verse  and  the  two  follow- 
ing, are  not  recorded  in  the  account  o 
Paul's  conversion  in  ch.  ix.  But  it  is  not 
improbable  that  many  circumstances  may 
have  occurred  which  are  not  recordedf. 
Paul  dwells  on  them  here  at  length,  in 
order  particularly  to  show  his  authority 
for  doing  what  he  had  done  in  preaching 
to  the  Gentiles.  ^  To  make  thee  a  minis- 
ter. A  minister  of  the  gospel ;  a  preach 
er  of  the  truth.  IT  And  a  loiiness.  Note 
ch.  xxii.  15.  IT  Which  thou  hast  seen.  On 
the  road  to  Damascus ;  that  is,  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  of  the  fact  that  he  was  risen 
from  the  dead.  IT  And  of  those  things, 
&c.  Of  those  further  manifestations  of 
my  person,  protection,  and  will,  which  I 
will  yet  make  to  you.  It  is  evident  from 
this,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  promised  to 
manifest  himself  to  Paul  in  his  ministry, 
and  to  make  to  him  still  further  displays 
of  his  will  and  glory.  Comp.  ch.  xxii 
17,  18.  This  was  done  by  his  rescuing 
him  from  destruction  and  danger  ;  by  the 
intimation  of  his  will ;  and  by  the  grow- 
ing and  expanding  view  which  Paul  was 
permitted  to  take  of  the  character  and 
perfections  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  In  thia 
we  see  that  it  is  the  duty  (k  ministers  to 
bear  witness  not  only  to  the  truth  of  reli-. 
gion  in  general,  or  of  that  which  they 
can  demonstrate  by  argument ;  but  more 
especially  of  that  which  they  experience 
in  their  ov^n  hearts,  and  which  they  un 
derstand  by  having  themselves  been  the 
subjects  of  it.  No  man  is  qualified  to 
enter  the  ministry  who  has  not  a  personal 
and  practical  and  saving  \iew  of  the 
glory  and  perfections  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  who  does  not  go  to  his  work  as  s 


^34 


THE  ACTS. 


\  i)    'j2 


thes3  things  which  thou  hast  seen, 
and  of  those  things  in  the  which  1 
will  appear  unto  thee  ; 

17  Delivering  thee  from  the 
people,  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto 
'  whom  now  1  send  thee ; 

18  To  open  *  their  eyes,  and  to 
turn  '  them  from  darkness  to  light, 
and/rom  the  power  '^  of  Satan  u^|BL 

a  c.2i.21.  Rom.n.l3.  6  Isa.35.5;  42.7.  c  otP 
1.79.  Jno.8.12.  2Cor.4.6.  Eph.1.18.  d  Col. 1.13.  IPet 
t.3.        e  Luke  1.77.  Epb.W7.  Col. 1.14. 

witness  of  tho.se  things  which  he  has  felt. 
.And  no  man  enters  the  ministry  with 
these  feelings,  who  has  not,  as  Paul  had, 
a  promise  that  he  shall  see  still  brighter 
displays  of  the  perfections  of  the  Saviour, 
and  be  permitted  to  advance  in  the 
knowledge  of  him  and  of  his  work.  The 
highest  personal  consolation  in  this  work 
i.s  the  promise  of  their  being  admitted  to 
ever-growing  and  expanding  views  of  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  of  experi- 
encing his  presence,  guidance,  and  pro- 
tection. 

17.  Delivering  thee  from  the  people. 
From  the  Jewish  people.  This  implied 
that  he  would  be  persecuted  by  them, 
and  that  the  Lord  Jesus  would  interjwse 
to  rescue  him.  H  And  from  the  Gentiles. 
This  also  impHed  tiial  he  would  be  perse- 
cuted and  oi)posed  by  them — a  prosjiect 
which  was  verified  by  the  whole  course 
of  his  ministry.  This  wns  expressed  in 
a  summary  manner  in  ch.  ix.  16.  Yet 
in  all  he  experienced,  according  to  the 
ji-omise,  the  protection  and  tlie  support 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  ^  Unlo  whom  noio 
I i^end  Ihce.  ch.  xxii.  21.  As  the  opposi- 
tion of  the  Jew^s  anjse  mainly  from  the 
fact  that  he  had  guue  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, it  was  important  to  hrin^'  this  part 
of  his  commission  into  full  view  before 
Agrippa,  and  to  show  that  the  same 
B.'iviour  who  Lad  miraculously  convert- 
ed him,  had  cu/iimauded  him  to  go  and 
preach  to  them. 

18.  To  ojM-n  Ihiir  i  i/rs.  To  enlighlen 
or  instruct  tiiciii.  Ignorance  is  rojire- 
Bentcd  by  the  eyes  being  closed,  and  the 
instruction  of  the  cosjiel  by  the  opening 
of  the  eyes.  See  lOph.  i.  18.  IF  And  to 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  lif^ht.  From 
the  darkness  of  healheniflm  and  sin,  'o 
the  .ipiil  and  purity  of  the  gospel.  Dark- 
ncsi  i.s  an  emblem  of  ignorance  and  cf 
sin  and  the  hnalhcii.  imlions  are  often 
reprefleiiled  as  Hitting  in  darkness  ('onip. 
!Vl>to,  Matt.  iv.  ir»  John  i.  4.  .O.  H  And 
''tvm  the  power  oj  fiutun.     Fmni  the  do- 


God  ;  that  they  may  receive  for- 
giveness  '  cf  sins,  and  inheritance  * 
among  them  which  are  ^  sanctified 
by  faith  '■  that  is  in  me. 

19  Whereupon,  O  king  Agrippa 
I  was  not  disobedient  unto  the 
heavenly  vision  : 

20  But  showed  '  first  ur.to  thero 
of  Damascus,  and   at  Jerusalem, 

/  Eph.l.ll.  Col. 1.12.  lPet.1.4.  g  Jn3.17.17.  c.90 

32.   lCor.I.30.   Rev.21.2:.  A  Epb.2.S.   Heb.ll.* 

I  c.r..26,&c. 


minion  of  Satan.  Comp.  Col.  i.  13.  I 
Pet.  ii.  9.  JN'otes,  John  xii.  31  ;  xvi.  11. 
Satan  is  thus  represented  as  the  prince 
of  this  world;  the  ruler  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world  ;  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,  &c.  The  heathen  world,  lying 
in  sin  and  superstition,  is  represented  aa 
under  his  control ;  and  this  passage  teach- 
es, doubtless,  that  the  great  mass  of  tlie 
people  of  this  world  are  the  subjects  of 
the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  are  led  captive 
by  him  at  his  will.  IT  Ihito  God.  To 
the  obedience  of  the  one  living  and  truf 
God.  IF  That  they  may  receive  forgive- 
ness of  sins.  Through  the  merits  of  that 
Saviour  who  died ;  that  thus  the  parti- 
tion wall  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gen- 
tiles might  be  broken  down,  and  all 
might  be  admitted  to  the  same  ])reciou8 
privileges  of  the  favour  and  mercy  of 
God.  Comp.  Note,  Acts  ii.  38.  M  And 
inheritance.  An  heirship,  or  lot  (xXj-fov) ; 
that  they  might  be  entitled  to  the  privi- 
leges and  Javours  of  the  children  of  God. 
See  Kote.  Acts  xx.  32.  If  1V///VA  are  sane 
tificd.  Among  the  saints ;  the  children 
of  God.     INote,  Acts  xx.  3'2. 

19.  }Vhereiipo7i.  Whence  (':3^fv) 
Since  the  proof  of  his  being  the  3Iessiah 
and  of  his  resurrection,  nnd  of  his  calling 
me  to  this  work,  was  so  clear  and  plain,  1 
deemed  it  my  duty  to  engage  without 
delay  in  the  work.  IT  1  vns  not  disofiC' 
dicnt.  1  was  not  incredulous,  or  unbe- 
lieving; I  yieldeil  myself  to  the  com. 
inand,  and  at  once  obeyed.  See  Ails  ix. 
0-  Comp.  Gal.  i.  KV  "IT  To  the  hnircnhf 
vision.  To  the  c<ilestial  appearance  ;  or 
to  the  visi(m  whu^h  aiipeareii  to  me  mam 
ft'slly  from  hca\en.  1  did  not  doiil)t  ihal 
this  splendid  a|)|iraran(e  (vcr.  13)  wai 
from  heaven  and  I  did  not  refuse  tr 
obey  the  conuniiiid  of  him  wiio  llius  aiv 
jicared  to  me.  He  knew  it  was  the  com- 
miind  of  God  liis  Saviour;  nnd  he  gavt 
evidence  of  repentance  by  yi^'lding  ol***- 
<iience  to  it  at  tmcc. 

20.     See   ch.   ix.   20—23       The   SOlJi 


1.  D,62.] 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


335 


and  throughout  all  th«  coasts  of 
Jildea,  and  then  to  the  Gentiles,  that 
they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God, 
and  do  works  "  meet  foi  repentance. 

21  For  these  causes  the  Jews  ^ 
caught  me  in  the  temple,  and  went 
about  to  kill  me. 

22  Having  therefore  obtained  help 

aMatt.3.8  fc  c.21.30. 


verse  contains  a  summary  of  his  labours 
in  obedience  to  the  command  of  ihe 
Lord  Jesus.  His  argument  is,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  had  from  heaven  commanded 
him  to  do  this,  and  that  he  had  done  no 
more  than  to  obey  his  injunction. 

21.  Caught  me  in  ihe  temple,  ch.  xxi. 
30.  IF  And  went  about,  &c.  Endeavour- 
ed to  put  me  to  death. 

22.  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of 
God.  Paul  had  seen  and  feh  his  danger. 
He  had  fe;novvn  the  determined  mabce  of 
the  Jews,  and  their  efforts  to  take  his 
life.  He  had  been  rescued  by  Lysias, 
and  had  made  every  effort  to  avoid  the 
danger,  and  to  save  his  life ;  and  at  the 
end  of  all,  he  traced  his  safety  entirely  to 
the  help  of  God.  It  was  not  by  any  power 
of  his  own  that  he  had  been  preserved  ; 
but  it  was  because  God  had  interposed 
and  rescued  him.  Those  who  have  been 
delivered  from  danger,  if  they  have  just 
views,  will  delight  to  trace  it  all  to  God. 
rhey  will  regard  his  hand ;  and  will  feel 
hat  whatever  wisdom  they  may  have 
lad,  or  whatever  may  have  been  the 
sindness  of  their  friends  to  aid  them,  yet 
that  all  this  also  is  to  be  traced  to  the  su- 
perintending providence  of  God.  IF  Wit- 
<iessing.  Bearing  testimony  to  what  he 
nad  seen,  according  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  ver.  16.  IT  To  small.  To  those  in 
humble  life;  to  the  poor,  the  ignorant, 
and  the  obscure.  Like  his  master,  he  did 
not  despise  them,  but  regarded  it  as  his 
duty  and  privilege  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  poor.  IT  Aiid  great.  The  rich  and 
noble  ;  to  kings,  and  princes,  and  gover- 
nors. He  had  thus  stood  on  Mars'  Hill  at 
Athens ;  he  had  borne  testimony  before 
the  wise  men  of  Greece  ;  he  had  declared 
the  same  gospel  before  Felix,  Festus,  and 
now  before  Agrippa.  He  offered  salva- 
tion to  all.  He  passed  by  none  because 
ih  y  were  poor ;  and  he  was  not  deterred 
by  the  fear  of  the  rich  and  the  great  from 
making  known  their  sins,  and  calling 
them  to  repentance.  What  an  admirable 
illustration  of  the  proper  duties  of  a  min- 
'ster  of  the  gospel !  ^  Saying  none  other 
hing,  &e     Delivering  no  new  doctrine  ; 


of  God,  I  continue  unto  this  day, 
witnessing  both  to  small  and  great, 
saying  none  other  things  than  those 
which  <^  the  prophets  and  Moses  did 
say  should  come. 

23  That  Christ  should  suffer,  ana 
that  he  should  be  the  first  <*  that 
should    rise    from   the   dead,   and 

c  Luke  24.27,46.  d  lCor.13.23. 


but  maintaining  only  that  the  prophecied 
had  been  fulfilled.  As  he  had  done  this 
only,  there  was  no  reason  for  the  op- 
position, and  persecution  of  the  Jews 
IT  Should  come.  Should  come  to  pass  ;  or 
should  take  place.  Paul  here  evidently 
means  to  say,  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
atonement,  and  of  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  is  taught  in  the  Old  Testament. 

23.  That  Chnst.  That  the  Messiah 
expected  by  the  Jews  should  be  a  sirffer 
ing  Messiah.  IT  Should  suffer.  Should 
lead  a  painful  life,  and  be  put  to  dcaiii 
See  Note,  ch.  xvii.  3.  Comp.  Dan.  ix.  27 
Isa.  liii.  ^  And  that  he  should  be  the  first. 
&c.  This  declaration  contains  two  [;oi.ii3. 
(1.)  That  it  was  taught  in  the  prophets 
that  the  Messiah  should  rise  from  the 
dead.  On  this,  see  the  proof  alleged  in 
ch.  ii.  ^—32;  xiii.  32—37.  (2.)  That  he 
should  be  the  first  that  should  rise.  This 
cannot  mean  that  the  Messian  should  be 
the  first  dead  person  who  should  be  re- 
stored to  life,  for  Elijah  had  raised  the  son 
of  the  Shunammite,  and  Jesus  himself  had 
raised  Lazarus,  and  the  widow's  son  at 
Nain.  It  does  not  mean  that  he  should 
be  the  first  in  ihe  order  of  time  that  should 
rise,  but  first  in  eminence,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished, the  chief,  the  head  of  those 
who  should  rise  from  the  dead,  n^ i.^ro? 
i?  ii'^o-Tio-sw;  i/£x§Gv.  In  accordance  with 
this  he  is  called  (Col.  i.  18),  "  the  begin- 
ning, the  first-born  from  the  dead,"  having 
among  all  the  dead  who  should  be  raised 
up,  the  rights  and  pre-eminence  of  the 
primogeniture,  or  which  pertained  to  the 
first-bom.  In  1  Cor.  xv.  20.  he  is  called 
"  the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept."  This 
declaration  is,  therefore,  made  of  him  by 
way  of  eminence.  (1)  As  being  chief,  a 
prince  among  those  raised  from  the  dead  ; 
(2.)  As  being  raised  by  his  own  power 
(John  X.  18) ;  (3.)  As,  by  his  rising,  secur- 
ing a  dominion  over  deith  and  the  grave 
(l^Cor.  XV.  2.S  26) ;  and,  (4.)  As  bringing 
by  his  rising,  life  and  immortality  to  light 
He  rose  to  return  to  death  no  more.  And 
he  thus  secured  an  ascendancy  over  death 
I  and  the  grave,  a.nd  was  thus,  by  way  of 
I  eminence,  fitst  amon»  *^Uose  raised  frois 


$M) 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  bi 


Khould  shew  Iitih    unto  .he  peof  le, 
and  to  the  Gentiles. 

24  And   as   he   thu5    spake   for 
himself,   Festus   said  w'vh  a  loud 


ihe  dead.  IT  And  should  show  light  unto 
the  people.  To  the  Jews.  Should  be 
Iheir  instructor  and  prophet.  This  Moses 
had  predicted.  Deut.  xviii.  15.  IT  And  to 
the  (ienliles.  This  had  often  been  foretold 
by  tlie  prophets,  and  particularly  by 
Isaiah.  Isa.  ix.  1,  2.  Comp.  Matt.  iv.  14— 
If).  Isa.  xi.  10 ;  xlii.  1.  6  ;  liv.  3 ;  Ix.  3.  5 ; 
11;  Ixi.O;  lxii.2;  Ixvi.  12. 

24.  Festus  said  with  a  loud  voice.  Amaz- 
ed at  the  zeal  and  ardour  of  Paul.  Paul 
doubdess  evinced  deep  interest  in  the 
subject,  and  great  earnestness  in  the  de- 
livery of  his  defence.  II  Thou  art  beside 
thyself.  Thou  art  deranged ;  thou  art 
insane.  The  reasons  why  Festus  thought 
Paul  mad  were,  probably,  (1.)  His  great 
earnestness  and  excitement  on  the  sub- 
ject. (2.)  His  laying  such  stress  on  the 
gospel  of  the  despised  Jesus  of  JNazareth, 
as  if  it  were  a  matter  of  infinite  moment. 
Festus  despised  it ;  and  he  regarded  it  as 
proof  of  derangement  that  so  much  im- 
portance was  attached  to  it.  (3.)  Festus 
regarded,  probably,  the  whole  story  of  the 
vi.sion  that  Paul  said  had  appeared  to  him, 
as  the  effect  of  an  inflamed  and  excited 
imagination;  and  as  the  proof  of  delirium. 
This  is  not  an  uncommon  charge  against 
those  who  are  Christians,  and  especially 
when  they  evince  any  unusual  zeal. 
Sinners  regard  them  as  under  the  influ- 
ence iif  delirium  and  fanaticism;  as  terri- 
fied l>y  imaginary  and  superstitious  fears; 
Dr  as  misguided  by  fanatical  leaders. 
Husbands  often  thus  think  their  wives 
deranged,  and  parents  their  children,  and 
wicked  men  the  ministers  of  Uie  gospel. 
The  gay  think  it  proof  of  derangement 
that  others  are  serious,  and  anxious,  and 
prayerful ;  the  rich,  that  others  are  will- 
ing to  part  with  their  property  to  do 
good  ;  the  ambitious  and  worldly,  tliat 
others  are  willing  to  leave  their  country 
and  liome,  to  go  among  the  Gentiles  to 
Rpcnd  their  lives  in  making  known  the 
unsoarcliable  riches  of  Christ.  The  really 
sober,  and  rational  part  of  the  world — 
Ifiey  who  fcnr  God,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments ;  who  believe  that  eternity  is 
before  them,  and  who  strive  to  live  for  it — 
•re  thus  charged  with  insanity  by  those 
wno  are  really  deludrd,  an(f  wiic  are  thus 
ivir'j?  lives  of  madncH.s  and  fol/y.  The 
Jcnante  of  n  mnd-honso  often  think  all 
othcrN     lefiingod    but    thcniHclvcs;    but 


voice,  Paul,  thou  art  beside  thy 
self;  msch  leariiin«r  doth  make  ihefc 
mad.  " 

25  But  he  said,  I  am  not  mad, 

a2KiDgB9.Il. 


there  is  no  madness  so  great,  no  delirium 
so  awful,  as  to  neglect  the  eternal  inie 
rest  of  the  soul  for  the  sake  of  the  jx)oi 
pleasures  and  honours  which  ihis  life  can 
give.  H  Much  learning.  It  is  probal»l<. 
that  Festus  was  acquainted  with  the  fac 
that  Paul  had  been  well  instructed,  And 
was  a  learned  man.  Paul  had  not  while 
before  him  manifested  particularly  hia 
learning.  But  Festus,  acquainted  in  some 
way  with  the  fact  that  he  was  well  edu 
cated,  supposed  that  his  brain  had  been 
turned,  and  that  the  effect  of  it  was  seen 
by  devotion  to  a  fanatical  form  of  reli- 
gion. The  tendency  of  long  continued 
and  intense  application  to  produce  mental 
derangement,  is  every  where  known 
IT  Doth  make  thee  mad.  Impels,  d-ives,  or 
excites  thee  {Trs^iTgiTru)  to  madness. 

25.  /  am  not  mad.  I  am  not  deranged. 
There  are  few  more  happy  turns  than 
that  which  Paul  gives  to  this  accusation 
of  Festus.  He  might  have  appealed  to 
the  course  of  his  argument;  he  might 
have  dwelt  on  the  importance  of  the 
subject,  and  continued  to  reason ;  but  lie 
makes  an  appeal  at  once  to  Agrippa,  and 
brings  him  in  for  a  witness  that  he  was 
not  deranged.  This  would  be  far  more 
likely  to  make  an  impression  on  the  mind 
of  Festus,  than  any  thing  that  Paul  could 
say  in  self-defence.  The  same  reply,  •  I  an 
not  mad,'  can  be  made  by  all  Christians  to 
the  charge  of  derangement  which  the 
world  brings  against  them.  They  have 
come,  like  the  prodigal  (Luke  xv.  17),  tc 
their  right  mind;  and  by  beginning  to  act 
as  if  there  were  a  God  and  Saviour,  as 
if  they  were  to  die,  as  if  there  were  a 
boundless  eternity  before  them,  they  are 
conducting  according  to  the  dictates  of 
reason.  And  as  Paul  appealed  to  Agrippa. 
who  was  not  a  Christian,  for  the  reason 
ablene.ss  and  soberness  of  his  own  view« 
and  conduct,  so  may  all  Christians  apjiea. 
even  to  sinu'^^rs  ihemselves,  as  witnes.^ea 
that  they  are  acting  as  immortal  i)eing8 
should  net.  All  men  hiow  that  if  there  is 
an  eternity,  it  is  right  to  prepare  for  it ; 
if  there  is  a  (iod,  it  is  proper  to  serve 
him  ;  if  a  Saviour  tlicd  for  us,  we  should 
love  him  ;  if  a  hell,  wc  should  avoid  it 
if  a  heaven,  we  should  sock  it.  A  no 
even  when  ihey  charge  us  w ilh  folly  niio 
derangement,  we  may  turn  at  once  upon 
them,  and  apiHJul  to  their  'iwn  conscienct's 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


A,D.  G54.J 


most  noble  /estus,  but  speak  forth 
the  words  of  truth  and  sober- 
ness. 

26  For  the  king  knoweth  of  these 
things,  before  whom  also  I  speak 

and  ask  them  if  all  our  anxieties,  and 
prayers,  and  efforts,  and  self-denials,  are 
not  right  ?  One  of  the  best  ways  of  con- 
victing sinners  is,  to  appeal  to  them  just 
as  Paul  did  to  Agrippa.  When  so  appeal- 
ed to,  they  will  usually  acknowledge  the 
force  of  the  appeal ;  and  will  admit  that 
all  the  solicitude  of  Christians  for  their 
salvation  is  according  to  the  dictates  of 
reason.  IT  Most  noble  Festus.  This  was 
the  usual  title  of  the  Roman  governor. 
Comp.  xxiv.  3.  IT  Of  truth.  In  accordance 
with  the  predictions  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets ;  and  the  facts  which  have  oc- 
curred in  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
the  Messiah.  In  proof  of  this  he  appeals 
to  Agrippa.  ver.  26,  27.  Truth  here  stands 
opposed  to  deluaion,  imposture,  and  fraud 
TT  And  soberness.  Soberness  (o-uxf^oo-uvj), 
wisdom)  stands  opposed  here  to  madness, 
or  derangement,  and  denotes  sanity  of 
mind.  The  words  which  I  speak  are 
those  of  a  sane  man,  conscious  of  what 
he  is  saying,  and  impressed  with  its  truth. 
They  were  the  w^ords,  also,  of  a  man  who, 
under  the  charge  of  derangement,  evinc- 
ed the  most  perfect  selfpossession,  and 
command  of  his  feelings ;  and  who  utter- 
ed sentiments  deep,  impressive,  and  wor- 
thy of  the  attention  of  mankind. 

26.  For  the  king.  King  Agrippa. 
T  Knoweth.  He  had  been  many  years  in 
that  region,  and  the  fame  of  Jesus  and 
of  Paul's  conversion  were  probably  well 
known  to  him.  IT  These  things.  The 
things  pertaining  to  the  early  persecu- 
tions of  Christians;  the  spread  of  the 
gospel;  and  the  remarkable  conversion 
of  Paul.  Though  Agrippa  might  not 
have  been  fully  informed  respecting 
these  things,  yet  he  had  an  acquaintance 
with  Moses  and  the  prophets ;  he  knew 
the  Jewish  expectation  respecting  the 
Messiah;  and  he  could  not  be  ignorant 
respecting  the  remarkable  public  events 
m  the  Ufa  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  of 
tus  having  been  put  to  death  by  order  of 
Pontius  Pilate  on  the  cross.  IT  I  speak 
freely.  I  speak  openly,  boldly.  I  use  no 
disguise ,  and  I  speak  the  more  confident- 
ly before  him,  because,  from  his  situation, 
he  must  be  acquainted  with  the  truth  of 
what  I  say.  Truth  is  always  bold  and 
free ,  and  it  is  an  evidence  of  honesty 
when  a  man  is  willing  to  declare  every 
ihing  %vithout  reserve  before  those  who 
2  F 


337 


freely;  for  I  am  persuaded  that 
none  of  these  things  are  hidden 
from  him  ;  for  this  thing  was  not 
done  in  a  corner. 

27  King  Agrippa,  believcKt  thou 


are  qualified  to  detect  him  if  he  is  an  im 
postor.  Such  evidence  of  truth  and 
honesty  was  given  by  Paul.  IT  For  lam 
persuaded.  I  am  convinced  ;  I  doubt  not 
that  he  is  well  acquainted  with  these 
thiags.  IT  Are  hidden  from  him.  That 
he  is  unacquainted  with  them.  IT  For 
this  thing.  The  thing  to  which  Paul  had 
mainly  referred  in  this  delence,  his  own 
conversion  to  the  Christian  religion. 
IF  Was  not  done  in  a  carrier.  Did  not 
occur  secretly  and  obscurely ;  but  was 
public,  and  was  of  such  a  character  as  to 
attract  attention.  The  conversion  of  a 
leading  persecutor,  such  as  Paul  had  been, 
and  in  the  manner  in  which  that  conver- 
sion had  taken  place,  could  not  but  at 
tract  attention  and  remark.  And  al- 
though the  Jews  would  endeavour  as 
much  as  possible  to  conceal  it,  yet  Paul 
might  presume  that  it  could  not  be  entire- 
ly unknown  to  Agrippa. 

27.  King  Agrippa.  This  bland  per 
sonal  address  is  an  instance  of  Paul's 
happy  manner  of  appeal.  He  does  it  to 
bring  in  the  testimony  of  Agrippa  to  meet 
the  charge  of  Festus  that  he  was  derang- 
ed. IT  Believest  thou  the  prophets  7  The 
prophecies  respecting  the  character,  the 
sufferings,  and  the  death  of  the  Messiah 
^  /  know  that  thou  believest.  Agrippa  was 
a  Jew;  and,  as  such,  he  of  course  believ- 
ed the  prophets.  Perhaps  too,  from  what 
Paul  knew  of  his  personal  character,  he 
might  confidently  affirm  that  he  professed 
to  be  a  believer.  Instead,  therefore,  of 
waiting  for  his  answer,  I'aul  anticipates 
it,  and  says  that  he  knows  that  Agrippsi 
professes  to  believe  all  these  prophecies 
respecting  the  Messiah.  His  design  is 
evident.  It  is,  (1.)  To  meet  the  charge  of 
derangement,  and  to  bring  in  the  testi- 
mony of  Agrippa,  who  well  understood 
the  subject,  to  the  importance  and  the 
truth  of  what  he  was  saying.  (2.)  To 
press  on  the  conscience  of  his  royal 
hearer  the  evidence  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  to  secure  if  possible  his  con^ 
vereion.  '  Since  thou  believest  the  pro- 
phecies, and  since  I  have  shown  that  they 
are  fulfilled  in  Jesus  of  JNazareth,  that  he 
corresponds  in  person,  character,  and 
work  with  the  prophets,  it  follow's  Hiat 
his  religion  is  true.'  Paul  lost  no  oppor- 
tunity of  pressing  the  truth  on  every 
class  of  men.    Ho  had  such  a  ccsnvicfiori 


338 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  D.  6% 


the  prophets  1     1  kno      that  thou 
believest. 
'28  Then  Agrippa  said  urito  Paul, 


of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  that  he  was 
doterred  by  no  rank,  station,  or  office  ;  by 
no  fear  of  the  rich,  the  great,  and  the 
learned  ;  but  every  where  urged  the  evi- 
dence of  tliat  religion  as  indisputable. 
Ill  this,  lay  the  secret  of  no  small  part  of 
his  success.  A  man  who  rcalli/  believes 
fTie  truth  will  be  ready  to  defend  it.  A 
man  who  truly  loves  religion  will  not  be 
O'hamcd  of  it  any  where. 

28.  T/ien  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul.  He 
could  not  deny  that  he  believed  the  pro- 
phets. He  could  not  deny  that  the  argu- 
ment was  a  strong  one,  that  they  had 
been  fulfilled  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  He 
could  not  deny  that  the  evidence  of  the 
miraculous  interposition  of  God  in  the 
conversion  of  Paul  was  overwhelming. 
And  instead,  therefore,  of  charging  him 
a-s  Festus  had  done  WMth  derangement, 
he  candidly  and  honestly  avows  the  im- 
pression which  the  proof  had  made  on 
ius  mind.  IT  Almost.  Except  a  very 
little.  'Ev  okiy-u.  Thou  hast  nearly  con- 
vinced me  that  Christianity  is  true,  and 
persuaded  me  to  embrace  it.  The  argu- 
ments of  Paul  had  been  so  rational ;  the 
appeal  which  he  had  made  to  his  belief 
of  the  prophets  had  been  so  irresistible, 
that  he  had  been  nearly  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity.  We  are  to  remem- 
ber, (1.)  That  Agrippa  was  a  Jew,  and 
that  he  would  look  on  this  whole  subject 
in  a  different  manner  from  the  Roman 
Festus.  (2.)  Tliat  Agrippa  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  partaken  of  the  violent  pas- 
sions and  prejudices  of  the  Jews  who  had 
accused  Paul.  (3.)  His  character  as 
given  by  Josephus  is  that  of  a  nuld,  can- 
did, and  ingenuous  man.  He  had  no  par- 
ticular hostility  to  Christians;  he  knew 
that  they  were  not  justly  charged  with 
Kcdition  and  crime  ;  and  he  saw  the  con- 
clufiion  to  which  a  belief  of  the  prophets 
mevitably  tended.  Yet,  as  in  thousands 
of  other  cases,  lie  was  not  ipiite  persuad- 
ed to  bo  a  Christian.  What  was  included 
in  the  "almost;"  what  prevented  his 
h<)ing  quite  persuaded,  we  know  not.  It 
may  have  been  that  die  evidence  was 
not  so  clear  to  his  mind  as  he  would  pro- 
fe«fl  to  desire  ;  or  that  ho  was  not  willing 
to  give  up  his  sins;  or  that  ho  was  too 
jiMud  to  rank  himself  with  tiie  fjllovverfl 
of  Jesus  of  Nnzarclh;  or  lliat,  like  Felix, 
lie  wa.s  willing  li»  defer  it  to  a  more  con- 
venient Benson.  Thern  is  every  reason  to 
hieliflvo  that  ho  wua  never  guite  per.<«uiidpd 


Almost  thojfc"  persuadest  me  to  bfl 
a  Christian. 


a  Jamei  1.33,24. 


to  embrace  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  that  be 
was  never  nearer  the  kingdom  of  heavjn 
than  at  this  moment.  It  was  the  crisis, 
the  turning  point  in  Agrippa's  life,  and  Li 
his  eternal  destiny ;  and,  like  thousands 
of  others,  he  neglected  or  refused  to  allow 
the  full  conviction  of  the  truth  on  hid 
mind,  and  died  in  his  sins.  IT  Thou  per 
suadest  vie.  Thou  dost  convince  me  of 
the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion,  and 
persuadest  me  to  embrace  it.  IT  To  he  a 
Christian.  On  the  name  Christian,  see 
Note,  ch.  xi.  26.  On  this  deeply  interest- 
ing case,  we  may  observe,  (1.)  That  there 
are  many  in  the  same  situation  as  Agrip- 
pa—many  who  are  almost,  but  not  alto- 
gether, persuaded  to  be  Christians.  They 
are  found  among  (a)  Those  who  have  been 
religiously  educated  ;  (6)  Those  who  are 
convinced  by  argument  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity;  (c)  Those  whose  consciences 
are  awakened,  and  who  feel  their  guilt, 
and  the  necessity  of  some  better  jwrtion 
than  this  world  can  furnish.  (2.)  Such 
persons  are  deterred  from  being  altoge- 
ther Christians  by  the  following,  among 
other  causes,  (a)  By  the  love  of  sin— 
the  love  of  sin  in  general,  or  sonle  par- 
ticular sm  which  they  are  not  vvilling  to 
abandon,  (b)  The  fear  of  shame,  perse- 
cution, or  contempt,  if  they  become  Chris- 
tians, (c)  By  the  temptations  of  U»t» 
world — its  cares,  vanities,  and  allure- 
ments— which  are  often  prosecuted  most 
strongly  in  just  this  state  of  mind,  {d) 
The  love  ofoHice,  the  pride  of  rank,  and 
power  as  in  the  case  of  Agrippa.  (e)  A 
disposition,  like  Felix,  to  delay  to  a  more 
favourable  time  the  work  of  religion, 
untd  life  has  wasted  away,  and  death  ap- 
proaches, and  it  is  too  late  ;  and  the  un- 
happy man  dies  almost  a  C/iri.^tia?i.  (3. 
This  state  of  mind  is  one  of  peculiar  in- 
terest, and  peculiar  danger.  It  is  not  one 
of  salety;  and  it  is  not  one  that  iinpliefl 
any  certainty  that  the  'almost  (Christian' 
will  ever  be  saved.  There  is  no  rea.''on 
to  believe  that  Agrippa  ever  became 
fiilli/  persuaded  to  become  a  Christian. 
To  be  almost  persuaded  to  do  a  thing 
which  we  ought  to  do,  and  yot  w..'  to  do 
it,  is  the  very  ])osition  of  guilt  and  dan- 
trcr.  And  it  is  no  wonder  that  many  are 
brought  to  Mi'.f  point— the  turiang  jMMut, 
the  crisis  of  lili'— and  then  lose  theif 
anxiety,  and  die  in  their  sins.  May  the 
God  of  grace  keep  us  from  resling  in 
being  almost  persuaded  to  bo  Christiaiui 


A    U.  62.] 

29  And  Paul  said,  I  would  "  to 
God  that  not  only  thou,  but  also  all 
that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both 
almost, .  and  altogether  such  as  I 
am,  except  these  bonds. 

30  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken, 
he  king  rose  up,  and  the  governor, 


And  may  every  one  who  shall  read  this 
account  of  Agrippa  be  admonished  by  his 
convictions,  and  be  alarmed  by  the  fact 
that  he  then  paused,  and  that  his  convic- 
tions there  ended  !  And  may  every  one 
resolve  by  the  help  of  God  to  forsake 
every  thing  that  prevents  his  becoming 
an  entire  believer,  and  without  delay 
embrace  the  Son  of  God  as  his  Saviour! 
29.  /  would  to  God.  I  pray  to  God  ;  I 
earnestly  desire  it  of  God.  This  shows, 
(1.)  Paul's  intense  desire  that  Agrippa,  and 
all  who  heard  him,  might  be  saved.  (2.) 
His  steady  and  constant  belief  that  none 
but  God  could  inchne  them  to  become 
altogether  Christians.  Hence  he  ex- 
pressed it  as  the  object  which  he  ear- 
nestly sought  of  God,  that  they  might  be 
true  believers.  Paul  knew  well  that 
there  was  nothing  that  would  overcome 
the  reluctance  of  the  human  heart  to 
08  an  entire  Christian  but  the  grace  and 
mercy  of  God.  He  had  addressed  to 
them  the  convincing  arguments  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  he  now  breathed  forth  his 
earnest  prayer  to  God  that  these  argu- 
ments might  be  effectual.  So  prays 
every  faithful  minister  of  the  cross.  IT  All 
that  hear  me.  Festus,  and  the  military 
and  civil  officers  who  had  been  assem- 
bled to  hear  his  defence,  ch'.  xxv.  23. 
IT  Were  loth  almost,  and  altogether,  &c. 
Paul  had  no  higher  wish  for  them  than 
that  they  might  have  the  faith  and  con- 
solations which  he  had  himself  enjoyed. 
He  had  so  firm  a  conviction  of  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  and  had  experienced  so 
much  of  its  consolations  and  supports 
amidst  all  his  persecutions  and  trials, 
that  his  highest  desire  for  them  was,  that 
they  might  experience  the  same  inex- 
pressibly pure  and  holy  consolations.  He 
well  knew  that  there  was  neither  happi- 
ness nor  safety  in  being  almost  a  Chris- 
tian ;  and  he  desired,  therefore,  that  they 
would  give  themselves,  as  he  had  done, 
entirely  and  altogether  to  the  service  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  ^i  Except  these 
bonds.  These  chains.  Tbis  is  an  ex- 
ceedingly happy  and  touching  appeal, 
frotiably  Paul,  when  he  said  this,  lifted 
jp  hia  arm  with  the  chain  attached  to  it. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


339 


and  Bernice,  and  they  that  s?t  with 
them. 

31  And  when  they  were  gone 
aside,  they  talked  between  them- 
selves, saying,  This  man  doeth  no* 
thing  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds. 

32  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Fes- 


His  wish  was,  that  they  might  be  parta- 
kers of  the  pure  joys  which  religion  had 
conferred  on  him ;  that  in  all  other  re- 
spects they  might  partake  of  the  effects 
of  the  gospel,  except  those  chains.  Those 
he  did  not  wish  them  to  bear.  The  per- 
secutions, and  unjust  trials,  and  confine- 
ments which  he  had  been  called  to  suf- 
fer in  the  cause,  he  did  not  desire  them 
to  endure.  True  Christians  wish  others 
to  partake  of  the  full  blessings  of  reli- 
gion. The  trials  which  they  themselvea 
experience  from  without  in  unjust  perse- 
cutions, ridicule,  and  slander,  they  do 
not  wish  them  to  endure.  The  trials 
which  they  themselves  experience  from 
an  evil  heart,  from  corrupt  passions,  and 
from  temptations,  they  do  not  wish  others 
to  expenence.  But  even  with  these,  re- 
ligion confers  infinitely  more  pure  joy 
than  the  world  can  give ;  and  even 
though  others  should  be  called  to  expe- 
rience severe  trials  for  their  religion ; 
still,  Christians  wish  that  all  should  par- 
take of  the  pure  consolations  which  Chris- 
tianity alone  can  furnish  in  this  world  and 
the  world  to  come. 

31.  This  man  doeth  nothing  worthy  of 
death.  This  was  the  conclusion  to  which 
they  had  come,  after  hearing  all  that  the 
Jews  had  to  allege  against  him.  It  was 
the  result  of  the  whole  investigation , 
and  we  have,  therefore,  the  concurring 
testimony  of  Claudius  Lysias  (ch.  xxiii. 
29),  of  Felix  (ch.  xxiv.),  of  Festus  (ch. 
xxv.  26,  27),  and  of  Agrippa  to  his  inno 
cence.  More  honourable  and  satisfac 
tory  testimony  of  his  innocence  Paur 
could  not  have  desired.  It  was  a  fuli 
acquittal  from  all  the  charges  against 
him ;  and  though  he  was  to  be  sent  to 
Rome,  yet  he  went  there  with  every  fa- 
vourable circumstance  of  being  acquitted 
there  also. 

32.  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Festus,  &c. 
This  is  a  full  declaration  of  the  convic 
tion  of  Agrippa,  that  Paul  was  innocent 
It  is  an  instance  also  where  boldness  and 
fidelity  will  be  attended  with  happy  re 
suits.  Paul  had  conceale  1  nothing  of 
the  truth.  He  had  made  a  boM  an 
faithful  appeal  (ver.  27)  to  Agrippa  hitt 


940 


THE  ACTS. 


A.  U.  G5s 


ms,  This  man  might  have  been  set 
ftt  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed 
unto  Cesar. 

CHAPTER  XXVH. 

A  ND   when   it  was   determined 

-^  that  we  should  sail  into  Italy, 


•elf  for  the  truth  of  what  he  was  saying. 
By  this  appeal,  Agrippa  had  not  been 
oftended.  It  had  only  served  to  impress 
him  more  with  the  innocence  of  Paul. 
It  is  an  instance  which  shows  us  that 
religion  may  be  commended  to  the  con- 
sciences and  reason  of  princes,  and  kings, 
and  judges,  so  that  lliey  will  see  its  truth. 
It  is  an  instance  which  shows  us  that 
{he  most  bold  and  faithful  appeals  may 
be  made  by  the  ministers  of  religion  to 
their  hearers,  for  the  truth  of  what  they 
are  saying.  And  it  is  a  full  proof  that 
the  most  faithful  appeals,  if  respectful, 
may  be  made  without  offending  men, 
and  with  the  certainty  that  they  will 
feel  and  admit  their  force  All  preach- 
ers should  be  as  faithful  as  Paul ;  and 
whatever  may  be  the  rank  and  charac- 
ter of  their  auditors,  they  should  never 
doubt  that  they  have  truth  and  God  on 
their  side,  and  that  their  message,  when 
most  bold  and  faithful,  will  commend  it- 
self to  the  consciences  of  men. 
CHAPTER  XXVII. 
1.  And  when  il  was  determined.  By 
Festus  (ch.  XXV.  12),  and  when  the  time 
was  come  when  it  was  convenient  to 
Bend  him.  IT  That  we  should  sail.  The 
use  of  the  term  "  we"  here  shows  that 
the  author  of  this  book,  Luke,  was  with 
Paul.  He  had  been  the  companion  of 
Paul,  and  though  he  had  not  been  ac- 
cused, yet  it  was  resolved  that  he  should 
Btill  accompany  him.  Whether  he  went 
at  his  own  expense,  or  whether  he  was 
Bent  at  the  expense  of  the  Roman  govern- 
ment, does  not  ai)pear.  There  is  a  dif- 
ference of  reading  here  in  the  ancient 
versions.  The  tSyriac  reads  it,  "  And 
thus  Festus  deterniincd  that  bo  [Paul] 
should  be  sent  to  Cesar  in  Italy,"  A:c. 
The  Latin  Vulgate  arxi  the  Arabic  also 
road  "  ho"  insleail  of  "  we."  But  the 
Greek  manuscripts  are  uniform;  and  the 
correct  rcadmg  i.",  doubllck'H,  that  which 
in  in  our  vcrKion.  H  Irtlo  Italij.  The 
country  still  bearing  the  wnme  name,  of 
which  Rome  was  the  capital.  ^  And 
certain  other  prisimrm.  Who  were  pro- 
bably also  sent  to  Rnmn  f()r  a  trial  before 
the  emperor.  Dr.  I^ardner  ban  proved 
that  it  waa  romrrKjn   to  send   prisonen 


they  delivered  Paul  *  and  certain 
other  prisoners  unto  otie  named 
Julius,  a  centurion  of  Augustus 
band. 

2  And  entering  into  a  ship  of 
Adramyttium,  we  launched,  mean 

a  e.35.12^. 


from  Judea  and  othei  •provinces  to  Rome 
Credibility,  Part  1,  ch.  x.  $  10.  pp.  248, 
249.  IT  A  centurion.  A  commander  of 
a  hundred  men.  IT  Of  Augustus'  band. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  word  "band," 
see  Note,  Matt,  xxvii.  27.  Acts  x.  1.  It 
was  a  division  in  the  Roman  army,  con- 
sisting of  from  four  to  six  hundred  men. 
It  was  called  "Augustus'  band"  in  ho- 
nour of  the  Roman  emperor  Augustui 
(Note,  ch.  XXV.  21),  and  was  probably 
distinguished  in  s^me  way  for  the  care 
in  enlisting  or  selecting  them/  The  Au- 
gustine cohort  or  band  is  mentioned  by 
Suetonius  in  his  Life  of  Nero,  20. 

2.  A  ship  of  AAramyttium.  A  mari 
time  town  of  Mysia,  in  Asia  Minor,  oppo- 
site to  the  island  of  Lesbos.  This  was  a 
ship  which  had  been  built  there,  or  which 
sailed  from  that  port,  but  which  was 
then  in  the  port  of  Cesarea.  It  is  evi 
dent  from  ver.  6,  that  this  ship  was  not 
expected  to  sail  to  Italy,  but  that  the 
centurion  expected  to  find  some  other 
vessel  into  which  he  could  put  the  pri- 
soners to  take  them  to  Rome.  IT  We 
launched.  We  loosed  from  our  anchor- 
age; or  we  set  sail.  See  ch.  xiii.  13. 
IT  By  the  coasts  of  Asia.  Of  Asia  Minor. 
Probably  the  owners  of  the  ship  designed 
to  make  a  coasting  voyage  along  the 
southern  part  of  Asia  Minor,  and  to  en- 
gage in  traflic  with  the  maritime  towns 
and  cities.  IT  One  Arislarchus,  a  Macedo- 
dian.  This  man  is  mentioned  as  Paul's 
companion  in  travel  in  ch.  xix.  29.  He 
afterwards  attended  him  to  Macedonia, 
and  returned  with  him  to  Asia.  ch.  xx.  4 
He  now  appears  to  have  attended  him, 
not  as  a  prisoner,  but  as  a  voluntary  com- 
panion, choosing  to  share  with  liim  his 
dangers,  and  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  his 
society  and  friendship.  He  went  with 
him  to  Rome,  and  was  a  lellow-prisoner 
with  him  there  (Col.  iv.  10);  and  is  men- 
tioned (epistle  to  Philemon  24)  us  Paul's 
fellow-labonrer.  It  was.  doubtless,  a  great 
comfort  to  Paul  to  have  with  him  two 
such  valuable  friends  as  Luke  and  Aris- 
tarchus;  and  it  was  an  instance  of  great 
affection  f()r  hini  that  tlicy  were  not 
ashamed  of  his  iMmdK,  but  were  wilhn| 
to  uh&To  hi«  (ia.igers.  and  to  ps\y)9e  them 


A.  D.  62.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


34  < 


mg  to  sail  by  the  coasts  of  Asia ; 
one  Aristarchus,  "  a  Macedonian  of 
Fhessalonica,  being  with  us. 

3  And  the  next  day  we  touched 
at  Sidon.  And  Julius  courteously 
''  entreated  Paul,  and  gave  him  li- 
berty to  go  unto  his  friends  to  re- 
fresh himself. 

4  And  when  we  had  launched 
from  thence,  we  sailed  under  Cy- 
prus, because  the  winds  were  con- 
trary. 


fcc.24.23:2S. 


selves  to  Deril  for  the  sake  of  accompaiiy- 
mg  him  to  Rome. 

3.  We  touched  at  Sidon.  Note,  Matt, 
xi.  21.  It  was  north  of  Cesarea.  IT  And 
Julius  courteously  entreated  Paul.  Treat- 
ed him  kindly,  or  humanely.  IT  And  gave 
him  liberty,  &c.  The  same  thing  had 
been  done  by  Felix,  ch.  xxiv.  23.  IT  Unto 
his  friends.  In  Sidon.  Paul  had  frequently 
travelled  in  that  direction  in  going  to, 
and  returning  from  Jerusalem,  and  it  is 
no6«improbable,  therefore,  that  he  had 
G"iend3  in  all  the  principal  cities.  H  To 
refresh  himself.  To  enjoy  the  benefit 
of  their  kind  care,  to  make  his  present 
situation  and  his  voyage  as  comfortable 
as  possible.  It  is  probable  that  they 
would  furnish  him  with  many  supplies 
which  were  needful  to  make  his  long 
and  perilous  voyage  comfortable. 

4.  We  sailed  under  Cyprus.  For  an 
account  of  Cyprus,  see  Note,  ch.  iv.  36. 
By  sailing  "  under  Cyprus"  is  meant  that 
they  sailed  along  its  coasts;  they  kept 
near  to  it ;  they  thus  endeaX»oured  to 
break  off  the  violent  winds.  Instead  of 
steering  a  direct  course  in  the  open  sea, 
which  would  have  exposed  them  to  vio- 
hmt  opposing  winds,  they  kept  near  this 
if.rge  island,  so  that  it  was  between  them 
and  the  westerly  winds.  The  force  of  the 
wind  was  thus  broken,  and  the  voyage 
rendered  less  difficult  and  dangerous. 
They  went  between  Cyprus  and  Asia 
Minor,  leaving  Cyprus  to  the  left.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  strong  western  winds 
they  would  have  left  it  on  the  right 
f  The  winds  were  contrary-  Were  from 
rhe  west,  or  southwest,  which  thus  pre- 
vented their  pursuing  a  direct  course. 
See  the  map. 

•5.  The  sea  of  Cilicia  and  Pamphylia. 
The  sea  which  lies  off  the  coast  from 
tliese  two  regions.  For  their  situation, 
Bee  the  map,  and  Notes,  Acts  vi.  9,  and 
liii  13.  IT  We  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of 
Lyc*a  Lycia  was  a  province  in  the 
2  P  2 


5  And  when  we  had  sailed  ovei 
the  sea  of  Cilicia  and  Pamphylia, 
we  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of  Lycia. 

6  And  there  the  centurion  found 
a  ship  of  Alexandria  sailing  into 
Italy  ;  and  he  put  us  therein. 

7  And  when  we  had  sailed  s?owly 
many  days,  and  scarce  were  CDme 
over  against  Cnidus,  the  wind  not 
suffering  us,  we  sailed  under  Crete 
'  over  against  Salmone  ; 

8  And,  hardly  passing  it,  came 

*  or,  Candy. 

southwestern  part  of  Asia  Minor,  having 
Phrygia  and  Pisidia  on  the  north,  the  Me 
diterranean  on  the  south,  Pamphylia  on 
the  east,  and  Caria  on  the  west. 

6.  A  ship  of  Alexandria.  A  ship  be 
longing  to  Alexandria.  Alexandria  was 
in  Egypt,  and  was  founded  by  Alexander 
the  Great.  It  appears  from  ver.  38,  that 
the  ship  was  laden  with  wheat.  It  is 
well  knowTi  that  great  quantities  of  wheat 
were  imported  from  Egypt  to  Rome  ;  and 
it  appears  that  this  was  one  of  the  large 
ships  which  were  employed  for  that 
purpose.  Why  the  ship  was  on  the 
coast  of  Asia  Minor,  is  not  known.  But 
it  is  probable  that  it  had  been  driven 
out  of  its  way  by  adverse  winds  or  tem 
pests. 

7.  Had  sailed  slowly.  By  reason  of  the 
prevalence  of  the  western  winds,  ver.  4 
IT  Over  against  Cnidus.  This  was  a  city 
standing  on  a  promontory  of  the  same  name 
in  Asia  Minor,  in  the  part  of  the  province 
of  Cana  called  Doris,  and  a  little  north- 
west of  the  island  of  Rhodes.  IT  The  wind 
not  suffering  us.  The  wind  repelling  U3 
in  that  direction ,  not  permitting  us  to  hold 
on  a  direct  course,  we  were  driven  off 
near  to  Crete.  IT  We  sailed  under  Crete. 
See  ver.  4.  We  lay  along  near  to  Crete, 
so  as  to  break  the  violence  of  the  whid. 
For  the  situation  of  Crete,  see  Note,  ch. 
ii.  11.  IF  Over  against  Salmone.  Near  to 
Salmone.  This  was  the  name  of  the 
promontory  which  formed  the  eastern  ex- 
tremity of  the  island  of  Crete. 

8.  And,  hardly  passing  it.  Scarcely  be- 
ing able  to  pass  by  it  without  being 
wrecked.  Being  almost  driven  on  it 
Thev  passed  round  the  east  end  of  tht 
island,  because  they  had  been  unable  to 
sail  directly  forward  between  the  island 
and  the  main  land.  IT  The  fair  havens. 
This  was  on  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
island  of  Crete.  It  was  probably  not  so 
much  a  harbour  as  an  open  kind  of  road, 
which  afforded  good  anchorage  for  a  time 


ut 


THE  ACIS. 


unto  a  place  which  is  called  the  fair 
havens  ;  nigh  whereunto  was  the 
city  of  Lasea. 

y  Now  when  much  time  was 
spent,  and  when  sailing  was  now 
dangerous,  because  the  fast  '  was 
now  already  past  Pau]  admonished 
i/icm, 

10  And  said  unto  them,  Sirs,  1 
pfirceive  "  that  this  voyage  will  be 
with  2  hurt  and  much  damage,  not 

•  The  feast  wat  on  the  \Cth  day  of  the  'th  month. 
Lev.23.2T,29.  a  aKiiijs  6.9,10.  Dm. 2. 20.  Amos  3.7. 

•  or,  injury. 

it  is  called  by  Stephen,  the  geographer, 
"  the  fair  shore."  " 

9.  When  muck  lime  v>as  spent.  In  sail- 
ing along  ths  coast  of  Asia  ;  in  contend- 
ing with  the  contrary  winds.  It  is  evi- 
dent, that  when  they  started,  they  had 
hoped  to  reach  Italy  before  the  dangerous 
time  of  navigating  the  Mediterranean 
ghould  arrive.  But  they  had  been  de- 
tained and  embarrassed  contrary  to  their 
expectation,  so  that  they  were  now  sailing 
in  the  most  dangerous  and  tempestuous 
time  of  the  year.  IT  Because  the  fast  was 
tioiv  already  past.  By  "  the  fast,"  here  is 
evidently  intended  the  fast  which  occur- 
red among  the  Jews  on  the  great  day  of 
atonement.  That  wns  the  tenth  of  the 
month  Tisri,  which  answers  to  a  part  of 
September  and  part  of  October.  It  was 
therefore  the  time  of  the  autumnal  equi- 
nox, and  when  the  navigation  of  the  Me- 
diterranean was  esteemed  to  be  particu- 
larly dangerous,  from  the  storms  which 
u.-^ually  occurred  about  that  time.  The 
ancients  regarded  this  as  a  dangerous 
time  to  navigate  the  Mediterranean.  See 
the  proofs  in  Kninoel  on  this  place.  ^  Paul 
ttil  man  is/ltd  them.  Paul  exhorted,  entreat- 
erl,  or  persuaded  them.  lie  was  some- 
what accustomed  to  the  navigation  of 
that  sea;  and  cndeav'»urcd  to  persuade 
them  not  to  risk  the  diuiger  of  sailing  at 
that  season  of  the  year. 

10.  .Sir.'?.  Gr.  Men.  IT  I -perceive.  It 
:«  not  certain  that  Paul  undoratood  this 
by  direct  inspiration.  lie  might  have 
perceived  it  from  his  own  knowledge  of 
th«-'  danger  r)f  navigation  at  the  autumnal 
equinox,  and  from  what  he  saw  of  the  ship 
as  unfitted  to  a  dancorous  navigation.  But 
Miere  is  nolhinc  that  should  prevent  our 
believing  also  that  he  was  guided  to  this 
(•onclusi'Hi  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit 
of  (Jod  Comp.  vcr.  23.  2  J.  IT  Will  be 
with  hurt.  With  injury,  or  hazard.  It  is 
Hot  meant  that  their  livea  would  bo  lout; 


[A   D.  C2 
and   ship,  but 


only  of  the  lading 
also  of  our  lives. 

11  Nevertheless,  the  centurion 
believed  the  master  and  ihe  ownei 
of  the  ship,  more  than  those  things 
which  were  spoken  by  Paul. 

12  And  because  the  haven  was 
not  commodious  to  winter  in,  the 
more  part  advised  to  depart  thence 
also,  if  by  any  means  they  mighl 
attain  to  Phenice,  and  there  to  win- 


but  that  they  would  be  jeojjarded.  IT  The 
lading.  The  freight  of  the  ship.  It  was 
laden  with  wheat,  ver.  3S.  Paul,  evi 
dently,  by  this,  intended  to  suggest  the 
propriety  of  remaining  where  they  were 
until  the  time  of  dangerous  navigation 
was  past. 

11.  The  master.  The  captain,  or  the 
pilot.  The  person  who  is  here  meant, 
was  the  helmsman,  who  occupied,  in  an- 
cient ships,  a  conspicuous  place  on^the 
stern,  and  steered  the  ship,  and  gave 
directions  to  the  crew.  IT  The  owner  of 
the  ship.  Probably  a  different  person  from 
"the  master."  He  had  the  general  com- 
mand of  the  ship  as  his  own  property,  but 
had  employed  "  the  master,"  or  the  pilot, 
to  direct  and  manage  it.  His  counsel  in 
regard  to  the  propriety  of  continuing  the 
voyage,  wmild  be  likely  to  be  followed. 

12.  The  haven.  The  fair  havens,  ver. 
8.  IF  Was  not  commodious  to  winter  in 
Not  safe  or  convenient  to  remain  there 
Probably  it  furnished  rather  a  safe  an 
chorage  ground  in  time  of  n  storm,  than 
a  convenient  place  for  a  permanent  har- 
bour. %  The  7/iore  part.  The  greater  part 
of  the  crew.  IT  7'ti  I'henice.  This  was  a 
port  or  harbour  on  the  south  side  of  Crete, 
and  west  of  the  fair  havens.  It  was  a 
more  convenient  harbour,  and  regarded  as 
more  safe.  It  appears  thcreli)re,  that  the 
majority  of  persons  on  board  concurred 
with  Paul  in  the  belief  that  it  was  no» 
advisable  to  attempt  the  navigation  of  the 
sen  until  the  dangers  of  the  winter  had 
pas.sed  by.  H  And  liclh  toward.  Greek 
J.onking  toward  ;  i.  e.  it  was  ojxn  in  tlial 
direction.  H  The  saiithvist.  KxtH  a;^» 
Toward  Lj/bia,  or  Africa.  That  country 
was  situated  s<»ulhwest  of  the  mouth  of 
the  harbour.  The  entrance  of  the  har 
hour  wa.s  in  a  southwest  direction 
If  And  ncrlhurst.  Kutx  X.e^"-  Thii 
word  denotes  a  wind  blowing  from  the 
northwest.    'I'ho   harbour  was  doulrtlcH* 


A.  D.  62.] 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


34. 


ter ;  which  is  an  haven  of  Crete,  " 
and  lielh  toward  the  southwest  and 
northwest. 

13  And  when  the  south  wind 
blew  softly,  supposing  that  they 
had  obtained  their  purpose,  haos- 
ino-  *  thence,  they  sailed  close  by 
Crete. 

14  But  not  long  after  there  ' 
arose  against  it  a  tempestuous  <= 
wind,  called  Euroclydon. 


a  ver.T, 


c  P9.107.25. 


curved.  Its  entrance  was  in  a  southwest 
direction.  It  then  turned  so  as  to  he  in  a 
direction  towards  the  northwest.  It  was 
thus  rendered  perfectly  safe  from  the 
winds  and  heavy  seas  ;  and  in  that  har- 
bour they  might  pass  the  winter  in  secu- 
rity. 

13.  The  south  wind.  The  wind  before 
had  probably  been  a  head  wind,  blowing 
from  the  west.  When  it  veered  round  to 
the  south,  and  when  it  blew  gently, 
though  not  entirely  favourable,  yet  it  was 
so  that  they  supposed  they  could  sail 
along  the  coast  of"  Crete.  IT  Had  obtained 
their  purpose.  The  object  of  their  desire  ; 
that  is,  to  sail  safely  along  the  coast  of 
Crete.  IT  Loosing  thence.  Setting  sail 
from  the  fair  havens.  IF  Close  by  Crete. 
Near  the  shore.  It  is  evident  that  they 
designed,  if  possible,  to  make  the  harbour 
of  Phenice,  to  winter  there. 

14.  Arose.  Beat  violently.  IT  Against 
it.  Against  the  island  of  Crete.  IT  A 
tempestuous  wind.  Turbulent,  violent, 
strong.  IT  Called  Euroclydon.  Inlt,.  ;>re- 
ters  have  been  much  perplexed  about 
the  meaning  of  this  word,  which  occurs 
nowhere  else  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  most  probable  supposition  is,  that  it 
denotes  a  wind  not  blowing  steadily  from 
any  quarter,  but  a  hurricane,  or  wind 
veering  about  to  different  quarters.  Such 
hurricanes  are  known  to  abound  in  the 
Mediterranean,  and  are  now  called  Le- 
tanters,  deriving  their  name  from  blowing 
chiefly  in  the  Levant,  or  eastern  part  of 
the  Mediterranean.  The  name  Eurocly- 
don is  derived  probably  from  two  Greek 
words,  sufo;,  wi7id,  and  x^jdc^v,  a  wave; 
so  called  from  its  agitating  and  exciting 
the  waves.  It  thus  ansvv^ers  to  the  usual 
effects  of  a  hurricane,  or  of  a  wind  ra- 
pidly changing  its  points  of  compass. 

15.  Themhip  was  caught.  By  the  wind. 
It  came  suddenly  upon  them  as  a  tem- 
pest. IT  Could  not  bear  up,  &c.  Could 
not  resir.t  its  violence,  or  could  not  direct 
the  ehiD.     It  was  seized  by  the  wind,  and 


15  And  when  the  ship  was  cauorht, 
and  could  not  bear  up  into  the  wind., 
we  let  her  drive. 

16  And  running  under  a  certaifi 
island  which  is  called  Clauda,  we 
had  much  work  to  come  oy  th« 
boat; 

17  Which  when  they  had  ta- 
ken up,  they  used  helps,  under- 
girding  the  ship  ;  and  fearing  lest 
they  should  fall  "*  into  the  quic 


driven  with  such  violence  that  it  becama 
unmanageable.  IT  We  let  her  drive.  We 
suffered  the  ship  to  be  borne  along  by 
the  wind  without  attempting  to  control  it 

16.  And  running  under.  Running  near 
to  an  island.  They  run  near  to  it,  where 
the  violence  of  the  wind  was  probably 
broken  by  the  island.  ^  Which  is  called 
Clauda.  This  is  a  small  island  southwest 
of  Crete.  IT  We  had  much  work.  Much 
difficulty ;  we  were  scarcely  able  to  do 
it.  IT  To  come  by  the  boat.  This  does  not 
mean  that  they  attempted  here  to  land  in 
the  boat,  but  they  had  much  difficulty  in 
saving  the  small  boat  attached  to  the  ship 
from  being  staved  to  pieces.  Whether 
it  was  carried  in  the  ship  or  towed  at 
the  stern  does  not  appear ;  but  it  is  evi- 
dent that  it  was  in  danger  of  being  broken 
to  pieces,  or  lost,  and  that  they  had  much 
difficulty  in  securing  it.  The  im[)ortance 
of  securing  the  small  boat  is  known  by 
all  seamen. 

"•7.  Which  when  they  had  taken  up. 
'^''hv-n  they  had  raised  up  the  boat  into 
thb  >.Jp,  so  as  to  secure  it.  IT  They  used. 
helpi>.  They  used  ropes,  cables,  stays,  or 
chains,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the 
ship.  The  danger  was  that  the  ship  would 
be  destroyed ;  and  they,  therefore,  made 
use  of  such  aids  b.s  should  prevent  the 
loss  of  the  ship.  IF  Undergirding  the  ship. 
The  ancients  were  accustomed  to  pass 
cables  or  strong  ropes  from  one  side  of 
the  ship  to  another,  to  keep  the  planks 
from  spring'ug  or  startnig  by  the  action 
of  the  sea.  The  rope  was  slipped  under 
the  prow,  and  passed  along  to  any  part  of 
the  keel  which  they  pleased,  and  made 
fast  on  the  deck.  See  cases  mentioned 
in  Kuinoel  on  this  verse.  An  instance 
of  the  same  kind  is  mentioned  in  lord 
Anson's  voyage  round  the  world.  Speak 
ing  of  a  Spanish  man-of-war  in  a  storm, 
he  says,  "  they  were  obliged  to  throw 
overboard  all  their  upper-deck  guns,  and 
take  six  turns  of  the  cable  round  the 
ship,  to  pre  rent  her  opening  "    (Clarke.^ 


344 


THE  ACTS 


[A.  D.  oi 


B'ands,   slrake    sail    and    so   were 
driven. 

18  And  being  exceedingly  tossed 

•  with  a  tempest,  the  next  day  they 
lightened  the  ship. 

19  And  the  third  day  we  east 
out '  with  our  own  hands  the  tack- 
ling of  the  ship. 

20  And  when  neither  '  sun  nor 
•tars  in  many  days  appeared,  and 
no  small  tempest  lay  on  w5,  all  hope 

*  that  we  should  be  saved  was  then 
taken  away. 

21  But  after  long  abstinence, 
Paul  stood  forth  in  the  midst  of 

oPs.107.27.  iJob2.4.  Jon.1.5.  c  P8.105.28. 

dEzek.37.11.  «  ver.lO.  /ver.l3.  f  Job 

88^.  P8.n2.7.  2Cor.4.8,9.       h  c.23.11.       t  Heb.1.14. 


IT  Lest  they  should  fall  into  the  quick- 
sands. There  were  two  celebrated  syr- 
tes,  or  quicksands  on  the  coast  of  Africa, 
called  the  greater  and  lesser.  They 
were  vast  beds  of  sand  tiriven  up  by  the 
sea,  and  constantly  shifting  their  position, 
so  that  that  they  could  not  know  cer- 
tainly where  the  danger  was,  and  pnard 
against  it.  As  they  were  constantly 
changing  their  position,  they  could  not 
be  accurately  laid  down  in  a  chart. 
They  were  afraid,  therefore,  that  they 
should  be  driven  on  one  of  those  banks 
of  sand,  and  thus  be  lost.  IT  SiraTte  sail. 
Or  rather,  lowered,  or  took  down  the 
mast;  or  the  vards  to  which  the  sails  were 
attached.  There  has  been  a  great  vari- 
ety of  interpretations  proposed  on  this 
passage.  Tlie  most  probable  is,  that 
they  took  down  the  mast,  by  cutting  or 
otherwise,  as  is  now  done  m  storms  at 
sea,  to  save  the  ship.  They  were  at  the 
mercy  of  the  wind  and  waves  ;  and  their 
only  hope  was  by  taking  away  their  sails. 
T  And  so  were  driven.  By  the  wind  and 
fvaves.  The  ship  was  unmanageable, 
and  they  suffered  it  to  bo  driven  before 
the  wind. 

18.  Theyli[rhlvned  the  ship.  By  throw- 
ing out  a  part  of  the  cargo. 

19.  The  tacklivfr  of  the  ship.  The  an- 
ehorw,  sails,  cables,  baggage,  A'c.  That 
in,  they  threw  over  every  thing  that 
was  not  indisponsable  to  its  preservation, 
for  it  seems  still  (ver.  29)  that  they  re- 
tained some  of  thoir  anchors  on  board'. 

20.  Neither  sun  nor  stars,  <Vo.  As  tlioy 
could  see  neither  sun  nor  stars,  lliey 
could  make  no  oljservations;  and  as  they 
had   no  compass,  they  would  bo  totally 


them,  and  said,  Sirs,  ye  shoulc 
have  hearkened  '  unto  me,  and  not 
have  loosed  ^  from  Crete,  and  to 
have  gained  this  harm  and  loss. 

22  And  now  *  I  exhort  you  to  b« 
of  good  cheer:  for  there  shall  be 
no  loss  of  any  marCs  life  amonj 
you,  but  of  the  ship. 

23  For  there  stood  by  me  thii 
night  '*  the  angel  '  of  God,  whose  ^ 
I  am,  and  whom  *  I  serve. 

21  Saying,  Fear  not,  Paul ;  thou 
must  be  brought  before  Cesar:  and, 
lo,  God  hath  given  thee  '  all  them 
that  sail  with  thee. 

■  j  Deut.32.9.  Ps.135.4.  I6a.44.5.  Mal.3.17.  Jno.l7.9,ia 
lCor.6.20.  lFet.2.9,10  k  Ps.n6.16.  Isa.44.21.  IHa. 

3.17;  6.16.  Jno,12.'i6.  Roni.1.9.  2Tim.l.3.  I  Gen, 

19.21,22. 


ignorant  of  their  situation,  and  gave  up 
all  as  lost. 

21.  But  after  long  abstinence.  By  the 
violence  of  the  storm,  by  their  long-con- 
tinued labour,  and  by  their  rpprehension 
of  danger,  they  had  a  long  ii;:ie  abstained 
from  Ibod.  if  And  to  have  gained  thia 
harm.  To  have  procured  this  harm,  or 
have  subjected  yourselves  to  it.  Had  you 
remained  there,  you  would  have  been 
safe.  It  seems  to  be  bad  English  to 
speak  of  gaining  a  loss,  but  it  is  a  cor- 
rect translation  of  the  original  (x£f  J)j(rai'), 
which  expresses  the  idea  of  acquiring  oi 
procuring,  whether  good  or  evil.  See 
ver.  9,  10. 

22.  There  shall  be  no  loss.  This  mu6l 
have  been  cheering  news  to  those  who 
bad  given  up  all  for  lost.  As  Paul  had 
manifested  great  wisdonv  in  his  former 
advice  to  them,  they  might  be  now  more 
disposed  to  listen  to  him.  The  reason 
why  he  believed  they  would  be  safe,  he 
immediately  states. 

23.  There  stood  by  me.  There  appear- 
ed to  me.  H  The  angel  of  God.  Th» 
messages  of  God  were  often  communi- 
cated by  angela.  See  Ileb.  i.  14.  Thi« 
does  not  mean  that  there  was  any  parti 
cular  angel,  l)nt  simply  an  angel.  1l  W'hosr 
I  am.  Of  the  God  to  whom  I  belong. 
This  is  an  expression  of  Paul's  entire  de 
votedness  to  him.  IT  Whom  I  strve.  Ir- 
tlio  gospel.  'I'o  whom  and  lo  whoso 
cause  I  am  entirely  devoted. 

21.  Fear  nat,  Paul.  Do  ndl  be  alarm 
ed  with  the  danger  of  the  loss  of  life, 
H  Thou  must  be  braught,  i\:c.  And  there- 
fore thy  life  wfll  be' spared.  II  Uod  hath 
given  the«  all,  &c     Tha'  is,  they  vliall  al 


<V   D.  62.  ] 


CHAPTER  XX  VII. 


340 


25  Whc^refore,  sirs,  be  of  good 
cheer;  foi  *  I  believe  God,  that  it 
siiall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me. 

26  Howbeit,  we  must  be  cast 
upon  a  certain  island.  * 

27  But  when  the  fourteenth 
light  was  come,  as  we  w^ere  driv- 
en up  and  down  in  Adria,  about 
midnight  the  shipmen  deemed  that 
they  drew  near  to  some  country  : 

28  And  sounded,  and  found  it 
twenty  fathoms:  and  when  they 
had    gone    a    little    further,    they 

a  Luke  1.45.  Rom.4.20,21.  2Tim.l.l2.         b  c.2?  1. 

be  preserved  with  thee.  None  of  their 
lives  shall  be  lost.  It  does  not  mean  that 
they  should  be  converted  ;  but  that  their 
lives  should  be  preserved.  It  is  implied 
here  that  it  was  for  the  sake  of  Paul,  or 
that  the  leading  purpose  of  the  divine 
interposition  to  rescue  them  from  danger 
was,  to  save  his  life.  The  wicked  often 
derive  important  benefits  from  being  con- 
nected with  Christians;  and  God  often 
confers  important  favours  on  Ihem  in  his 
general  purpose  to  benefit  his  own  peo- 
ple. The  lives  of  impenitent  men  are 
often  spared  because  God  interposes  to 
save  his  own  people. 

26.  Howbeit.  Nevertheless.  ^  Upon  a 
rerlain  island.     Malta.     See  ch.  xxviii.  1. 

27.  The  fourteenth  night.  From  the 
time  when  the  tempest  commenced.  IF/zi 
Adria.  In  the  Adriatic  sea.  This  sea  is 
properly  situated  between  Italy  and  Dal- 
raalia,  now  called  the  Adriatic  gulf  But 
among  the  ancients  the  name  was  given 
not  only  to  that  gulf  but  to  the  whole 
sea  lying  between  Greece,  Italy,  and 
Africa,  including  the  Sicilian  and  Ionian 
sea.  It  is  evident  from  the  narrative, 
that  they  were  not  in  the  Adriahc  gulf 
but  in  the  vicinity  of  Malta.  See  the 
map.  T  Deemed.  Judged.  Probably  by 
the  appearance  of  the  sea. 

28.  And  sounded.  To  sound  is  to  make 
use  of  a  line  and  lead  to  ascertain  the 
depth  of  water.  IT  Twentj/  fathoms.  A 
fathom  is  sij  feet,  or  the  distance  from 
the  extremity  of  the  middle  finger  on  one 
hand  to  the  extremity  of  the  other,  when 
(he  arras  are  extended.  The  depth,  there- 
fore, was  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet.  IT  Fifteen  fathoms.  They  knew, 
therefore,  that  they  were  drawing  near 
to  shore. 

29    Tketf  cast  four  anchors.      On  ac- 

tount  of  the  violence  of  the  storm  and 

ft^es.  to  make  if  possible  the  ship  se- 


sounded  aga/  /,  a. id  found  it  fifteen 
fathoms. 

29  Then  fearing  lest  they  should 
have  fallen  upon  rocks,  they  cast 
four  anchors  out  of  the  stern,  and 
wished  '  for  the  day. 

30  And  as  the  shipmen  were 
about  to  flee  out  of  the  ship,  when 
they  had  let  dovv-n  the  boat  into  the 
sea,  under  colour  as  though  they 
would  have  cast  anchors  out  of  the 
foreship, 

31  Paul  said  to   the   centurion 


cure.  IT  A?id  wished  for  the  day.  To 
discern  more  accurately  their  situation 
and  danger. 

30.  The  shipmen.  The  sailors,  leaving 
the  prisoners.  IT  Under  colour.  Under 
pretence.  They  pretended  that  it  was 
necessary  to  get  into  the  boat,  and  carrj* 
the  anchors  ahead  of  the  ship  so  as  to 
make  it  secure,  but  with  a  real  intention 
to  make  for  the  shore.  ^  Out  of  the  fore- 
ship.  From  the  prow,  so  as  to  make  the 
fore  part  of  the  ship  secure.  The  reason 
why  they  did  this  was,  probably,  thai 
they  expected  the  ship  would  go  to 
pieces;  and  as  all  on  board  could  not  be 
saved  in  one  small  boat,  they  resolved  to 
escape  to  a  place  of  safety  as  soon  as 
possible. 

31.  Paul  said  to  the  centurion  and  the 
soldiers.  The  centurion  had,  it  appears, 
the  gendral  direction  of  the  ship.  ver.  11. 
Probably  it  had  been  pressed  into  the 
service  of  the  government.  IF  Except 
these.  These  seamen.  The  soldiers  and 
the  centurion  were  unqualified  to  ma- 
nage the  ship,  and  the  presence  of  the 
sailors  was  therefore  indispensable  to  the 
preservation  of  any.  IT  Abide  in  the  ship. 
Remain  on  board.  ^  Ye  cannot  be  saved. 
You  cannot  be  preserved  from  death. 
You  will  have  no  hope  of  managing  the 
ship  so  as  to  be  secure  from  death.  Il 
wiU  be  remembered  that  Paul  had  been 
informed  by  the  angel,  and  had  assured 
them  (ver.  22 — 24),  that  no  lives  should 
be  lost.  But  it  was  only  in  the  use  of  the 
proper  means  that  their  lives  would  be 
safe.  Though  it  had  been  determined, 
and  though  Paul  had  the  assurance  that 
their  lives  would  be  safe,  yet  this  did  not, 
in  his  view,  prevent  the  use  of  the  proper 
means  to  secure  it.  From  this  we  may 
learn,  (1.)  That  the  certainty  of  an  event 
does  not  render  it  improper  to  use  means 
to  obtain  it     (2.)    That  though  the  eveni 


546 


THE  ACTS. 


[A  D.  6> 


and  to  tne  so -diers,  Except  these 
abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be 
saved. 

32  Then  the  soldiers  cut  off 
the  ropes  of  the  boat,  and  let  her 
fall  off. 

33  And  while  the  day  was  com- 
ing on,  Paul  besought  them  all  to 
take  meat,  saying,  This  day  is  the 
fourteenth  day  that  ye  have  tar- 
riod,  and  continued  fasting,  having 

a  M»U.15.32.   lTim.5.23.  fc  1  Kings  1.52.   Matt. 

10.30.  Luke  12.7;  21.18. 


maybe  determined,  yet  the  use  of  the 
means  may  be  indispensable.  The  event 
is  rendered  no  ma-e  certain  than  tlie 
means  requisite  to  accomplish  it.  (3.) 
Tiiat  the  doctrine  of  tlie  divine  purposes 
or  decrees,  making  certain  future  events, 
does  not  malie  the  use  of  man's  agency 
unnecessary  or  improper.  The  means 
are  determined  as  well  as  the  end ;  and 
the  one  will  not  be  secured  without  the 
other.  (4.)  The  same  ia  true  in  regard 
to  the  decrees  respecting  salvation.  The 
end  is  not  determined  without  the  means ; 
and  as  God  has  resolved  that  his  people 
fchall  be  saved,  so  he  has  also  determined 
the  means.  He  has  ordained  that  they 
Bhall  repent,  shall  believe,  shall  be  holy, 
and  shall  Uais  be  saved.  (5.)  We  liave 
m  this  case  a  full  answer  to  the  objection 
that  a  belief  in  the  decrees  of  God  will 
make  men  neglect  the  means  of  salva- 
tion, and  lead  to  licentiousnes.s.'  It  lias 
just  the  contrary  tendency.  Hero  is  a 
case  in  which  Paul  certainly  believed  in 
the  purpose  of  God  to  save  these  men  \ 
in  wiiich  he  wa.s  assured  that  it  was  fully 
determined ;  and  yet  the  cfToct  was  not 
to  produce  inattention  and  unconcern,  but 
to  prompt  him  to  use  strenuous  eflurts  to 
accomplish  the  very  elfect  which  God 
liad  determined  should  take  place.  So  it 
is  always.  A  belief  that  God  has  pur- 
{Hwes  of  mercy ;  that  he  designs,  and  has 
always  designed,  to  save  some,  will 
prompt  to  the  use  of  all  proper  means  to 
secure  it.  If  we  had  no  evidence  that 
God  had  any  such  purjHJse,  effort  would 
bo  vain.  Wo  should  have  no  induce- 
ment to  exertion.  Where  we  liai:r.  such 
evidence,  it  operates  as  it  did  in  the  rase 
of  Paid,  to  produce  great  and  strenuous 
endeavf)urH  to  secure  the  oliject. 

32.  Cut  off  the  rnppn,  &c.  It  is  evident 
ihjit  the  mariners  had  not  yet  got  on 
boarti  the  boat.  They  had  let  it  down 
aito  the  sea  (vor  30),  and  were  about  to 


taken  nothing. 

34  Wherek)re  1  pray  )  on  to  take 
some  meat ;  for  this  "  is  for  youi 
health  :  for  there  *  shall  not  an  hail 
fall  from  the  head  of  any  of  you. 

35  And  when  he  had  thus 
spoken,  he  took  bread,  and  *=  gave 
thanks  to  God  in  presence  of  them 
all :  and  when  he  had  broken  ?7,  he 
began  to  eat. 

26    Then  were  they  all  of  good 

c  lSaiu.3.13.  Matt.15.36.  Mark  8.6.  jDo.C.n,23.  ITiin. 
4.3,4. 


go  on  board.  By  thus  cutting  the  roj)e3 
which  fastened  the  boat  to  the  ship,  and 
letting  it  go,  they  removed  all  possibility 
of  Uieir  fleeing  from  the  ship,  and  com- 
pelled them  to  remain  on  board. 

33.  And  while  the  day  was  coming  on. 
At  daybreak.  It  was  before  they  had 
sullicieiit  liglit  to  discern  what  they 
should  do.  H  To  take  meat.  Food.  The 
word  7neat  was  formerly  used  to  denote 
food  of  any  kind.  H  That  ye  have  tarried. 
That  you  have  remained  or  been  fasting. 
H  Irlavin'j:  taken  nothing.  No  regular 
meal  It  cannot  mean  that  they  had 
lived  entirely  without  food  ;  but  that  they 
had  been  so  much  in  danger,  so  constant- 
ly engaged,  and  ro  anxious  about  their 
stfety,  that  they  had  taken  no  regular 
meal ;  and  that  what  they  had  taken  had 
been  at  irregular  intervals,  and  had  been 
a  scanty  allowance.  "  Appian  speaks  of 
an  army  which  fir  tw enty  days  together 
had  neither  food  nor  sleep;  by  which  he 
must  mean  that  they  neither  made  fidl 
meals,  nor  slept  whole  nights  together. 
The  same  interpretation  must  be  given  to 
this  phrase."  {Doddridge.)  The  effect 
of  this  must  have  been,  that  they  would 
be  weak  and  exhausted;  and  little  able 
to  endure  the  iiitigues  which  yet  re- 
mained. 

34.  Not  an  hair  fall  from  the  head,  &c 
This  is  a  proverbial  expression,  denoting 
that  Uiey  should  be  preserved  safe ;  thai 
none  of  them  should  be  lost,  and  that  in 
their  persons  they  should  not  experience 
the  least  damage.  1  Kings  i.  52.  1  Sam. 
xiv.  45. 

35.  Ajid  gam  thanks,  &c.  This  was 
the  usual  custom  among  the  HehrewH 
See  Note,  Malt.  xiv.  19.  Paid  wm 
among  those  who  were  not  C'hristiann. 
But  ne  was  not  ashamed  of  the  proper 
acknowledgment  of  God,  niid  was  not 
afraid  to  avow  his  dependence  on  him, 
and  to  exj)roR8  his  gratitudo  for' his  r»»^Tcv 


V.  1>.  62.  J 


CHAPTER  XX VII. 


347 


!lieer,    and   they   also    took    some 
aeat 

37  And  we  were  in  all  in  the 
Bhip,  two  hundred  threescore  and 
sixteen  souls. 

38  And  when  they  had  eaten 
»nough,  they  lightened  the  ship, 
md  cast  out  the  wheat  into  the 
#ea. 

39  And  when  it  was  day,  they 
knew  not  the  land:  but  they  dis- 
covered a  certain  creek  with  a 
shore,  into  the  which  they  were 
minded,  if   it   were    possible,   to 


33.  They  lightened  the  ship.  By  casting 
tho  wheat  into  the  sea.  As  they  had  no 
hope  of  saving  the  cargo,  and  had  no 
further  use  for  it,  they  hoped  that  by 
throwing  the  wheat  overboard,  the  ship 
would  draw  less  water,  and  that  tJius 
they  would  be  able  to  come  nearer  to  the 
shore. 

39.  They  knew  not  the  land.  They  had 
been  driven  with  a  tempest,  without 
being  able  to  make  any  observation ;  and 
it  is  probable  that  they  were  entire  stran- 
gers to  the  coast,  and  to  the  whole  island. 
^  A  certain  creek  with  a  shore.  Greek,  A 
certain  bosom  (xo^ttoi-)  or  bay.  By  its 
having  a  shore  is  probably  meant  that  it 
liad  a  level  shore,  or  one  that  was  conve- 
nient for  landing.  It  was  not  a  high 
bluff  of  rocks,  but  was  accessible.  Kui- 
noel  thinks  that  the  passage  should  be 
construed,  "  they  found  a  certain  shore, 
having  a  bay,"  &c.  IT  Were  minded. 
Were  resolved. 

40.  Had  taken  up  the  anchors.  The 
four  anchors  with  which  they  had 
moored  the  ship.  ver.  29.  See  the 
margin.  The  expression  may  mean  that 
they  slipped  or  cut  their  cables,  and  that 
thus  they  left  the  anchors  in  the  sea. 
This  is  the  most  probable  interpretation. 
ST  And  loosed  the  rudder-bands.  The  rud- 
der in  navigation  is  that  by  which  a  ship 
is  steered.  It  is  that  part  of  the  helm 
which  consists  of  a  piece  of  timber,  broad 
at  tho  bottom,  which  enters  the  water, 
and  is  attached  by  hinges  to  the  stern- 
'>ost  on  which  it  turns. — (Webster.)     But 

«hat  was  the  precise  form  of  the  rudder 
tmong  the  ancients,  is  not  certainly 
<aown.  Sometimes  a  vessel  might  be 
steered  by  oars.  In  most  ships  they  ap- 
pear to  have  had  a  rudder  at  the  prow  as 
well  as  at  the  stern.  In  some  instances 
liso.  they  had  them  on  the  side       The 


thrust  in  the  ship.  , 

40  And  when  they  had  '  taken 
up  the  anchors,  they  committed 
themselves  unto  the  sea,  and  loo.sed 
the  rudder-bands,  and  hoisted  up 
the  mainsail  to  the  wind,  and  made 
toward  shore. 

41  And  falling  into  a  place 
where  two  seas  met,  they  ran  the 
ship  aground;  and  the  forepart 
stuck  fast,  and  remained  unmov- 
able,  but  the  hinder  part  was 
broken  with  the  violence  of  tho 
waves. 

1  or,  cut  the  anchors,  left  them  in  the  sea,  etc. 


word  used  here  in  the  Greek  is  in  the 
plural  {riiv  7r>,Sci\',,^v),  aud  it  is  evident 
that  they  had  in  this  ship  more  than  one 
rudder.  The  bands  mentioned  here  were 
probably  the  cords,  or  fastenings  by 
which  the  rudder  could  be  made  secure 
to  the  sides  of  the  ship,  or  could  be  raised 
up  out  of  the  water  in  a  violent  storm,  to 
prevent  its  being  carried  away.  And  as 
in  the  tempest,  the  rudders  had  become 
useless  (ver.  15.  17),  they  were  probably 
either  raised  out  of  the  water,  or  made 
fast.  Now  that  the  storm  was  passed, 
and  they  could  be  used  again,  they  were 
loosed,  and  they  endeavoured  to  direct 
the  vessel  into  port.  H  The  mainsail 
A^rif^vj..  There  have  been  various  ex- 
planations of  this  word.  Luther  trans- 
lates it  the  mast.  Erasmus,  the  yards. 
Grotius,  who  supposes  that  the  mainmast 
had  been  cast  away  (ver.  17),  thinks  that 
this  must  mean  the  foremast  or  bowsprit. 
The  word  usually  means  the  mainsail 
The  Syriac  and  Arabic  understand  it  of 
a  small  sail,  that  was  hoisted  for  a  tempo- 
rary purpose. 

41.  And  falling.  Being  carried  by  the 
wind  and  waves.  IF  Into  a  place  where 
two  seas  met.  Gr."Into  a  place  of  a  dou- 
ble sea.  Ai^ixaro-ov.  That  is,  a  place 
which  is  washed  on  both  sides  by  the 
sea.  It  refers  properly  to  an  isthmus, 
tongue  of  land,  or  a  sand-bar  stretching 
out  from  the  main  land,  and  which  was 
washed  on  both  sides  by  the  waves.  It 
is  evident  that  this, was"  not  properly  an 
isthmus  that  was  above  the  waves,  but 
was  probably  a  long  sand-bank  that 
stretched  far  out  into  the  sea,  and  which 
they  did  not  perceive.  In  endeavouring 
to  make  the  harbour,  they  ran  on  this 
bar  or  sand-bank.  *ir  They  ran  the  ship 
aground.  Not  designedly,  but  in  endea 
vouring  to   reach  ^he  harbour,   ver   39 


i4e 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  h.  C2 


4^  And  the  soldiers'  counsel  " 
was  t )  kill  the  prisoners,  lest  any  of 
them  should  swim  out,  and  escape. 

43  But  the  centurion,  Avilling'  to 
save  Paul,  '  kept  them  from  their 
purpose  ;  and  commanded  that  they 
which  could  swim  should  cast 
themselves  first  into  the  sca^  and  get 
to  land  : 


5  The  hinder  part  was  broken.  The  stern 
was  broken  or  staved  in.  By  this  means 
llie  company  was  furnished  with  boards, 
&c.,  on  which  they  were  safely  conveyed 
to  the  shore,  ver.  44. 

42.  And  the  soldiers'  counsel,  &c.  Why 
they  gave  this  advice  is  not  known.  It 
was  probably,  however,  because  the  Ro- 
man military  discipline  was  very  strict, 
and  if  they  escaped,  it  would  probably 
be  charged  on  them  that  it  had  been 
done  by  the  negligence  and  unfaithful- 
ness of  the  soldiers.  They  therefore  pro- 
(M><5<  <|,  in  a  most  cruel  and  bloodthirsty 
m.inner,  to  kill  them,  though  contrary 
to  all  humanity,  justice,  and  laws;  pre- 
suming probably  that  it  would  be  sup- 
posed that  they  had  perished  in  the  wreck. 
This  is  a  remarkable  proof  that  men  can 
be  cruel  even  when  experiencing  the 
tender  mercy  of  God  ;  and  that  the  most 
affecting  scenes  of  divine  goodness  will 
not  mitigate  the  natural  ferocity  and  cru- 
elty of  thnse  who  delight  in  blood. 

43.  But  the  centurion,  willivir  to  save 
Paul.  He  had  at  first  been  disposed  to 
treat  Paul  with  kindness,  ver.  3.  And 
his  conduct  on  board  the  ship;  the  wis- 
dom of  his  advice  (ver.  10) ;  the  prudence 
of  his  conduct  in  the  agitation  and  danger 
of  the  tempest ;  and  not  improbably  the 
beliei  that  he  was  under  the  divine  pro- 
tection and  ble.ssing,  disposed  him  to 
■pare  his  life.  IT  Kept  them  from  thrir 
purpose.  Thus,  for  the  sake  of  this  one 
righteous  man,  the  lives  of  all  were 
Bpared.  The  instance  here  shows,  (1.) 
That  it  is  pos.siblo  for  a  pious  man,  like 
Patil,  so  to  conduct  in  the  various  trving 
scenes  of  life — the  npilntions,  difllculticB, 
and  temptations  of  this  world — as  to  con- 
ciliate the  favour  of  tlie  men  of  this 
world ;  and,  (2.)  That  imi)orIrint  benefits 
often  result  to  sinners  from  the  righteous. 
Paul's  being  on  board  was  the  means  of 
laving  the  lives  of  many  prisoners;  and 
Go<J  often  confers  important  blessings  on 
iho  wifked  for  the  ^nke  of  the  pious  rela- 
te ves,  frieiidn,  and  noighlKjiirH  with  whom 


44  And  the  rest,  some  un  boards 
and  some  on  broken  pieces  of  th€ 
ship.  And  so  '^  it  came  to  paaa 
that  they  escaped  all  sale  to  land 

CHAPTER  XXVHI. 

A  ND  when  they  vi-ere  escaped, 
-^  then  they  knew  that  the  island 
''  was  called  Melila. 

c  Ps.107.28,30.  ver  22.  d  C.27.B6. 


they  are  connected.  Ten  righteous  men 
would  have  saved  feodom  (Gen.  xviii.  32); 
and  Christians  are  in  more  ways  than 
one  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  tlie  light 
of  the  worM.  Matt.  v.  13,  14.  It  is  a 
privilege  to  be  related  to  the  friends  of 
God — to  be  the  children  of  pious  parent-s, 
or  to  be  connected  with  pious  partners  in 
life.  It  is  a  privilege  to  be  connected 
with  the  friends  of  God  in  business ;  or  to 
dwell  near  them ;  or  to  be  associated  with 
them  in  the  various  walks  and  dangers 
of  life.  The  streams  of  blessings  which 
How  to  fertilize  their  lands,  flow  also  to 
bless  others  ;  the  dews  of  heaven  which 
descend  on  their  habitations,  descend  on 
all  around ;  and  the  God  which  crowns 
them  with  loving-kindne.^s,  often  fills  the 
abodes  of  their  neighbours  and  friends 
with  the  blessings  of  peace  and  saha- 
tion.  IT  And  commandtd.  Probably  they 
were  released  from  their  chains. 

44.  And  the  rest.  Those  who  could 
not  swim.  IT  Thei/  escaped  all  safe  to 
land.  According  to  the  promi.se  which 
was  made  to  Paul.  ver.  22.  This  was 
done  by  the  special  providence  of  God. 
It  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  divine 
interposition  to  save  so  many  through  so 
long  contiiuied  dangers ;  and  it  shows 
that  God  can  defend  in  any  perils,  and 
can  accomplish  all  his  purpoi^es.  On  tfio 
ocean,  or  the  land,  we  are  safe  in  lii.s 
keeping;  and  he  can  devise  ways  that 
shall  fulfill  all  his  purposes,  and  that  car 
protect  his  people  from  danger. 
CIIAPTKR  XXVHI. 

1.  They  knew.  Hither  from  their  for- 
mer acquaintance  with  the  island,  or 
from  the  information  of  the  inhabitants. 
IT  Was  called  Melita.  Now  called  IMnlla. 
It  was  celebrated  l»)rMirrly  for  prcxlucing 
large  quantities  of  honey,  and  is  siipiKwcd 
to  liavo  been  called  Melila  from  the 
Greek  word,  sicnifying  honey.  It  is 
about  twenty  miles  in  length  from  eart 
to  west,  and  twelve  miles  in  breadth 
from  north  to  south,  and  alH)ut  sixty  miles 
in  «MrcuniferePce      li  •«  al)out  H'<\ly  mili'* 


A.  D.  62.  J 


CHAPTER  XXVm. 


34> 


2  And   the    barbarous  "  people]  on  the  fire,  there  came  a  viper  oul 
shewed  us  no  little  kindness  :  for  j  of  the  heat,   apd    fastened  on  his 

hand. 

4  And  when  the  barbarians  saw 
the   venomous   beast   hanor   on    his 


they  kindled  a  fire,  and  received 
us,  ^  every  one,  because  of  the 
present  rain,   and  because  of  the 


cold. 

3  And  when  Paul  had  gathered 
a  bundle  of  sticks,  and  laid  tkem 


iRoDL.1.14.Col.3.n. 


h  Matt.10.42.  Heb.13.2. 


from  the  coast  of  Sicily.  The  island  is 
an  immense  rocli  of  white  soft  free-stone, 
with  a  covering  of  earth  about  one  foot 
in  depth,  which  has  been  brought  from 
the  island  of  Sicily.  There  was  also 
another  island  formerly  called  Melita, 
now  called  Mclcda,  in  the  Adriatic  sea, 
near  the  coast  of  lUyricum,  and  some 
have  supposed  that  Paul  was  shipwreck- 
ed on  that  island.  But  tradition  has  uni- 
formly said  that  it  was  on  the  island  now 
called  Malta.  Besides,  the  other  Melita 
would  have  been  far  out  of  the  usual 
track  in  going  to  Italy ;  and  it  is  further 
evident  that  Malta  w-as  the  place,  because, 
from  the  place  of  his  shipwreck,  he  went 
directly  to  Syracuse,  Rhegium,  and  Puteo- 
li,  thus  sailing  m  a  direct  course  to  Rome. 
In  sailing  from  the  other  Melita  to  Rhe- 
gium, Syracuse  would  be  far  out  of  the 
direct  course.  The  island  now  is  in  the 
possession  of  the  British. 

2.  And  the  barbarous  people.  See  Note, 
Rom.  i.  14.  The  Greeks  regarded  all  as 
barbarians  who  did  not  speak  their  lan- 
guage ;  and  applied  the  name  to  all  other 
nations  but  their  own.  It  does  not  de 
note,  as  it  does  sometimes  with  us,  people 
of  savage,  uncultivated,  and  cruel  habits, 
but  simply  those  whose  speech  was  un- 
intelligible. See  1  Cor.  xiv.  ]}.  The  is- 
land iS  supposed  to  have  been  peopled  at 
first  by  the  Phoecians,  afterwards  by  the 
Phoenicians,  and  afterwards  by  a  colony 
from  Carthage.      The  language  of  the 


it  was  called  by  the  Greeks  the  language 
of  barbarians.  It  was  a  language  which 
was  unintelligible  to  the  Greeks  and 
Latins.  IF  The  rain.  The  continuance 
of  the  storm.  IF  And  of  the  cold.  The 
exposure  to  t^e  water  in  getting  to  the 
shore,  and  probably  to  the  coldness  of 
the  weather.  It  was  now  in  the  month 
of  October. 

3.  Had  gathered  a  bundle  of  sticJcs.  For 
the  purpose  of  making  a  fire.  IT  TTiere 
came  a  viper.  A  poisonous  serpent.  Note, 
Matt.  ni.  7  The  viper  was,  doubtless, 
in  the  bundle  of  sticks  or  limbs  of  trees 
svhich  Paul  had  gathered  but  was  con- 
2G 


hand,  they  said  among  themselves, 
No  doubt  "  this  man  is  a  murderer^ 
whom,  though  he  hath  escaped  the 

cJ  0.7.24. 


cealed,  and  was  torpid.  But  when  the 
bundle  was  laid  on  the  fire,  the  viper 
became  warmed  by  the  heat,  and  ran 
out,  and  fastened  on  the  hand  of  Paul 
IT  And  fastened  on  his  hand.  Ka3-;j.{/j 
This  word  properly  means  to  join  one's 
self  to ;  to  touch  ;  to  adhere  to.  It  migh 
have  been  by  coiling  around  his  hand 
and  arm ;  or  by  fastening  its  fangs  in  his 
hand.  It  is  not  expressly  affirmed  that 
Paul  was  bitten  by  the  viper,  yet  it  is 
evidently  implied ;  and  it  is  wholly  in- 
credible, that  a  viper,  unless  miraculously 
prevented,  should  fasten  himself  to  the 
hand  without  biting. 

4.  The  venomous  beast.  The  W'ord  beast 
we  apply  usually  to  an  animal  of  larger 
size  than  a  viper.  But  the  original  word 
(3^>)^;ov)  is  applicable  to  animals  of  any 
kind,  and  especially  applied  by  Greek 
writers  to  serpents.  (See  ScKleusner.) 
IT  No  doubt.  The  fact  that  the  viper  had 
fastened  on  him,  and  that,  as  they  sup 
posed,  he  must  now  certainly  die,  was 
the  proof  from  which  they  inferred  his 
guilt,  ^  Isa  murderer.  Why  they  thought 
he  was  a  murderer  rather  than  guilty  ot 
some  other  crime,  is  not  known.  It  might 
have  been,  (1.)  Because  they  inferred  that 
he  must  have  been  guilty  of  some  very 
atrocious  crime,  and  as  murder  was  the 
highest  crime  that  man  could  commit, 
they  inferred  that  he  had  been  guilty  of 
this.  Or,  (2.)  More  probably,  they  had  an 
opinion  that  when  divine  vengeance 
Maltese  was  that  of  Africa,  and  hence  kpvertook  a  man,  he  would  be  punished 


in  a  manner  similar  to  the  offence ;  and 
as  murder  is  committed  usually  with  the 
hand,  and  as  the  viper  had  fastened  on 
the  hand  of  Paul,  they  inferred  that  he 
had  been  guilty  of  taking  life.  It  was 
supposed  among  the  ancients,  that  persons 
were  often  punished  by  divine  vengeance 
in  that  part  of  the  body  which  had  been 
the  instrument  of  the  sin.  IT  Whom  though 
he  hath  escaped  the  sea.  They  supposed 
that  vengeance  and  justice  would  still 
follow  the  guilty  ;  that  though  he  mighl 
escape  one  form  of  punishment,  yet  he 
would  be  exposed  to  another.  And  ths, 
to  a  certain  extent,  is  true.    These  bar 


JftO 


TH?:  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  6ii 


sea,  yet  vengeance  saffireth  not  to 
live. 

5  And  he  shook  oil' the  heast  into 
the  fire,  and  felt  "  no  iiarm. 

6  Howbeit,  they  looked  when  he 
should  have  swollen,  or  fallen  down 
dead  suddenly  :  but  after  they  had 
looked  a  great  while,  and  saw  no 
harm  come  to  him,  they  changed 
their  minds,  and  said  ^  that  he  was 
8  god. 

7  In  the  same  quarters  were  pos- 
sessions of  the   chief  man  of  the 

a  Mark  16.I9.Luke.  10.19  ic.14.11. 


barians  reasoned  from  great  original  prin- 
ciples, written  on  the  hearts  of'  all  men 
Dy  nature,  that  there  is  a  God  of  justice, 
and  that  the  guilty  would  be  punished. 
They  reasoned  incorrectly,  as  many  do, 
only  because  that  they  sup{x>sed  that 
every  calamity  is  a  judgment  for  some 
particular  sin.  Men  often  draw  this  con- 
clusion ;  and  suppose  that  suffering  is  to 
be  traced  to  some  paiticular  crime,  and 
to  be  regarded  as  a  direct  judgment  from 
heaven.  See  Notes,  John  ix.  1 — 3.  The 
general  proposition,  that  all  sin  will  be 
punished  at  some  time,  is  true ;  but  we 
arc  not  qualified  to  affirm  of  particular 
calamities  always  that  they  are  direct 
judgments  for  sin.  In  some  cases  we  may. 
In  the  case  of  the  drunkard,  the  gambler, 
and  the  profligate,  we  cannot  doubt,  that 
the  loss  of  property,  lieallh,  and  reputa- 
tion is  the  direct  result  of  specific  crime. 
In  the  ordinary  calamities  of  life,  how- 
ever, it  requires  a  more  profound  ac- 
quaintance wilh  the  principles  of  divine 
government  than  we  pos.sess,  to  affirm  of 
each  instance  of  sufiTeriiig,  that  it  is  a  par- 
ticular judgment  for  some  Crime.  If  Yd 
vengeance.  'H  >>U>^.  Dihi,  or  justice,  vvfl^ 
represented  by  the  heathen  as  a  goddes^ 
the  daughter  of  Jupiter,  whose  office  it 
was  to  take  vengeance,  or  to  inflict  pun- 
ishment for  crimes,  f  Siijfciet/i  not  to 
live.  They  regarded  him  as  already  a 
dead  man.  Thoy  supptjsed  tfie  cflect  of 
the  bite  of  the  viper  would  be  so  certainly 
fatal,  that  they  might  speak  of  him  as  al- 
ready in  effect  dead.    JJeza. 

5.  Arid  fie  shook  off,  &c.  In  .;his  was 
remarkably  fuUillrd  llio  promise  of  the 
8avir»ur  (Mark  x\i.  18;:  "They  shall  lake 
up  serpents,"  etc. 

G  Wficn  he  shouLi  hare  swollen.  When 
ihcy  expected  ho  would   have  swollen 


island,  whose  name  was  Publius, 
who  received  us,  and  lodged  ua 
three  days  courteously. 

8  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the 
father  of  Publius  lay  sick  of  a  fe- 
ver, and  of  a  bloody  llux  :  to  whoia 
'  Paul  entered  in,  and  prayed,  and 
laid  ''his  hands  on  him,  and  healed 
him. 

9  So  when  this  was  done,  others 
also,  which  had  diseases  in  thfl 
island,  came,  and  were  healed  : 

10  Who  also  honoured  '  us  with 

c  James  5.14,15.  d  Matt.9.18.  Mark  6.5-7.32;16.1& 

Luke  4.40.  c.19.11.  ICor.12.9,28,  6lThess.2.6.  ITim 
5.17. 


from  the  bite  of  the  viper.  The  poison 
of  the  viper  is  rapid  ;  and  they  expected 
that  he  would  die  soon.  The  word  ren- 
dered "  swollen"  (-.>-f  :«rcrK.)  mcans 
properly  to  burn ;  to  be  inflamed  ;  and 
then  to  be  swollen  from  inflammation. 
This  was  what  they  expected  here,  that 
the  poison  would  produce  a  violent  in 
flammation.  IT  Or  fallen  down  dead  sud- 
denly.  As  is  sometimes  the  case  from 
the  bite  of  the  serpent,  when  a  vital  part 
is  affected.  IT  They  changed  their  minds 
They  saw  he  was  uninjured,  and  miracu- 
lously preserved  ;  and  ihey  supposed  that 
none  but  a  god  could  be  "thus  kept  from 
death.  ^  That  he  was  a  god.  That  the 
Maltese  were  idolaters  there  can  he  no 
doubt.  But  what  gods  they  worshipped 
is  unknown,  and  conjecture  would  be 
useless.  It  was  natural  that  they  should 
attribute  such  a  preservation  to  the  pre 
sence  of  a  divinity.  A  similar  instance 
occurred  atLystra.  See  Notes,  ch.  xiv.  1 1. 

7.  In  the  same  (piarters.  In  that  place, 
or  that  part  of  the  island.  ^  Possessions 
Property.  His  place  of  residence.  IT  The 
chief  man.  Cr.  Thc^r.s^  man.  Probably 
he  was  the  governor  of  the  island. 

8.Abloofli/Jlux.  Gr.  Dysentery.  ^  And 
laid  his  hands  on  him,  <?tc.  In  accordance 
wilh  the  promise  of  the  Saviour.  Mark 
XVI.  18.  This  mira<le  was  a  suitable  re- 
turn for  the  hosjjilality  of  Publius,  and 
would  serve  to  concdialo  further  the 
kindness  of  the  people,  and  prepare  the 
wav  for  the  usefulness  of  Paul. 

10.  Who  also  honoured  us.  As  men 
who  wore  favoured  of  heaven,  and  who 
liad  been  thcrmcans  of  coiiCcrriiig  im- 
portant benefits  on  them  in  healing  the 
sick,  A'c.  Pn)l)alily  the  word  "  honours" 
here  means  gifts,  or  marks  of  favour. 
IT  They  laded  us.    Thoy  gave  u.s  or  con 


A.D.  o2.1 


OHAfTER  XXVJII. 


35  J 


many  lionours;  and  when  we  de- 
parted, they  laded  tis  with  such 
things  "  as  were  tecessary. 

11  And  after  three  months  we 
departed  in  a  ship  of  Alexandria, 
which  had  wintered  in  the  isle, 
whose  sign  was  Castor  and  Pollux. 

12  And  landing  at  Syracuse,  we 
tarried  there  three  days. 

13  And  from  thence  we  fetched 
i  compass,  and  came  to  Rhegium  : 
and  after  one  day  the  south  wind 

a  Matt.6.31-34:  10.S-I0.  2Cor.2.5-U.  P!iil.4.n,12. 


fetred  on  us.  They  furnished  us  with 
Buch  things  as  were  neces&ary  for  us  on 
our  journey. 

11.  And  after  three  months.  Probably 
they  remained  there  so  long,  because 
there  was  no  favourable  opportunity  for 
them  to  go  to  Rome.  If  they  arrived 
there,  as  is  commonly  supposed,  in  Octo- 
ber, they  left  for  Rome  in  January.  IT  In 
a  ship  of  Alexandria.  See  Note,  ch.  xxvii. 
6.  II  Whose  sign.  Which  was  ornament- 
ed with  an  image  of  Castor  and  Pollux. 

t  was  common  to  place  on  the  prow  of 
the  ship  the  image  of  some  person,  or  god, 
whose  name  the  ship  bore.  This  custom 
is  still  observed.  IT  Castor  and  Pollux. 
These  were  two  semi-deities.  They  were 
reputed  to  be  twin  brothers,  sons  of  Ju- 
piter and  Leda,  the  wife  of  Tynuarus, 
King  of  Sparta.  After  their  death,  they 
are  fabled  to  have  been  translated  to  hea- 
ven, and  made  constellations  under  the 
name  ofgemini,  or  the  twins.  They  then 
received  divine  honours,  and  were  called 
the  sons  of  Jupiter.  They  were  supposed 
to  preside  over  sailors,  and  to  be  their 
protectors ;  hence  it  was  not  uncommon 
to  place  their  image  on  ships.  See  autho- 
rities in  Lempriere's  Dictionary. 

12.  And  landing  at  Syracuse.  Syracuse 
was  the  capital  of  the  island  of  Sicily,  on 
the  eastern  coast.  It  was  in  the  direct 
course  from  Malta  to  Rome.  It  contains 
at  present  about  18,000  inhabitants. 

13.  We  fetched  a  compass.  We  coasted 
about ;  or  we  coasted  along  the  eastern 
side  of  Sicily.  The  course  can  be  seen 
on  the  map.  IT  And  came  to  Rhegium. 
This  was  a  city  of  Italy,  in  the  kingdom 
of  Naples,  on  the  coast  near  the  south- 
«<'est  extremity  of  Italy.  It  was  nearly 
opposite  to  Messina,  in  Sicily.  It  is  now- 
called  Reggio.  See  the  map.  IT  The 
south  wind.  A  wind  favourable  for  their 
voyage.  IT  To  Puteoli.  The  wells.  It 
was  celebrated  for  its  warm  baths,  and 


hlew,  and  we  came  the  naxt  day  to 
Puteoli ; 

14  Where  we  found  brethren, 
and  were  desired  to  tarry  with  them 
seven  days  :  and  so  we  went  toward 
Rome. 

15  And  from  thence,  when  the 
brethren  heard  of  us,  they  came  * 
to  meet  us  as  far  as  Appii  Forum, 
and  the  Three  Taverns:  whom  when 
Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God,  and  took 
courage.  " 


b  c.21.5.  3Jao.6,8. 


:  Josh. 1.6,7.9.  lSam,30.6.  Ps. 


from  these,  and  its  springs,  it  is  supposed 
to  have  derived  its  name  of  the  wells.  It 
is  now  called  Pozzuoli,  and  is  in  the  cam 
pania  of  Naples,  on  the  northern  side  of 
the  bay,  and  about  eight  miles  northwest 
from  Naples.  The  town  contains  at  pre- 
sent about  10,000  inhabitants. 

14.  Brethren.  Christian  brethren.  But 
by  whom  the  gospel  had  been  preached 
there,  is  unknown. 

15.  And  'from  thence.  From  Puteoli 
IF  When  the  brethren  heard  of  us.  The 
Christians  who  were  at  Rome.  1i  As  far 
as  the  Appii  Forum.  This  was  a  city 
about  56  miles  from  Rome.  The  remains 
of  an  ancient  city  are  still  seen  there.  It 
is  on  the  borders  of  the  Pontine  marshes. 
The  city  was  built  on  the  celebrated 
Appian  way,  or  road  from  Rome  to  Capua. 
The  road  was  made  by  Appius  Claudius, 
and  probably  the  city  also.  It  was  called 
the  forum  or  market-place  of  Appius,  be- 
cause it  was  a  convenient  place  for  tra 
vellers  on  the  Appian  way  to  stop  for 
purposes  of  refreshment.  It  wag*also  a 
famous  resort  for  pedlars  and  merchants. 
See  Horace,  b.  i.  sat.  5.  3.  IT  And  the 
Three  Taverns.  This  place  was  about 
eight  or  ten  miles  nearer  Rome  than  the 
Appii  Forum.  Cicero  ad^^tt.  ii.  10.  It 
undoubtedly  received  its  name  because 
it  was  distinguished  as  a  place  of  refresh- 
ment on  the  Appian  way.  Probably  the 
greater  part  of  the  company  of  Christians 
remained  at  this  place,  while  the  remain- 
der went  forward  to  meet  Paul,  and  to 
attend  him  on  his  way.  The  Christians 
at  Rome  had  doubtless  heard  much  of 
Paul.  His  epistle  to  them  had  been  writ- 
ten about  the  year  of  our  Lord  57,  or  at 
least  five  years  before  this  time.  The  in- 
terest which  the  Roman  Christians  felt  in 
the  apostle  was  thus  manifested  by  their 
coming  so  far  to  meet  him,  though  he  was 
a  prisoner.  IT  He  thanked  God.  He  had 
long  ardently  desired  to  see  the  Chris- 


*53 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  D.  «2. 


16  And  when  we  came  to  Rome, 
the  centuriLH  delivered  the  prison- 
ers to  the  captain  of  the  guard : 
but  Paul  was  suffered  to  dwell  by 
himself  *  with  a  soldier  that  kept 
him. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
after  three  days  Paul  called  the 
chief  of  the  Jews  together  :  and 
when  they  were  come  together,  he 
said  unto  them,  INIen  and  brethren, 
though  '  I  have  committed  nothing 
against  the  people,  or  customs  of 
our  fathers,  yet  was  I  delivered  ' 
prisoner  from  Jerusalem  into  the 
hands  of  the  Romans  : 

18  Who,  '^  when  they  had  ex- 

a  C.24.25J  27.3.  b  c.24.12,i3;  25.8.  c  c.21.33, 
fcc.  d  c.24.10;  26.31. 

tians  of  Rome.  Rom.  i  9—11 ;  xv  23.  32. 
He  was  row  grateful  to  God  that  the  ob- 
ject of  his  long  desire  was  at  last  granted 
to  him,  and  that  he  was  permitted  to  see 
them,  though  in  bonds.  IT  And  took  cou- 
rage. From  their  society  and  counsel. 
The  presence  and  counsel  of  Christian 
brethren  is  often  of  inestimable  value  in 
encouraging  and  strengthening  us  in  the 
toils  and  trials  of  life. 

16.  The  captain  of  the  guard.  The 
commander  of  the  Pretorian  cohort,  or 
guard.  The  custom  was,  that  those  who 
were  sent  from  the  provinces  to  Rome  for 
trial  were  delivered  to  the  custody  of  this 
guard.  The  name  of  the  prefect  or  cap- 
tain of  the  guard  at  this  time,  was  Bur- 
fhns  Afranius.  Tacit.  Ann.  12.  42.  1. 
IT  But  Paul  was  suffered,  &c.  Evidently 
by  the  permission  of  tlie  centurion,  whose 
favour  he  had  so  much  conciliated  on  the 
voyage.  See  ch.  xxvii.  43.  IT  With  a 
scMier  that  kef$  him.  That  is,  in  the  cus- 
tody of  a  soldier,  to  whomhe  was  chained, 
and  who,  of  course,  constantly  attended 
him.     See  ch.  xxiv.  23.    Note,  ch.  xii.  G. 

17.  Paul  called  the  chief  of  the  Jews. 
fie  probably  had  two  objects  in  this :  one 
was  to  vindicate  himself  from  the  suspi- 
cion of  crime,  or  to  convince  them  that 
the  charges  alleged  against  him  were 
f  lise ;  and  the  otlier,  to  explain  to  them 
»he  gospel  of  Christ.  In  accordance  with 
his  custom  every  where,  he  seized  the 
earliest  opportunity  of  making  the  gospel 
known,  to  his  own  countrymen;  and  he 
naturally  8up|K)spd  that  charges  highly 
mfivourablo  to  his  character,  had  been 
ccri  forward  against  him  to  the  Jews  at 


amined  me,  would  have  let  me  ga 
because  there  was  no  cause  of 
death  in  me. 

19  But  when  the  Jews  spake 
against  //,  I  was  constrained  to  ap- 
peal 'unto  Cesar;  not  that  I  had 
aught  to.accuse  my  nation  of. 

20  For  this  cause  therefore  have 
I  called  for  you,  to  see  you^  and  to 
speak  with  you:  because  that  for 
the  hope  ^  of  Israel  I  am  bound 
with  this  cnain.  ^ 

21  And  they  said  unto  him,  We 
neither  received  letters  out  of  Ju- 
dea  concerning  thee,  neither  any  of 
the  brethren  that  came  showed  of 
spake  any  harm  of  thee. 

e  c.?5.1I.  /c.26.0,7.  g- C.2CJ9.  Eph-3.l:  4-1:6 
20.  2Tim.l.l6;  2.9.  Philem.10,13. 

Rome  by  those  in  Judea.  IT  Against  tht 
people.  Against  the  Jews.  ch.  xxiv.  12 
IT  Or  customs,  &c.  The  religious  rites  o\ 
the  nation.  Note,  ch.  vi.  14.  IT  Was  i 
delivered  prisoner,  &.C.  By  the  Jews.  ch. 
xxi.  33,  &c. 

18.  When  they  had  examined  me,  &c. 
ch.  xxiv.  10—27  ;  xxv.  xxvi.  31,  32.  IT  m 
cause  of  death.  No  crime  worthy  ot 
death. 

19.  The  Jews  spaJce  against  it.  Against 
my  being  set  at  liberty.  ^  /  was  con- 
strained. By  a  regard  to  my  own  safety 
and  character.  IF  To  appeal  unto  Cesar. 
Note,  ch.  xxv.  11.  H  Aot  that  I  had 
aught,  &.C.  I  did  it  for  my  own  preserva- 
tion and  safety ;  not  that  I  wished  to  ac- 
cuse my  own  countrymen.  It  was  not 
from  motives  of  revenge,  but  for  safety. 
Paul  had  been  unjustly  accused  and  in- 
jured ;  yet  with  the  true  spirit  of  the 
Christian  religion,  he  here  says  that  he 
cherished  no  unkind  feelings  towarda 
them. 

20.  Because  for  the  hope  of  Israel.  On 
account  of  the  hope  which  the  Jews 
cherished  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah , 
of  the  resurrection  ;  and  of  the  future 
state  through  him.  See  this  explained  in 
the  Note  on  ch.  xxiii.  6.  M  I  am  bound 
with  this  chain.  See  Note,  ch.  xxvi  29 
Probably  he  was  attached  constantly  to  c 
soldier  by  a  chain. 

21.  We  ncitfier  received  letters,  &c 
Why  the  Jews  in  Jndca  had  not  forward 
ed  the  accusation  against  Paul  to  their 
brethren  at  Koine,  tliiil  they  might  coii- 
tinuo  the  jirosccution  before  the  emperor 
i0  not  known      It  is  probal)lc  that  Uier 


\.  D.  65.] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


352 


22  But  we  desire  to  hear  of  thee 
what  thou  thinkest :  for  as  con- 
cerning this  sect,  we  know  that 
every  where  "  it  is  spoken  against. 

23  And  when  they  had  appoint- 
ed him  a  day,  there  came  many  to 
him  into  his  lodging- ;  ''  to  whom  he 
expounded  "  and  testified  the  king- 
dom of  God,  persuading  them  con- 
cerning Jesus,  both  '^  out  of  the 
law  of  Moses,  and  out  of  the  pro- 
phets, from  morning  till  evening. 

24  And  some  *  believed  the 
things  which  were  spoken,  and 
some  believed  not. 

25  And  when  they  agreed  not 
among  themselves,  they  departed, 
after  that   Paul,  had    spoken   one 

a  Luke  2.34.  c.24.5,14.  lPet.2.12;  4.14.        b  Philem. 
2.      cLuke24.27,  c.l7.3j  19.8.      (ic.26.6,22. 


regarded  their  cause  as  hopeless,  and 
choose  to  abandon  the  prosecution.  Paul 
had  been  acquitted  successively  byLysias, 
Felix,  Festus,  and  Agrippa ;  and  as  they 
had  not  succeeded  in  procuring  his  con- 
demnation before  them,  they  saw  no 
prospect  of  doing  it  at  Rome,  and  chose 
therefore  not  to  press  the  prosecution  any 
farther.  ^  Neither  any  of  the  brethren 
that  came.  Any  of  the  Jevvs.  There  was 
a  very  constant  intercourse  between 
Judea  and  Rome,  but  it  seems  that  the 
Jews  who  had  come  before  Paul  had  ar- 
rived, had  not  mentioned  his  case,  so  as 
to  prejudice  them  against  him. 

22.  What  thou  thinkest.  What  your 
belief  is ;  or  what  are  the  doctrines  of 
Christians  respecting  the  Messiah.  H  This 
sect.  The  sect  of  Christians.  IT  Spoken 
against.  Particularly  by  Jew's.  This 
was  the  case  then ;  and  to  a  great  extent, 
is  the  case  still.  It  has  been  the  common 
lot  of  the  followers  of  Christ  to  be  spoken 
of  with  contempt.     Comp.  ch.  xxiv.  5. 

23.  Appointed  him  a  day.  A  day  when 
they  would  hear  him.  H  To  his  lodging. 
To  the  house  where  he  resided,  vor.  30. 
IT  He  expounded.  He  explained  or  de- 
clared the  principles  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. IT  And  testtfed  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Bore  witness  to,  or  declared  the 
principles  and  doctrines  of  the  reign  of 
the  Messiah.  See  Note,  Matt.  iii.  2.  IfPer- 
miading  them  concerning  Jesus.  Endea- 
vouring to  convince  them  that  Jesus  was 
&ie  Messiah.  IT  Both  out  of  the  law  of  Moses. 
Endeavouring  to  convince  them  that  he 
lorresjjonded   with   the   predictions    re- 


word ;  Well  spake  the  Holy  Ghost 
by  Esaias  f  the  prophet  unto  oui 
fathers, 

26  Saying,  Go  unto  this  people, 
and  say.  Hearing  ye  shall  hear, 
and  shall  not  understand  ;  and 
seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not  pei- 
ceive : 

27  For  the  heart  of  this  people 
is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears  are 
dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have 
they  closed  ;  lest  they  should  see 
with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
ears,  and  understand  with  theii 
heart,  and  should  be  converted, 
and  I  should  heal  them. 

28  Be  it  known  therefore  unto 
you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is 

e  c.14.4;  17.4;  19.9.  Rom.3.3.        /  Ps.Sl.ll.  Isi.6.9 
Jer.5.21.  Eze.3.6,7;  12.2.  Matt.13.14,15.  Kom.11.8. 


specting  the  Messiah  in  the  books  ol 
Moses.  (See  Gen.  xlix.  10.  Dcut.  xviii 
18.)  and  with  the  types  which  Moses  had 
instituted  to  prefigure  the  Messiah. 
H  And  out  of  the  prophets.  Showing  that 
he  corresponded  with  the  predictions  of 
the  prophets.  See  Note,  ch-  xvii.  3. 
^  From  morning  until  evening.  An  in- 
stance of  Paul's  indefatigable  toil  in  en- 
deavouring to  win  his  own  countrymen 
to  Jesus  as  the  Messiah. 

24.  And  some  believed,  &c.  See  Note, 
ch.  xiv.  4.  ♦ 

25  Had  spoken  one  word.  One  decla- 
ration of  solemn  prophecy,  reminding 
them  that  it  was  the  characteristic  of  the 
nation  to  reject  the  testimony  of  God,  and 
that  it  was  to  be  expected.  It  was  the 
last  solemn  warning  which  we  know 
Paul  to  have  delivered  to  his  country 
men  the  Jews.  V  Well  spake.  Or  he 
spoke  the  truth ;  he  justly  described  the 
character  of  the  Jewish  people.  The 
passage  here  quoted  was  as  applicable  in 
the  time  of  Paul  as  of  Isaiah.  IF  The 
Holy  Ghost.  A  full  proof  of  the  inspira- 
tion of  Isaiah.  ^  By  Esaias.  By  Isaiah 
Isa.  vi.  9,  10. 

26,  27.  Saying,  &c.  See  this  passage 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  14 
and  John  xii.  39,  40. 

28.  The  salvation  of  God.  The  \fnow 
ledge  of  God's  mode  of  saving  men.  IF  I» 
sent  unto  the  Gentiles.  Since  you  have 
rejected  it,  it  will  be  offered  to  them 
See  Note,  ch.  xiii.  46.  "iF  And  that  the^ 
will  hear  it.  They  will  embrace  it.  Pau' 
was  never  discouraged.     If  he  gospo* 


J54 


THE 

and  that 


A  CIVS. 


[A.  D.  63 


sent  unto  tlie  Gentiles 
they  will  hear  it. 

29  And  when  he  had  said  these 
words,  the  Jews  departed,  and 
fiad  great  reasoning  among  them- 
ifclves. 

30  And  Paul  dwelt  two  whole 

a  Matt.21.41.  c. 13.46,47;  18.6.;  22.21;  26.17,18.  Roic, 
U.U 


was  rejected  by  one  class  of  people,  he 
was  ready  to  offer  it  to  another.  If  his 
own  countrymen  rejected  and  despised 
it,  he  never  allowed  himself  to  suppose 
that  Christ  had  died  in  vain,  but  beheved 
that  others  would  be  inclined  to  embrace 
Its  saving  benefits.  How  happy  would  it 
be  if  all  Christians  had  the  same  unwa- 
vering faith  and  zeal  as  Paul ! 

29.  And  had  great  reasoning.  Great 
discussion  or  debates.  That  is,  the  part 
which  believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah (ver.  24)  'discussed  the  subject 
warmly  with  those  who  did  not  believe. 
This  whole  verse  is  wanting  in  the  Syriac 
version,  and  in  some  Greek  MSS.,  and  is 
«upix)sed  by  Mill  and  Griesbach  to  be 
spurious, 

30.  Paid  dwelt  two  whole  years.  Doubt- 
less in  the  custody  of  the  soldiers.  Why 
he  was  not  prosecuted  before  the  empe- 
ror during  this  time  is  not  known.  It  is 
evident,  however  (ver.  21),  that  the  Jews 
were  not  disposed  to  carry  the  case  be- 
fore Nero,  and  the  matter,  during  this 
tirfle,  was  suffered  quietly  to  sleep.  There 
i.s  great  probability  that  the  Jews  durst 
not  prosecute  him  before  the  emperor. 
It  is  clear  that  they  had  never  been  in 
favour  of  the  appeal  to  Rome,  and  that 
Ihey  had  no  hope  of  gaining  their  cause. 
Probably  they  might  remember  the  for- 
mer treatment  of  the  Roman  emperor  of 
their  people  (Note,  ch.  xviii.  2) ;  they 
might  remember  that  they  were  despised 
at  the  Roman  capital,  and  not  choose  to 
encounter  the  scorn  and  indignation  of 
the  Roman  court ;  and  as  there  was  no 
prosecution,  Paul  was  suffered  to  live  in 
(juietness  and  safety.  Lardner,  however, 
HiiI)IK)sen  (vol.  V.  p.  528,  529.  Ed.  8vo. 
Lond.  1C29)  that  the  case  of  Paul  was 
'oon  brought  before  Nero,  and  decided  ; 
mill  that  the  method  of  confinement  was 
ordered  by  the  emperor  himself  Light- 
i(>ot  also  supposes  that  Paul's  "accusers, 
who  had  come  from  Juflca  to  lay  their 
charge  against  him,  would  l)e  urgent  to 
get  their  business  (Icspnirhed,  that  they 
might  be  returning  to  their  own  home 
fcsrair.,  and  so  would  br  ng  him  to  trial  ns 


years  in  his  Dwn  hired  house,  and 
received  all  that  came  in  unto  him. 
.31  Preaching  *  the  kingdom  o^ 
God,  and  teaching  those  thing* 
which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  with  all  confidence,  no  man 
forbidding  him. 

fcc.4.31,  Erh.6.19. 


soon  as  they  could."  But  nothing  ctt 
tainly  is  known  on  the  subject.  It  is  evi- 
dent, indeed,  from  2  Tim.  iv.  16,  that  h« 
was  at  some  time  arraigned  before  the 
emperor;  but  when  it  was,  or  what  was 
the  decision,  or  why  he  was  at  last  set  at 
liberty,  are  all  involved  in  impenetrable 
obscurity.  IT  In  his  own  hired  liouse.  In 
a  house  which  he  was  permitted  to  hire 
and  occupy  as  his  ewn.  Probably  in 
this  he  was  assisted  by  the  kindness  of 
his  Roman  friends.  \\  And  received  all, 
&c.  Received  all  hospitably  and  kindly 
who  came  to  him  to  show  him  kindness, 
or  to  listen  to  his  instructions.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  this,  that  he  was  still  a  pri- 
soner, B'i  was  not  permitted  to  go  at 
large. 

31.  F reaching  the  kingdom  of  God 
Note,  ch.  XX.  25.  IT  With  all  confidence 
Openly  and  boldly,  without  any  one  to 
hinder  him.  It  is  known  also,  that  Paul 
was  not  unsuccessful  even  when  a  pri- 
soner at  Rome.  Several  persons  were 
converted  by  his  preaching  even  in  the 
court  of  the'omperor.  The  things  which 
had  happened  to  him,  he  says  (Phil.  i.  12, 
13,  14),  had  fallen  out  rather  to  the  fur- 
therance of  the  gospel,  so  that  his  lx)nd9 
in  Christ  were  manifested  in  all  the  pa- 
lace, and  in  all  other  places ;  and  m<ny 
brethren  in  the  Lord,  says  he,  waxnig 
confident  by  my  bonds,  are  much  more 
bold  to  speak  the  word  without  fear.  In 
this  situation  he  was  remembered  with 
deep  interest  by  the  church  at  Philippi, 
who  sentEpaphrodilus  to  him  with  a  con- 
tribution to  supply  his  wants.  Of  their 
kindness  he  speaks  in  terms  of  the  ten 
derest  gratitude  in  Phil.  ii.  25;  iv.  18. 
During  his  confinement  also,  he  was  the 
means  of  the  conversiim  of  Oncsimus,  a 
runaway  slave  of  Philemon,  of  Colosse 
in  Phrygia  (Philem.  10);  whom  he  sent 
back  to  his  master  with  a  letter  to  him- 
self, and  with  an  epistle  to  the  chiin-h  at 
that  place.  Sre  epistle  to  the  Colo.ssiant 
iv.  8,  9.  18.  During  this  imprisonment, 
he  wrote,  according  to  l,nrdnrr,  the  fol- 
lowing epistles,  in  the  following  order  an^ 
time,  viz: 


.%..  D.  62.] 


Ephesians,  April,  A.  D ;. . .   61 

2  Timothy,  May 61 

Philippians,  before  the  end  of. . .  62 

Colossians 62 

Philemon 62 

Hebrews,  spring  of 63 

Here  closes  the  inspired  account  of  the 
propagation  of  Christianity,  of  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Christian  church,  and  of 
the  toils  and  persecutions  of  the  apostle 
Paul.  Who  can  but  be  deeply  affected 
when  he  comes  to  the  conclusion  of  this 
.nspired  book  of  revivals,  and  of  the 
history  of  the  spread  of  the  Christian 
religion,  and  of  the  account  of  that  won- 
derful man — the  apostle  Paul?  Who 
can  help  heaving  the  sigh  of  regret,  that 
this  interesting  historian  did  not  carry 
forward  the  history  of  Paul  till  his  death, 
and  that  henceforward,  in  the  history  of 
the  church,  we  want  this  faithful,  in- 
spired guide ;  and  that,  from  the  close  of 
this  book,  every  thing  becomes  at  once 
eo  involved  in  obscurity  and  uncertainty  ? 
Instead,  however,  of  pouring  forth  the 
eigh  of  unavailing  regret  that  the  sacred 
historian  has  carried  us  no  farther  on- 
ward, we  should  rather  speak  the  lan- 
guage of  praise  that  he  has  given,  by 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  his- 
tory of  the  church  for  thirty  years  after 
the  ascension  of  the  Saviour;  that  he 
has  recorded  the  accounts  of  the  first 
great  revivals  of  religion ;  that  he  has 
presented  us  the  examples  of  the  early 
missionary  zeal ;  that  he  has  informed  us 
how  the  early  Christians  endured  perse- 
cution and  toil ;  that  he  has  conducted 
us  from  land  to  land,  and  from  city  to 
city,  showing  us  every  where  how  the 
gospel  was  propagated,  until  we  are  led 
to  the  seat  of  the  Roman  power,  and  see 
the  great  apoatle  of  Christianity  there 
proclaiming,  in  that  mighty  capita!  <*>  *<w  \ 
world,  the  name  of  Jesus  as  tne  feaviuui 
of  men.  Perhaps  there  could  be  no 
more  appropriate  close  to  the  book  of 
the  inspired  history,  than  thus  to  have 
conducted  the  apostle  of  tMb  Gentiles, 
and  to  have  recorded  the  spread  of  Chris- 
tianity, to  the  capital  of  the  Roman  world, 
and  to  leave  the  principal  agent  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Christian  religion 
in  that  seat  of  intelligence,  and  influ- 
ence, and  power.  It  is  the  conducting 
of  Christianity  to  the  very  height  of  its 
earthly  victories ;  and  having  shown  its 
power  in  the  provinces  of  the  empire,  it 
was  proper  for  the  inspired  author  of  this 
ecclesiastical  history  to  close  the  account 
with  the  record  of  its  achieveraenta  in 
ti«  capital. 


CHAPTER   XXVIll. 


353 


Why  Luke  closed  his  history  here  is 
not  known.  It  may  have  been  that  he 
was  not  afterwards  the  companion  of 
Paul ;  or  that  he  might  have  been  him- 
self  removed  by  death.  It  is  agreed  on 
all  hands  that  he  did  not  attend  Paul  in 
his  subsequent  travels ;  and  we  shoi  Id 
infer  from  the  conclusion  of  this  bock, 
that  he  did  not  survive  the  apostle,  as 
it  is  almost  incredible,  if  he  did,  that  he 
did  not  mention  his  release  and  death 
It  is  the  uniform  account  of  antiquity, 
that  Luke,  after  the  transactions  with 
which  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  closes, 
passed  over  into  Achaia,  where  he  lived 
a  year  or  two,  and  there  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four  years. 

Every  thing  'in  regard  to  the  apostle 
Paul,  after  the  account  with  which  Luke 
closes  this  book,  is  involved  in  doubt  and 
uncertainty.  By  what  means  he  was  set 
at  liberty  is  not  known ;  and  there  is  a 
great  contradiction  of  statements  in  re 
gard  to  his  subsequent  travels,  and  evpn 
the  time  of  his  death.  It  is  generally 
agreed,  indeed,  that  he  was  set  at  hber- 
ty  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  63.  After 
this,  some  of  the  fathers  assert,  thai  he 
travelled  over  Italy,  and  passed  into 
Spain.  But  this  account  is  involved  in 
great  uncertainty.  Lardner,  who  haa 
examined  all  the  statements  with  care, 
and  than  whom  no  one  is  better  qualified 
to  pronounce  an  opinion  on  these  sub- 
jects, gives  the  following  account  of  the 
subsequent  life  of  Paul.-  (Works,  vol.  v 
331—336.  Ed.  Lond.  1829.)  He  suppose 
that  after  his  release,  he  went  from 
Rome  to  Jerusalem  as  soon  as  possible 
that  he  then  went  to  Ephesus,  and  from 
thence  to  Laodicea  and  Colosse ;  ind 
that  he  returned  to  Rome  by  Troas,  -^  ni- 
lippi,  and  Corinth.  The  reason  why  he 
returned  to  Rome,  Lardner  supposes  was, 
*i*f*i  he  regarded  that  city  as  opening  ""e- 
lOre  him  the  widest  and  most  important 
field  of  labour;  and  that,  therefore,  he 
proposed  there  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  his  life. 

In  the  year  of  ourXord  64,  a  dreadful 
fire  happened  at  Rome  which  continued 
for  six  or  seven  days.  It  was  generally 
supposed  that  the  city  had  been  set  on 
fire  by  order  of  the  emperor  Nero.  In 
order  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  peo- 
ple from  this  charge  against  himself,  he 
accused  the  Christians  of  having  been 
the  authors  of  the  conflagration,  and  ex 
cited  against  them  a  most  furious  and 
bloody  persecution.  In  this  persecution 
it  is  generally  supposed  that  Paul  and 
Peter  suffered  death ;  the  former  by  be- 
ing beheaded,  and  the  latter  bv  crucifix 


.I5(J 


THE  ACTS. 


[A.  I). 


tf^ 


lun.  Patl  IS  supposed  to  have  been  bc- 
lieaded  rather  than  crucilied,  because  he 
was  a  Honian  citizen,  and  because  it  was 
unlawful  to  put  a  Roman  citizen  to  death 
on  a  cross.  Lardner  thinks  that  this 
occurred  in  the  year  G5.  Where  1  aul 
was  beheaded  is  not  certainly  known 
It  is  generally  supposed  to  have  occurred 
ttt  a  place  called  ihe  Salvian  Waters, 
about  three  miles  from  Rome,  and  that 
he  was  buried  in  the  Ostian  Way,  where 
a  magnificent  church  was  afterwards 
built.  But  of  this  there  is  no  absolute 
certainty. 

It  is  far  more  important  and  interesting 
for  us  to  be  assured,  from  the  character 
which  he  evinced,  and  from  the  proofs 
of  his  zeal  and  toil  in  the  cause  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  that  his  spirit  rested  in 
the  bosom  of  his  Saviour  and  his  God. 
W^herever  he  died,  his  spirit,  we  doubt 
not,  is  in  heaven.  And  where  that  body 
rested  at  last,  which  he  laboured  "  to 
keep  under,"  and  which  he  sought  to 
bring  "  into  subjection"  (1  Cor.  ix.  27), 
and  which  was  to  him  so  much  the  source 
of  conilict,  and  of  sin  (Rem.  vii.  5.  23), 
is  a  matter  of  little  consequence.    It  will 


be  watched  and  guarded  by  the  eye  o* 
that  Saviour  whom  he  served,  and  wii 
be  raised  up  to  eternal  life.  In  his  owx 
inimitable  language,  it  was  sown  in  ccr. 
ruption ;  it  shall  be  raised  in  incorrup- 
tion ;  it  was  sown  in  dishonour,  it  shall 
be  raised  in  glory ;  it  was  sown  in  weak 
ness,  it  shall  be  raised  in  power ;  it  was 
sown  a  natural  body,  it  shall  be  raised  a 
spiritual  body.  1  Cor.  xv.  42—44.  AttJ 
in  regard  to  him,  and  to  ai  ctier  scinU, 
wnen  that  corruptible  shall  have  put  (WJ 
incorruption,  and  that  morLil  shall  have 
put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  dftath 
is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  1  Cor.  xv. 
54.  To  Paul  now,  what  are  all  his  sor- 
rows, and  persecutions,  and  toils  in  the 
cause  of  his  Master  ?  What  but  a  source 
of  thanksgiving  that  he  was  permitted 
thus  to  labour  to  spread  the  goepel 
through  the  world  ?  So  may  we  live- 
imitating  his  life  of  zeal,  and  self-denial, 
and  faithfulness,  that  when  he  riset 
from  the  dead  we  may  participate  w-jfe 
him  in  the  glories  of  the  ••esurrectioti  cl 
the  just. 


THK      EN  D 


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